In the print dialog pick “Save as PDF” to keep it on your phone. A5 makes a pocket booklet; A4 suits a desk printer.
Voykit pocket guide · France
Versailles
Give the palace one full day with a timed ticket booked ahead; sleep in Paris and day-trip, or stay one night if you also want the Trianon and the town.
Versailles is a suburb 17 km west of Paris, built around Louis XIV's palace and gardens. Most visitors come for a single day from Paris on the RER C. The estate is huge: the palace, the gardens, the Grand and Petit Trianon and the Queen's Hamlet are 30+ minutes apart on foot, so one day only covers part of it. Staying overnight is worth it only if you want two days on the estate or a quieter evening in the town.
- Country
- France
- Best months
- Apr–Jun, Sep–Oct
- Avoid
- Jul–Aug (crowds and heat), weekends and French school holidays
- Stay
- 1 night
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- EUR
- Money
- Currency is the euro (EUR, €). Contactless cards work in most shops, cafés and restaurants.
- Daily spend
- Budget €45–75 excl. bed · Mid €75–140 excl. bed · High €140+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Orange, SFR, Bouygues Télécom and Free sell prepaid SIMs in their shops and at tabacs; ID is required to register.
- Emergency
- European emergency number 112 · Ambulance (SAMU) 15 · Police 17 · Fire 18
- Plugs
- Types C, E · 230 V · 50 Hz · Round two-pin plugs; type E sockets have an earth pin sticking out, so Schuko (type F) plugs need a C/E hybrid or an adapter.
- Tipping
- Café or bar: Leave small change, €0.20–1.; Restaurant: Service is included; leave 5–10% in cash for good service.; Taxi: Round up to the next euro or two.; Hotel porter or housekeeping: €1–2 per bag or per night.; Tour guide: €5–10 per person for a half day, more for private guides.
- Water
- Tap water is safe everywhere unless signed otherwise. Restaurants must serve a free carafe of tap water on request.
- Toilets
- Paris has free automatic public toilets (sanisettes); elsewhere use cafés (buy a coffee), museums and stations, where some charge €0.50–1.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee | €2–4 |
| Sandwich or crêpe near the palace | €5–9 |
| Sit-down lunch, main course | €14–22 |
| Beer: café / supermarket can | €5–8 / €1–2 |
| RER C ride from central Paris | €3.55 (check) |
| Palace pass with timed entry | €21 (check) |
| eSIM or data SIM, about a week | €10–25 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- CDG · Paris Charles de Gaulle
- RER B to central Paris, then RER C to Versailles Château Rive Gauche; about 1 h 45 min total
- ORY · Paris Orly
- Orlyval or tram to the RER B, then RER C; about 1 h 30 min
Typical fares
- RER C Paris → Versailles Château Rive Gauche
- €3.55, about 37 min from Saint-Michel (check)
- Transilien L Paris Saint-Lazare → Versailles Rive Droite
- €4.35, about 33 min (check)
- Taxi Paris centre → Versailles
- €45–70, 30–60 min depending on traffic (check)
Get around
The town and the palace forecourt are walkable. Inside the estate, distances are long: the Grand Trianon is about 30 min on foot from the palace, the Queen's Hamlet further. A small train and bike or golf-cart hire run in the grounds in season; buses serve the town. Three stations: Château Rive Gauche (RER C, closest), Rive Droite (Transilien L from Saint-Lazare) and Chantiers (Transilien N and TER from Montparnasse).
See and do
Known for
- Palace of Versailles and the Hall of Mirrors
- Gardens by André Le Nôtre and the Grand Canal
- Grand Trianon, Petit Trianon and the Queen's Hamlet
- Musical fountain shows
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Paris | RER C from Versailles Château Rive Gauche, or Transilien L from Rive Droite | 40–50 min |
| Saint-Germain-en-Laye | Transilien L from Versailles Rive Droite, change at Saint-Germain-en-Laye Grande Ceinture or via Paris | About 1 h |
| Maisons-Laffitte | Transilien L from Versailles Rive Droite toward Paris Saint-Lazare | About 45 min |
| Rambouillet | Transilien N from Versailles Chantiers | About 45 min |
| Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines | Transilien N or RER C from Versailles Chantiers | About 20–30 min |
Sleep
- Quartier Notre-Dame (near Château Rive Gauche)
- Closest to the palace gate, 5–10 min on foot; restaurants and shops on rue de la Paroisse.
- Quartier Saint-Louis
- Quiet 18th-century grid around the cathedral, 15 min walk to the palace; best for one night.
- Near Versailles Chantiers station
- Best rail links to Paris Montparnasse and the west; the walk to the palace is less pleasant.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Excuse me / Sorry | Excusez-moi / Pardonex-ku-zay mwa / par-don |
| Thank you | Mercimer-see |
| This one, please | Celui-ci, s'il vous plaîtsuh-lwee see, seel voo pleh |
| How much is it? | C'est combien ?say kom-byen |
| Can I pay by card? | Je peux payer par carte ?zhuh puh pay-yay par kart |
| Where is the toilet? | Où sont les toilettes ?oo son lay twa-let |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Say 'bonjour madame/monsieur' on entering any shop, bus or office; avoid: Asking a question before saying bonjour — it is read as rude
- Cheek kisses (la bise): Follow the other person's lead; one to four kisses depending on region; avoid: Initiating la bise with strangers or in business
- Addressing people: Use 'vous' and titles until invited otherwise; avoid: First names and 'tu' with older people or staff
- Restaurants: Wait to be seated in restaurants; call the waiter 'monsieur' or 'madame'; avoid: 'Garçon', snapping fingers, asking for the bill before you are finished
- Conversation: Debate is a pleasure; food, politics and philosophy are fair game; avoid: Asking about salary or religion; loud voices on trains
- Dinner at a home: Bring flowers (not chrysanthemums), chocolates or a good bottle; arrive 10–15 minutes late; avoid: Cutting the tip off a cheese wedge or asking for ketchup
- Dress: Smart-casual in cities; covered shoulders in churches; avoid: Beachwear in town centres
Scams and watch-outs
- A timed entry slot for the palace is mandatory, even with a museum pass or free entry: book on the official site before you travel.
- Do not get off at Viroflay Rive Gauche; the name is similar but it is the wrong station.
- Some RER C trains to Versailles-Chantiers take a long loop through the southern suburbs; take a train that ends at Versailles Château Rive Gauche.
- Baby strollers are not allowed inside the palace; selfie sticks are banned.
- Rooms close at short notice for renovation or state functions: check opening times the day before.
Versailles is a safe, wealthy suburb; the real risks are pickpockets in the palace crowds and on the RER C, summer heat in the gardens, and long walks with no shade or water.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Versailles yet. Suggested stay: 1 night. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Palace of Versailles and the Hall of Mirrors
- Gardens by André Le Nôtre and the Grand Canal
- Grand Trianon, Petit Trianon and the Queen's Hamlet
- Musical fountain shows
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Île-de-France Mobilités: www.iledefrance-mobilites.fr/
- Wikivoyage: Versailles, revision 5313997 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5313997
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Versailles
À cette adresse, s'il vous plaît
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
No embassies in Versailles; they are in Paris. US: 2 avenue Gabriel, Paris 8e (check). UK: 35 rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré, Paris 8e (check).
Timed palace entry is mandatory; book on the official site before you travel.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/versailles). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.