Palace of Versailles
The palace is now a historical monument and UNESCO World Heritage site, notable especially for the ceremonial Hall of Mirrors, the jewel-like Royal Opera, and the royal apartments. The Palace was stripped of all its furnishings after the French Revolution, but many pieces have been returned and many of the palace rooms have been restored.
Basic information
Page navigation: Basic information > Must to See & Do > Transport

Palace of Versailles (map) was the principal royal residence of France from 1682, under Louis XIV, until the start of the French Revolution in 1789, under Louis XVI. It is located in the department of Yvelines, in the region and province of Île-de-France, about 20 kilometres (12 miles) southwest of the centre of Paris.
⇒ Practical information • Discover • Tickets & Prices • What’s on
The Palace of Versailles offers a visual history of French architecture from the 17th century to the end of the 18th century.
The palace area consists of the main palace, a large garden, an extensive park, as well as a number of annex buildings which all are of historic and cultural interest. Seeing all of this in the pace it deserves, as well as the transport between different sites, take time.
If you have only one day to spend at Versailles, make a plan and prioritize what you want to see, and take into account that there are large distances between some of the interesting locations and possibly also lines to wait in at the entrance. Versailles palace is inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
It’s a nice bike ride from Paris via Bois de Boulogne and Parc St Cloud.
Since June 2020, a booking is mandatory to enter the palace – even if you have Museum pass or benefit from free entrance (under 26 (EU only), under 18 (everywhere else), or with an EU student visa over 6 months). Slots can be booked online or on spot, and guarantee an entrance within 30 minutes from the entrance slot booked. Book early to be sure to entrance the palace on the time you want.
Missing the booked time does not necessarily mean losing your money, as the personnel at the ticket office will try to allow you to entrer later in the day, provided there are still slots available.
+ More info: Wikipedia • Wikivoyage • UNESCO
Must to See & Do
Page navigation: Basic information > Must to See & Do > Regions & Cities > Transport
All our articles about France
- Arc de Triomphe, Paris
- Bastille Day (la Fête nationale)
- Catacombs of Paris (ossuary)
- City of Aix-en-Provence
- City of Albi
- City of Annecy
- City of Arles
- City of Avignon
- City of Besançon
- City of Bordeaux
- City of Carcassonne
- City of Dijon
- City of La Rochelle
- City of Lille
- City of Lyon
- City of Marseille
- City of Nantes
- City of Nice
- City of Nimes
- City of Paris
- City of Saint-Cirq-Lapopie
- City of Saint-Malo
- City of Strasbourg
- City of Toulouse
- Eiffel Tower, Paris
- Festival of Giants (Gayant), Douai
- Fontainebleau
- Louvre Museum
- Mont Saint-Michel
- Musee d’Orsay, Paris
- National Museum of Modern Art
- Notre-Dame de Paris
- Palace of Versailles
- Verdon Gorge
Also check out all informative articles about popular cities, attractions and festivals in France
Transport around Paris
Page navigation: Basic information > Must to See & Do > Regions & Cities > Transport

RATP ::: Metro timetables • Bus timetables • Tramway timetables • RER timetables
phebus.tm.fr – local buses around Versailles
⇒ Getting to the palace (chateauversailles.fr) • Public transport (parisinfo.com) • Getting to France (uk.france.fr)
Video source: Château de Versailles

Links to additional resources with useful information for planning your trip.