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Palace and Park of Versailles

Versailles · France

Background

World Heritage since
1979
Type of site
Cultural
Seat of the French court
1682–1789

The palace, gardens and park south-west of Paris that were the principal home of the French kings from Louis XIV to Louis XVI. The king, the court and the government lived here from 1682 until 1789.

Built up by several generations of architects, sculptors, decorators and garden designers, it gave Europe its model of the ideal royal residence for over a century, UNESCO says. The estate holds about 2,300 rooms, the Grand and Petit Trianon and 815 ha of park.

More on the UNESCO listing More on Wikipedia

  1. 1623Louis XIII builds a hunting lodge here
  2. 1664Louis XIV begins the great building works
  3. 1682The court and government move in
  4. 1789The court leaves Versailles on 6 October
  5. 1919Peace treaty ending the First World War signed in the Hall of Mirrors
  6. 1979Inscribed as World Heritage

Find Your Way Around

The main parts of the site, in the order most visitors see them

  1. 1
    Hall of Mirrors
    Where the German Empire was proclaimed in 1871 and the 1919 peace treaty was signed.
  2. 2
    State Apartments
    The King's and Queen's apartments, with the Chapel and the Opera House.
  3. 3
    The Gardens
    93 ha of formal gardens, with musical fountain shows on some days.
  4. 4
    Grand Canal
    Rowing boats in summer, with a café along its banks.
  5. 5
    Grand and Petit Trianon
    The smaller palaces in the park, at least a 30-minute walk from the main palace.

Know Before You Go

From Wikivoyage and the GoGo guides

Closed on Mondays
The palace is shut on Mondays, as the GoGo Paris guide notes.
Book a Time Slot
Entry to the palace needs a booked slot, even with a museum pass or free entry.
By RER From Paris
About 40 minutes. Versailles Château Rive Gauche station is a 5-minute walk away.
Ride the Mini-Train
The park is huge. The mini-train is the quickest way to reach the Trianons.
Plan a Full Day
The GoGo guide gives the palace and the gardens about 2½ hours each.
No Selfie Sticks
Selfie sticks are not allowed inside, and some rooms may be closed for works or state events.

A Day at Versailles

From the GoGo Paris guide · Open the Paris Guide ›

  1. 09:00
    Palace of Versailles2.5 hrs
    The palace and the Hall of Mirrors.
  2. 12:00
    Versailles Gardens and the Trianons2.5 hrs
    The gardens and the smaller palaces in the park.

Best Time to Visit

Best months: May–Sep.

Typical highs

Best monthsRain: wettest Dec (71 mm), driest Apr (40 mm)

Climate: NASA POWER

Pair It With

Other World Heritage sites nearby, by distance

WORTH A NIGHTDAY TRIPSAME DAYDistance not to scale · tap a site
Do These Together
Versailles is 16 km from the Banks of the Seine in Paris. Chartres Cathedral and the Palace of Fontainebleau are each about 60 km away.
Sources
UNESCO World Heritage Centre, listing 83 · Wikipedia: Palace of Versailles · Wikivoyage: Versailles (CC BY-SA 4.0) · GoGo Paris guide · UNESCO listing