ParisDates

from €462.4 / tourShow details

Things to do hosted by Normandy Melody

9 hours (approx.)

Up to 8 travelers

Pickup offered

Mobile ticket

Offered in English

About

A private day trip to to discover Versailles with a private professional guide. An exclusive experience to visit the Palace, the gardens and the domains of Marie Antoinette. Priority admission to appr...
  • VIP Skip-the-Line access & Priority admission.
  • Private Tour - Exclusive Services
  • Transport by air-conditioned minibus
  • Pick up and drop off from your accommodation / hotels in Paris
  • Gardens access all the time - even during specific events.
  • Accredited Professional Guide
  • What's not included

  • Lunch
  • Gratuities

    Pickup point

    Multiple pickup locations offered. During checkout you will be able to select from the list.

    End point

    This activity ends back at the meeting point.

    Itinerary

    This is a typical itinerary for this product

    Stop atPalace of Versailles

    The Palace of Versailles, or in french "Château de Versailles", is one of the largest castles in the world. A World Heritage listed, the Palace of Versailles is one of the finest achievements of French art in the seventeenth century. The former hunting lodge of Louis XIII was transformed and expanded by his son Louis XIV who installed his court and his government in 1682. Until the French Revolution, kings have succeeded, embellishing each the Castle. This royal jewel is definitely a must-see French landmark. Venture in the Palace, discover its spectacular architecture, and its splendid rooms like the King and Queen’s apartments, many livings room with its stories and the breath taking Mirror Hall design to impress visitors with its three hundred and fifty seven mirrors, its marble and bronze decorations and its gilded bronze sculptures. The visit ends with an introduction to Versailles Gardens. Thanks to skip the line access, the guide invites you to discover the Royal Apartments.

    2 hours (approx.)Admission included

    Stop atThe Royal Chapel

    Construction of the Royal Chapel was completed in 1710 at the end of the reign of Louis XIV. It was the fifth – and final – chapel built in the Palace since the reign of Louis XIII. The design was presented to the king by Jules Hardouin-Mansart in 1699. Unfortunately, the First Architect to the King died in 1708 before the end of the works, which were finished by his brother-in-law, Robert de Cotte.

    10 minutes (approx.)Admission included

    Stop atThe Royal Opera

    The Royal Opera is one of the greatest works by the architect Ange-Jacques Gabriel. Inaugurated in 1770 during the reign of Louis XV, it was at the time the largest concert hall in Europe, and was also a great technical achievement and an impressive feat of decorative refinement. A theater for monarchic and then republican life, it has hosted celebrations, shows and parliamentary debates.

    10 minutes (approx.)Admission included

    Stop atJardins du Chateau de Versailles

    Our expert tour guide will enable you to see the best part of the Gardens. In 1661, Louis XIV charged André Le Nôtre to create the gardens of Versailles. The creation of gardens requires a gigantic work about forty years: leveling spaces, landscaping garden beds, creation of ponds and the Canal. Louis XIV considered gardens as important as the castle. André Le Nôtre created an ultimate French Style garden: a terrace with a global view of the gardens, a geometric organization of the axes, ponds, flowerbeds, groves. The garden is designed like a building, a walk playing on the perspectives. Charles Le Brun drew a large number of statues and fountains. The 221 sculptures make Versailles as the world's largest open-air museum of sculptures. Fountains and groves adorn the gardens. The groves regularly hosted the King's walk and the entertainment of the court. Appreciate a stroll trough the Le Nôtre's gardens. Each summer, Versailles offers superb entertainment in the gardens to give visitors the experience of the magnificence of the celebrations in the garden at the time of Louis XIV. Your guide will offer you a visit to the musical gardens (Tuesday from June to October) and the musical fountains show (Saturdays and Sundays from April to October).

