Palace of Versailles: Frequently Asked Questions

The Full Access Ticket (€32) is the best choice for most visitors — it covers the main palace, gardens, and the Trianon Estate in a single purchase. If you want a guided experience with priority entry, the Skip-the-Line Guided Tour (from €63) includes a 90-minute expert-led palace tour and is the fastest way in. Not sure? Read our ticket comparison guide.

Yes — always. Entry is not guaranteed without a pre-booked, time-stamped ticket. Walk-up queues at Entrance A regularly exceed 60 minutes in peak season (May–September), and on the busiest days tickets sell out. Book at least 2–4 weeks ahead for summer visits.

Yes, walk-up tickets are sold at Entrance A, but entry cannot be guaranteed. Due to high visitor numbers, you may queue for over an hour and still not gain access if capacity is reached. Online booking is strongly recommended.

Yes. Entry is free on the first Sunday of each month from November to March for all visitors. Permanent free entry also applies to EU residents under 26, visitors under 18, and visitors with disabilities and their companions. A free timed slot must still be booked online. See our Versailles free entry guide for details.

Yes, the Paris Museum Pass grants entry to the Palace of Versailles, including the Estate of Trianon. However, you must book a free timed-entry Palace Ticket online in advance. The pass does not cover the Musical Fountains Show surcharge (€10). See our Paris Museum Pass at Versailles guide for the full breakdown.

For families travelling from Paris, the Round-Trip Tour from Paris (from €69) is particularly convenient — it includes coach transport, a live guide, and entry to the palace and gardens. For self-guided families, the Full Access Ticket covers everything. Children under 18 get free entry.

Yes — the Night Fountains Show takes place on Saturday evenings from mid-June to mid-September, starting at 8:30 pm. It features illuminated fountains, music, and fireworks. A separate ticket is required and must be booked in advance — these sell out well ahead of the date.

The palace is open Tuesday to Sunday, 9 am to 6:30 pm (April–October) and 9 am to 5:30 pm (November–March). Last entry is 30 minutes before closing. The Gardens open daily at 8 am. Full seasonal hours are in our opening hours guide.

No. The palace is closed every Monday, and also on 1 May, 25 December, and 1 January. The Gardens and Park remain open on Mondays from 8 am.

Arrive at the Honour Gate by 8:45 am to be among the first inside when the palace opens at 9 am. This is the quietest time of day, especially in the Hall of Mirrors. The second-best window is after 2:30 pm, when most group tours have finished.

To visit the main palace only, allow 2–3 hours. For a full visit including the gardens and the Trianon Estate, plan for a full day — 6 to 7 hours minimum. Our one-day Versailles itinerary covers all the highlights with a timed schedule.

The easiest option is the RER C train to Versailles Château – Rive Gauche (35–40 minutes from central Paris, approx. €4.30 each way). The station is a 10-minute flat walk from the palace gates. See our full guide to reaching Versailles from Paris.

No. There is no direct Paris Métro connection to Versailles. The closest you can get on the metro is Pont de Sèvres (Line 9), from where you take Bus 171 to the palace (around 40 minutes). The RER C is faster and more convenient.

Versailles Château – Rive Gauche (RER Line C) is the closest station, just 1 km from the palace — about a 10-minute flat walk. The other options, Versailles Chantiers and Versailles Rive Droite, are further from the main entrance.

A taxi from central Paris costs around €35–€60 one way, depending on the time of day, traffic, and departure point. The journey takes around 35–45 minutes in normal traffic. Ride-share apps (Uber, Bolt) also operate this route.

Yes. The main parking area is at Place d’Armes, directly in front of the Honour Gate. Daily rates are €12 for cars, €3 for motorcycles, and €30 for coaches. For full details, see our Versailles parking guide.

The top highlights are the Hall of Mirrors, the State Apartments, the Royal Chapel, the Gardens, and the Trianon Estate (including Marie Antoinette’s Hamlet). The Grand Canal and Colonnade Grove are beautiful and far less crowded.

The Palace of Versailles has around 2,300 rooms in total. A select number are open to the public — including the State Apartments, Hall of Mirrors, and the historical galleries. The most visited is the Hall of Mirrors, 73 metres long and lined with 357 mirrors.

Absolutely. The Hall of Mirrors is the centrepiece of the palace — a 73-metre gallery with 357 mirrors reflecting 17 arched windows overlooking the gardens. It’s where the Treaty of Versailles was signed in 1919. Visit early in the morning for the best light and quietest atmosphere.

The Trianon Estate is a private royal retreat at the far end of the park, about 25–30 minutes on foot from the main palace. It includes the Grand Trianon, the Petit Trianon, and Marie Antoinette’s Hamlet — a rustic farm village built for the queen. Included in the Full Access Ticket.

The Gardens are free on most days. On Musical Fountains Show days (most Tuesdays, Saturdays, and Sundays from late March to late October), a €10 garden surcharge applies — included in the Full Access Ticket.

Toilets (including baby changing facilities) are available at: South Ministers’ Wing in the Cour d’Honneur (no ticket required), Gabriel Pavilion, Dufour Pavilion, Grand Trianon, Petit Trianon, and Queen’s Hamlet. All are wheelchair accessible except Gabriel Pavilion.

Yes. You can bring food and drinks into the gardens and Park. Picnics are permitted at two designated areas: Swiss Ornamental Lake and Saint Antoine Plain. Food and drinks are not permitted inside the palace or museums.

Yes. Free automatic lockers are in the North Ministers’ Wing (max 46 x 43 x 26 cm). Bags larger than 55 x 35 x 20 cm are not permitted inside the palace at all.

Yes, with some limitations. Entrance H (Chapel Courtyard) is for visitors with reduced mobility — equipped with ramps and lifts. Wheelchairs (free to borrow at Gabriel Pavilion and Petit Trianon) can only be used on the ground floor. See our accessibility guide for full details.

Yes, personal photography is permitted in most areas. Flash photography, tripods, and selfie sticks are not allowed inside the palace and museums. Photography is freely permitted throughout the gardens.

There are five shops: Librairie des Princes, Pavillon Dufour Shop, Boutique Cour de Marbre, Comptoir de la Chapelle, and the Grand Trianon Shop — stocking books, prints, gifts, and palace-branded accessories.