Versailles Gardens Tour from Paris with Skip the Line Palace Access
Guided tour of the gardens and the château, and round-trip transportation from Paris
Want to walk through the historic Versailles Gardens like royalty and explore the magnificent Palace of Versailles during your Paris stay? Travel from central Paris and step back in time to the palatial former home of France’s kings and queens. You’ll take a guided tour to learn the fascinating history of the gardens, before skipping the long lines at the Palace of Versailles to enjoy its splendor with your guide. An essential Paris experience!
- Meet your guide and group in front of the Church Notre-Dame de Compassion
- Versailles Palace
- Hall of Mirrors
- Grand Apartments
- Versailles Palace Splendor
- Gardens of Versailles
- Fountains of Versailles
- This tour ends at Porte Maillot
Your tour conveniently starts in front of the Church Notre-Dame de Compassion, where you’ll meet your guide and private coach for your ride to Versailles. First, you’ll skip the long lines to enjoy a guided tour of the Palace of Versailles, then you and your group will proceed to the historic Versailles Gardens, listening to stories of France’s glamorous monarchy, exploring hidden groves, and enjoying thousands of flowers. Afterward, you’ll have some free time to explore Versailles at your own pace.
Versailles Palace and Garden Tour Description
Your 5-hour tour includes:
English Speaking Guide
Guided tour of the Palace and Gardens of Versailles
Skip-the-line entry to the Palace of Versailles
Round-trip transportation by coach from Paris to Versailles
Headsets if needed
Transportation from Paris to Versailles
Don’t worry about having to navigate public transportation on your own. You will meet your guide and fellow travelers in front of the Church Notre-Dame de Compassion, where you’ll start your hassle-free journey to Versailles by private coach transportation. Once you arrive and see the hours-long lines, you’ll be thrilled that you purchased your skip-the-line tickets to the château ahead of time.
Skip-the-Line Tickets and Tour of the Palace of Versailles
After arriving in front of the massive Versailles Palace, you are sure to be mesmerized by its appearance. Your expert guide, well-versed in the palace's rich history, will usher you into a world of regal splendor, as part of your fully guided experience. Say "au revoir" to long lines, as with your skip-the-line tickets you’ll be able to head straight past the typically long lines to start exploring the beautiful Palace of Versailles.
Inside, you’ll be able to marvel at the palace’s iconic highlights and learn all about its history. For example, the famous Hall of Mirrors is adorned with 357 mirrors that protected the walls from smoke from the fireplaces, and you may recognize this area from its beautiful chandeliers and golden statues. This great hall is most renowned, however, for serving as the location of the signing of the Treaty of Versailles in 1919.
As you traverse the opulent halls, the journey continues with the Grand Apartments, a suite of rooms that once housed the French royal family. Enter the lavish chambers adorned with sumptuous tapestries, ornate furniture, and gilded moldings. Each room exudes a distinct ambiance, from the opulence of the King's Bedchamber to the refined elegance of the Queen's Chamber.
Continue your exploration into the State Rooms, and marvel at the intricately designed Throne Room, where monarchs held court in splendor.
Explore the Beautiful Versailles Gardens
Having immersed yourself in the palace's grandeur, the journey continues through the Versailles Gardens. Your guide will lead you through the highlights of the gardens, explaining the fascinating history behind the fountains, groves, and overall design.
You may think that the manicured Gardens of Versailles are just a beautiful addition to the Palace of Versailles itself, but King Louis XIV considered the entire property to be just as important as the château itself. He entrusted the design and renovation of the gardens to André Le Nôtre—one of the most famous landscape architects of his time.
For many, the outstanding feature of the gardens is the Grand Canal, a reflecting pool in the center of the gardens. Although the reflecting pool is technically asymmetrical, it appeared perfectly symmetrical when King Louis XIV stood at the foot of the basin, which is why it was designed this way.
As the tour concludes and you return to your initial meeting point in Place du Général Kœnigy, relish the opportunity to meander through the exquisite gardens at your own pace for a little more. Enjoy a moment of tranquility by the Grand Canal or explore hidden corners, soaking in the ambiance that once captivated royalty, before heading back to Paris.