    2 hours (approx.)Admission included

    Stop atI Trianons E Le Hameau

    The Petit Trianon In 1758, Louis XV plans the construction of a new small castle. He orders Ange-Jacques Gabriel, a royal pavilion to house the intimacy of his favor Madame de Pompadour. The Petit Trianon is a true emblem of Neo-classical architecture. At the death of Louis XV, Louis XVI offer it to his young wife, Marie Antoinette. She changes the botanical garden of Louis XV by an sumptuous Anglo-Chinese garden. A visit to the Petit Trianon is a moving immersion in the daily life of Marie Antoinette, a deeply human Queen. Often accused of frivolity, it would end tragically during the French Revolution. Approach the personality of this historical figure, famous for her beauty, her modernity and her sumptuous entertainment. Enjoy the gardens to discover the Temple of Love and Belvedere, dear to the Queen. The Grand Trianon is a unique building, with its central loggia which ensures a real transparency between the courtyard and the gardens. In 1687, Louis XIV ordered the construction of a "small palace of pink marble and porphyritic with gorgeous gardens", according to the architect Jules Hardouin-Mansart. The castle is then called "Marble Trianon". This pink marble building subtly combines sumptuousness and intimacy. Many original sculptured decorations are visible in the apartments, as well as a magnificent Empire furniture. The Grand Trianon is surrounded by French Style Gardens whose countless flowers and groves contribute to creating a relaxing atmosphere. ​The Queen's Hamlet, built between 1783 and 1786 by Richard Mique, coincides with the taste of the time for the charms of rural life. This small village "as in the countryside" had houses made either for the simple entertainment like the billiard room, or for a real agricultural function as the dairies or the farm. It served as a private meeting place for the Queen and her closest friends, a place of leisure.

    2 hours (approx.)Admission included

  • Specialized infant seats are available
  • Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
  • Suitable for all physical fitness levels
  • Children must be accompanied by an adult
  • Times are subject to change due to local traffic conditions
  • Please advise any specific dietary requirements at time of booking

Cancellation Policy

Free Cancellation: For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Questions?

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Reviews

4.75

16 Reviews

Total review count and overall rating. We perform checks on reviews.

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Easy & Enjoyable

Victoria_F, Dec 2024

Nice to have a private tour guide - he knew tips & tricks for the best viewing/timing of different areas. Hotel pickup & drop off made the day easy & stress free. Nice to have a private group!

A must do tour

Dawn_C, Dec 2024

I loved Trianon and its world within a world. Our guide was delightful and knowledgeable. Highly recommend.

Good but could be better

Karen, Dec 2024

It was a pretty good day although it could have been better. First, Gilles was very nice and a very good tour guide. My husband and I enjoy hearing about Versailles and learned a lot. Our granddaughter was bored and he didn’t engage with her too much on the elements of the tour, although he was very nice to her. The organization of the trip, however, could be better. We were picked up at 8:00 but had an 11:40 entry into the chateau. Even with the walking in the gardens we had some time to kill that we could have used at the end. It also meant retracing our steps since we couldn’t do the chateau and then the gardens and then over to the 2 other palaces. My husband is 71 and it was really too much walking for him - 6 miles by the count of my Apple Watch. If that was the only time the tour operator could get it would have been better to book a later start time and return later. The other thing I would strongly recommend is that you do not go to the fancy restaurant (Ore?). It was a huge rip off and took a lot of time away from the tour. It was my fault - Gilles showed me the menu but I just saw a sandwich that I knew my granddaughter would eat and didn’t even look at the rest. There is no way to get a single course meal there, it is crazy expensive for what you get, and it takes a very long time. Had that been pointed out I definitely would have chosen something else. It meant we had to rush through the Grand Trianon and the Queen’s Hamlet and even rushing we were 30 minutes late to get back to the driver. It was a combination of having late entry tickets and the long lunch. I also wished I knew how much we were missing coming this time of year. Not only were the fountains not operating but most of the statues outside were covered. There were also areas in the palace that we didn’t have tickets for. I guess I thought that for so much money that we had access to everything. And at the end of the long day the tour operator decided to save some money and hire a small car rather than the minivan we were promised. We did not receive a refund for the difference in cost.

Palace of Versailles/Gardens/Petit Trianon

Jennifer_S, Dec 2024

Great tour, excellent transport and Jean Paul was great! :) The Petit Trianon was absolutely beautiful and the walk along the grounds. :)

It's the total...

Robert_L, Dec 2024

It's the total experience--the grandeur of the palace, the magnificence and scale of the gardens, the elegance of the Trianon and Petit Trianon, and the quaint rustic character of the Hameau. An extraordinary package.

Plus, we had an enthusiastic guide (Anna) who enhanced the experience by bringing the buildings and grounds to life, giving us the history of the people and the times when Versailles was at the center of France.

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