# Palace of Versailles, Paris > Versailles was the main residence of Kings Louis XIV, XV and XVI, 40 minutes from Paris. The palace is a masterpiece of French classical architecture, with around 2,300 rooms, the Hall of Mirrors, the royal apartments and the chapel. Around it spreads an 815-hectare park of formal gardens, fountains, the Grand Canal, the Trianon palaces and the Queen's Hamlet. Entry is by timed ticket; allow a full day. Web page: https://yesgo.io/france/paris/versailles - City: [Paris](https://yesgo.io/france/paris), France - YesGo score: 46/100 (Yes, if nearby) - Time on site: 6 h - With kids: Fine with kids - Entry: Timed ticket, online - Hours: Palace closed Mondays - Time needed: A full day - Highlights: Hall of Mirrors, gardens, Trianons - Getting there: RER C from Paris ≈ 40 min - Location: Versailles, south-west of Paris - Coordinates: 48.80472, 2.12028 - Facts checked: 12.11.2026 ## Key facts - **≈ 2,300** — rooms in the palace (source: English Wikipedia) - **815 ha** — area of the park (source: English Wikipedia) - **1682** — the court moved to Versailles (source: English Wikipedia) - **93 ha** — of formal gardens (source: English Wikipedia) ## About Versailles The Palace of Versailles stands in the town of Versailles, south-west of Paris. King **Louis XIV** conceived it as a symbol of the French monarchy's glory, and from **6 May 1682** the king, the court and the government lived here permanently. It became the great architectural project of his reign and a masterpiece of French classicism that palaces across Europe would imitate. It's vast: about **63,000 square metres** with roughly **2,300 rooms**, around a thousand of them part of the Museum of the History of France. The park covers **815 hectares**, including **93 hectares** of formal gardens with fountains and statues. ## What to see at Versailles - **The Hall of Mirrors** — 357 mirrors and crystal chandeliers. - **The King's apartments** — the king's bedchamber and salons. - **The Queen's apartments** — her bedchamber and private rooms. - **The Royal Chapel** — white marble and gold. - **The gardens and fountains** — parterres, groves and the Grand Canal. - **The Trianons and Queen's Hamlet** — palaces deep in the park. ## The Hall of Mirrors and the apartments The palace's centrepiece is the **Hall of Mirrors**, a long gallery where seventeen mirrored arches face seventeen tall windows overlooking the garden. Hundreds of mirrors reflect the light, crystal chandeliers and gilded statues, beneath a painted ceiling celebrating Louis XIV's reign. Festivities, balls and ambassadors' receptions were held here. On either side lie the **King's State Apartments**, with salons named after planets and gods, the Salons of Venus, Apollo, War and Peace, and the **Queen's apartments** with her state bedchamber. The route also passes the **Royal Chapel**, with white marble columns and gilding. > **Tickets and queues** Book a timed ticket on the palace's official website; without one you can queue for hours. The Passport ticket is the most convenient, covering the palace, the Trianons, the Queen's Hamlet and the gardens. On Musical Fountains and Musical Gardens days the gardens are paid. The palace is closed on Mondays. ## The gardens and fountains The **gardens of Versailles** were laid out by gardener André Le Nôtre. They're the classic French formal garden: perfectly clipped parterres, geometric avenues, groves of green outdoor rooms and dozens of sculpted fountains. From the palace the **Grand Canal** stretches over a kilometre and a half to the horizon, with rowing boats for hire. In season, at weekends, the **Musical Fountains** play to Baroque music as in Louis XIV's day, and summer evenings bring night festivals with lights and fireworks. Bikes, electric carts and a little train make getting around the park easier. ## The Trianons and the Queen's Hamlet Deep in the park stand two smaller palaces. The pink-marble **Grand Trianon** was built for the king to escape strict court etiquette. The **Petit Trianon** is an elegant classical palace beloved of Queen Marie Antoinette. Nearby is the **Queen's Hamlet**, a picturesque village of thatched cottages, a mill, a pond and a farm where the queen played at country life. It's one of the most charming corners of the park and usually quieter than the palace. ## How to get there from Paris 1. **RER C** to Versailles Château Rive Gauche, about 40 minutes. 2. Train from Montparnasse to Versailles Chantiers, about 15 minutes. 3. Train from Saint-Lazare to Versailles Rive Droite, about 30 minutes. 4. From the stations to the palace, a 10–15-minute walk. ## Tips for your trip Arrive at opening time and start with the palace before the groups build up, then head to the gardens, the Trianons and the Hamlet after lunch. Comfortable shoes are essential: you can easily walk more than ten kilometres in a day. There are cafés and restaurants in the park, but a picnic on the grass by the Grand Canal is lovely too. Large bags aren't allowed in the palace, so leave them at your hotel or in the cloakroom. Children love the gardens and fountains, the boats on the Grand Canal and the Hamlet's farm animals. A bike or the little train saves young legs. ## Before you go Tick off what's ready — your ticks are saved in this browser. - [ ] Book a timed ticket online - [ ] Arrive at opening time - [ ] Walk the Hall of Mirrors - [ ] See the Musical Fountains - [ ] Reach the Queen's Hamlet ## Places in Paris: compare and choose Places in Paris rated by YesGo. - [The Louvre](https://yesgo.io/france/paris/louvre) — YesGo score 62/100 (Yes, go) · 3 h 30 min · Timed ticket, online - [Hôtel de Ville](https://yesgo.io/france/paris/hotel-de-ville) — YesGo score 56/100 (Yes, go) · 30 min · Square free, halls by tour - [Palais Garnier](https://yesgo.io/france/paris/opera-garnier) — YesGo score 54/100 (Yes, go) · 1 h 15 min · Visit ticket for the building - [Palais-Royal](https://yesgo.io/france/paris/palais-royal) — YesGo score 53/100 (Yes, go) · 40 min · Garden and courtyard free - [Palace of Versailles](https://yesgo.io/france/paris/versailles) — YesGo score 46/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 6 h · Timed ticket, online - [Château de Vincennes](https://yesgo.io/france/paris/chateau-de-vincennes) — YesGo score 38/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 45 min · Ticket for the keep and chapel - [Palace of Fontainebleau](https://yesgo.io/france/paris/fontainebleau) — YesGo score 30/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 4 h · Palace ticket, gardens free ## Don't mix it up Versailles is the palace in the town of Versailles outside Paris; the Louvre is the former royal palace in central Paris, now a museum. ## Tips - Book a timed ticket online. - Palace first, at opening. - Closed on Mondays. - Comfortable shoes. ## Questions ### How do I get from Paris to Versailles? RER C in about 40 minutes, or trains from Montparnasse and Saint-Lazare. ### How much does Versailles cost? Entry is paid; the Passport ticket covers the palace, Trianons and gardens. ### How long do you need at Versailles? A full day with the gardens and Trianons. ### Which day is Versailles closed? The palace closes on Mondays; the gardens usually stay open. ### When do the fountains play? In season at weekends and on some weekdays, during the Musical Fountains. ## How we checked Facts from English Wikipedia. Hours, prices and fountain schedules weren't confirmed with an official source — hence the 'checking' badge. ## Sources - English Wikipedia: Palace of Versailles - Official website, chateauversailles.fr --- This is the Markdown version of a YesGo page for AI assistants. Quote the web page link above, not this file.