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 from Paris, 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 our Palace of Versailles private guided 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.