Palace of Versailles — The Sun Palace
The Château de Versailles is the largest and most magnificent palace in Europe — built under Louis XIV (the Sun King) starting in 1661 as a symbol of absolute power. 2,300 rooms, 815 hectares of gardens, 67,000 m² of palace: Versailles was not just a palace, but an entire city where 20,000 people lived — the king, the court, the servants, and an army of craftsmen.
The Highlights
- Hall of Mirrors (Galerie des Glaces): The most famous room in the world — 73 meters long, 357 mirrors, 20,000 candle lights (now electric), golden stuccoes, and a ceiling painting glorifying Louis XIV's victories. The Treaty of Versailles was signed here in 1919.
- King's Apartments: The private rooms of the king and queen — lavishly decorated, with original furnishings and an intimacy that contrasts with the grandeur of the state rooms.
- Gardens: André Le Nôtre's masterpiece of French garden art: symmetrical avenues, fountains (Grandes Eaux Musicales: fountains with music, Sat/Sun April–October, extra charge 10€), the Grand Canal (1.6 km long, rowboats can be rented) and the Orangery with 1,200 orange trees.
- Grand Trianon & Petit Trianon: The "escape palaces" at the edge of the park. The Petit Trianon was Marie-Antoinette's private residence — with the famous Hameau de la Reine, a recreated peasant village where the queen played "country life."
Practical Information
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Admission | Palace: 21€. Domaine (Palace + Trianon + Gardens): 28€. Gardens without fountain show: free. |
| Opening Hours | Tue–Sun 9:00–18:30 (Apr–Oct), 9:00–17:30 (Nov–Mar). Closed on Mondays. |
| Getting There | RER C from Paris (Saint-Michel, Invalides, Champ de Mars): 40 min., approx. 4€ one-way. Stop: Versailles Château Rive Gauche. |
| Waiting Time | 1–3 hours without advance booking! Online booking highly recommended. |
| Duration | Half day (Palace), full day (Palace + Gardens + Trianon) |
💡 Tipp
Take the first RER C from Paris (around 7:30) and be at the entrance by 9 AM. From 11 AM it becomes unbearably crowded — that's when the tour buses unload their passengers. Alternatively: Come in the afternoon (after 3 PM) when the crowds disappear. And: Bring a picnic — the gardens are vast and perfect for it. The restaurants in the palace are expensive and mediocre.