What you get with this tour
See what people are saying
52 total reviews
Leave a reviewGreat experience !
Leslie Dupree
The guided Versailles tour via coach from Paris was wonderful! Without the guide we would have been completely lost in the palace. Natalia was excellent and explained so much history along our tour. Would definitely do this again. No better way to see Versailles then with this tour!
Great experience with The Tour Guy
Theda Fresques
I had a great experience from booking to the tour itself. Andrea was patient and very informative through several phone calls leading up to our trip. Sunil proactively contacted me about changes far in advance to our scheduled tour and were responsive through the day before. Meeting place and time were clear and accurate as described on the voucher. Stick to the recommendation of showing up 10-15 minutes early as they are punctual (which is a good thing). Our tour coordinator (I unfortunately cannot recall her name) who met us at the rendezvous point and accompanied us on the coach ride to Versailles was also clear with important information through the handoff to our guide upon arrival at Versailles. The bus ride to (and from) Versailles was smooth. Access to the palace was quick and efficient since our tickets to both the gardens and the palace were already secured and handed to us at the beginning and we had a separate (tour group) entrance into the palace. Our tour guide, Frederick, was a wealth of historical information and answered questions patiently. The gardens were for us to explore independently. We rented a golf cart and it gave us just enough time to visit Petit Trianon as well (you need to rent a golf-cart or the mini train to get to it, both available at the gardens.) Would have loved to see Grand Trianon and the Queen's Hamlet too, which we were free to do so, but we opted to take the coach back to Paris with the group. We had a stress-free and memorable visit to Versailles. Just a tip, you can contact "The Tour Guy" or "City Wonders" for inquiries; either one can access your booking.
Chelsea Winn
Frequently Asked Questions
What to bring?
We recommend bringing a bottle of water with you since you’ll be outside in the gardens for much of this tour. You’ll also need to make sure you wear comfortable walking shoes and bring sunscreen on sunny days or a jacket or umbrella if it looks like rain.
What to bring?
We recommend bringing a bottle of water with you since you’ll be outside in the gardens for much of this tour. You’ll also need to make sure you wear comfortable walking shoes and bring sunscreen on sunny days or a jacket or umbrella if it looks like rain.
Is a guided tour of the gardens included?
Yes, this tour highlights a guided tour of the gardens.
How much walking does this tour involve?
Quite a lot. Aside from the train ride, you’ll be on your feet for most of the tour, and you’ll climb a few sets of stairs too.
What if I have concerns about my mobility on this tour?
If you have concerns about your mobility, we suggest taking a Private Golden Versailles Palace and Garden Tour so we can better accommodate your needs.
Is lunch included with this tour?
Lunch isn’t included, but food can be purchased at Versailles Palace or in town. Your guide will be happy to offer some recommendations.
Is this tour run by the Tour Guy?
This tour is run by one of our trusted and vetted partners in Paris.
What happens if it rains?
We run our Versailles tours rain or shine.
Is there any chance this tour will be canceled?
On the rare occasion the tour is canceled, we'll inform you as soon as possible. We will work with you to reschedule your tour when possible or provide a full refund.
Can I bring my kids and do I have to pay for them?
Yes, kids are welcome and children under 14 years of age pay a discounted fee, while infants under 1 year of age can join for free. It is strongly recommended to bring your own infant or child seat to ensure the safety of your child.
Is this tour always held by coach?
Most of the time, yes. On some occasions, transportation will be handled by train, allowing you to avoid traffic.
Will I have to wait in line?
This tour includes skip-the-line tickets to Versailles Palace. On occasions, and due to increased security measures in Paris, some lines may form during security checks.
Where does this tour end?
This tour ends at the initial meeting point in front of the Church Notre-Dame de Compassion.
Can we meet at Versailles?
Unfortunately due to the timing and logistics of this tour, it is not possible to meet up with your guide at Versailles. If you are looking for a tour that starts at Versailles, we recommend our From Versailles: Palace and Gardens Tour
How long is the visit to the gardens?
The visit to the gardens lasts approximately 2 hours
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