Tour Details
- Duration
- 4 hours
- Product Type
- Tour
- Venues
-
- Versailles Gardens
- Versailles Palace and Gardens
Photos & Highlights
- Embark on an enriching journey through Versailles alongside a captivating, locally-renowned expert historian.
- Unique, personal tours for the intentional traveler. Choose from private tours for just you and your party, or join a small group tour with up to 10 other travelers
Select a date
Tour Description
In this four-hour Versailles Palace and Gardens Tour excursion from Paris, you will join a historian to see the magnificent palace and gardens of Versailles, the seat of the royal court from 1682 until the Revolution. As you walk with an expert in history or art history, they will contextualize the architectural and historical significance of this immense site—including the expansive royal gardens designed by renowned landscape architect André Le Nôtre—all the while taking in its undeniable beauty.
Arriving at Versailles, you will likely begin your tour with the royal gardens, taking in carefully manicured hedges, reflecting pools, and artfully carved open-air statues. You will dissect Louis XIV's powerful solar myth which led to Le Nôtre’s conception of these gardens and contributed to the decorating scheme of the State Apartments.
Next, you'll proceed inside to admire the palace itself, discussing the château's successive architectural evolutions during the reigns of Louis XIII to the 19th century, including Louis XIV’s addition of more wings, the marble court, and the famous Hall of Mirrors.
Throughout the tour, you’ll be immersed in the intriguing narrative of Versailles, and as your walk comes to a close, you will come away with a better understanding of Le Nôtre’s innovative designs and his relationship to Louis XIV's commitment to maintaining his image as the Sun King.
Arriving at Versailles, you will likely begin your tour with the royal gardens, taking in carefully manicured hedges, reflecting pools, and artfully carved open-air statues. You will dissect Louis XIV's powerful solar myth which led to Le Nôtre’s conception of these gardens and contributed to the decorating scheme of the State Apartments.
Next, you'll proceed inside to admire the palace itself, discussing the château's successive architectural evolutions during the reigns of Louis XIII to the 19th century, including Louis XIV’s addition of more wings, the marble court, and the famous Hall of Mirrors.
Throughout the tour, you’ll be immersed in the intriguing narrative of Versailles, and as your walk comes to a close, you will come away with a better understanding of Le Nôtre’s innovative designs and his relationship to Louis XIV's commitment to maintaining his image as the Sun King.
Experts
- You are looking for valuable insights and context to the architectural and historical significance of Versailles.
- You're interested in architecture, history, or simply admiring stunning landscapes. This tour caters to a wide range of interests.
Interested in a longer version of this itinerary? Check out our Full-Day Tour of Versailles Palace and Gardens.
- Versailles Palace
- Versailles Gardens
Where does the tour start?
- Our Private tours will begin with car service pick-up from your accommodations in Paris. Please let us know where you'll be staying.
- Our small group tours begin from a centralized meeting point. Your tour confirmation will have the exact meeting point and details.
How can my party and I return to Paris?
- Unless you've booked the private car transfer back to Paris with us, your tour will end in Versailles. You can return to Paris at your leisure by train or taxi.
Transport
- One-way car transfer from Paris to Versailles is included in this tour
- If you're booking a small-group tour, the group will meet at a centralized point in the city center
- If you're booking a private tour, the car service will depart from your accommodations in central Paris. Please provide your address when booking.
- NOTE: Return car transfer from Versailles to Paris is NOT included, you can optionally add this at check out if you are booking a private tour.
Tickets
- Skip-the-line entry tickets into Versailles Palace and grounds
- With your entry ticket, you'll have access to all sites within the Versailles complex, even those we don't include in our tour (such as Marie Antoinette's Hamlet and the Trianon Palace). If you are taking a morning tour, we encourage you to stay on your own to explore these sites independently.
Headsets
- Depending on your group size, we may be required by the venue to order headsets. If you would like to guarantee headsets for your tour regardless of your group size, please email us and we’ll be happy to get them reserved for you.
I see you offer the tour in both the morning and afternoon. Which is better?
We don't necessarily recommend one over the other. The morning start time allows you to stay on for the rest of the day to explore the rest of the grounds independently. The afternoon tour offers less time for this depending on seasonal opening hours (in the summer, the gardens are open quite late!), but you also have the benefit of slightly reduced crowds.
What are skip-the-line tickets?
We don't necessarily recommend one over the other. The morning start time allows you to stay on for the rest of the day to explore the rest of the grounds independently. The afternoon tour offers less time for this depending on seasonal opening hours (in the summer, the gardens are open quite late!), but you also have the benefit of slightly reduced crowds.
What are skip-the-line tickets?
For this tour, your tickets are pre-purchased which allows you to directly enter the security line at the palace without waiting to purchase tickets. You may still have to wait in a security line or in a line to have your pre-purchased ticket scanned.
Can I meet my expert directly in Versailles?
Yes, we can arrange this. Please reach out to our client experience team or leave a note at the time of booking.
Can I meet my expert directly in Versailles?
Yes, we can arrange this. Please reach out to our client experience team or leave a note at the time of booking.
Is this tour wheelchair accessible?
While the palace gardens are not easily accessible for people with reduced mobility, we do have the ability to alter the tour route in order to better accommodate mobility concerns.
Please let us know about any accessibility concerns at the time of booking so that we can best advise.
You can also find additional resources about Accessibility at Versailles here.
While the palace gardens are not easily accessible for people with reduced mobility, we do have the ability to alter the tour route in order to better accommodate mobility concerns.
Please let us know about any accessibility concerns at the time of booking so that we can best advise.
You can also find additional resources about Accessibility at Versailles here.
Book with confidence — see Context's flexible cancellation policy here.
Where You'll Start
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395 Reviews
Reviews can only be left by Context customers after they have completed a tour. For more information about our reviews, please see our FAQ.
Marti did an amazing job on my family’s 3-hour Versailles tour! Warm, friendly, funny and SO informed! She said it was the most crowded she had ever seen Versailles, but she used waiting time to tell amazing stories about life in the palace. I highly recommend spending the extra money for a private tour. The skip the lines advantage and personal attention make the day a pleasure! And of course, Versailles was over the top amazing. We spent the afternoon on our own strolling the gardens and expansive lawns. Context is our tour company of choice. Tour guides like Marti make it so worth while!
Martha
Oct. 29, 2024
Michael was fantastic. He was very personable and knowledgeable and provided a storytelling like experience. He knew exactly where to go and made an effort to take us around in the gardens to experience the different fountains running. The palace was very crowded and he did a great job navigating through the crowds and not missing any details.
Kristin
Oct. 28, 2024
Maria was an exceptional guide. She provided so much background information about the things we were seeing in the palace that we would never have known otherwise. She made our trip to Versailles very memorable! Thank you Marie!
Lynn
Oct. 24, 2024
Explore the Versailles with Context
Get to know one of the art historians leading this tour
Meet Marie
