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At a glance

The Palace of Versailles combines the former royal residence with the Hall of Mirrors, formal gardens, and the wider Trianon estate—best suited to first-time visitors, palace-and-garden enthusiasts, and travelers willing to spend most of a day on one large site (official overview). The key trade-off is breadth versus simplicity: the 2026 Passport covers the Palace, Gardens, and Trianon (€25 in November–March; €35 in April–October), while a €15 Trianon ticket suits visitors skipping the Palace (2026 ticketing). From Paris, take RER C to Versailles Château–Rive Gauche, then walk about 10 minutes (getting there). The Palace and Trianon close on Mondays, not Tuesdays; Tuesdays are instead among the busiest days, so book early (visitor FAQ).

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Tickets and prices

For 2026, choose by season:
  • Passport (best for the full estate): €25 low season (1 November–31 March) or €35 high season (1 April–31 October); EEA nationals or residents pay €22 or €32 with proof. It includes the Palace, Estate of Trianon, Gardens, and temporary exhibitions. The Palace visit has a timed entry; the other areas can be visited throughout the day. See the official 2026 pricing.
  • Estate of Trianon only: €15, or €12 for eligible EEA visitors, year-round. Gardens are free in low season but cost €15 (€12 reduced) in high season, including Musical Gardens or Musical Fountains Show days. Details are on the official ticket page.
Free Palace and Trianon admission applies to visitors under 18, EEA nationals or residents under 26, ICOM/Culture/Relais Culturels cardholders, and eligible welfare recipients; French job seekers and disabled visitors also qualify under stated conditions. Bring identity and current supporting documents. Free visitors must still reserve a free Palace time slot. See the official eligibility rules. Safest booking path: buy or reserve through the official Versailles ticket service. All Palace visitors need a time slot; online tickets are the only ones for which entry within 30 minutes is guaranteed. Tickets are non-refundable and non-exchangeable. Third-party tours are separate products, not official ticket inventory.

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Opening hours and best time to visit

The Palace is open Tuesday to Sunday: 9:00 am–5:30 pm from November through March, and 9:00 am–6:30 pm from April through October. Last admission is 4:45 pm in the low season and 5:45 pm in the high season; the ticket office closes five minutes earlier in the low season. Check the Palace’s official practical-information page before travelling, as exceptional weather, events or operational changes can alter these hours. The Palace is closed every Monday, as well as January 1, May 1 and December 25. The Gardens and Park operate on separate schedules and may close earlier for weather or programmed events. For a better chance of lighter crowds, arrive for the 9:00 am opening and begin with the Palace; Versailles specifically recommends arriving between 9:00 and 10:00 am on busy days. Editorially, a weekday outside school holidays is the most sensible lower-crowd window, but visitor levels are not guaranteed.

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Getting there, entrances, and security

For most visitors, the simplest public-transport arrival is RER C to Versailles Château–Rive Gauche: the Palace is about a 10-minute walk from the station. Follow signs toward Place d’Armes and enter the estate through the Honour Gate. For a single journey from Paris in 2026, use a €2.55 Metro–Train–RER ticket; it is valid across Île-de-France except for airport trips. A valid all-zones Navigo pass also covers Versailles. Confirm current fares with Île-de-France Mobilités. At the top of the Cour d’Honneur, use Entrance A on the left for individual visitors, including free-admission visitors with a reserved time slot. Entrance B, on the right, is for groups with a booking. If you arrive without a ticket, first use the ticket office in the South Ministers’ Wing. The Chapel Gate is currently closed, so do not plan around it. Security checks apply to every bag. Large bags and suitcases are prohibited; items over 55 × 35 × 20 cm are not admitted. Smaller-than-cabin-size luggage can be left in lockers at the North Ministers’ Wing, subject to inspection. For mobility access, the level central path from the Honour Gate is the recommended approach to the Royal Gate and Entrance A; disabled parking in the Cour d’Honneur is free with proof.

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What to see and a realistic route

Start at the Cour d’Honneur, with your timed Palace entry booked for the morning; the main entrance is through the Cour d’Honneur (official access information). Allow about 1½ hours for the Palace’s essential highlights, a duration used by Versailles for its “Marvels of the Palace” route (official visit routes). Concentrate on the King’s State Apartment, the Hall of Mirrors, and the Queen’s Apartment rather than trying to read every gallery. The Hall of Mirrors is the signature interior: its 17 arches face 357 mirrors and its windows look over the gardens (official Hall of Mirrors guide). Next, enter the Gardens from the Palace and follow the central perspective for roughly two hours: Water Parterre, Latona’s Fountain, Apollo’s Fountain, the Grand Canal, and the Orangery viewpoint. This sequence gives the clearest sense of Le Nôtre’s planned scale without attempting every grove (official gardens route). After lunch, continue to the Trianon estate, reached from the Palace through the Gardens and Park in about 30 minutes on foot (official practical information). Spend around two hours on the Grand Trianon, Petit Trianon, and Queen’s Hamlet; skip the farther Park if time is tight (official Trianon overview). Plan on six to seven hours, or a full day if you want the complete estate; Versailles itself recommends a whole day. Check the official map and practical information before arrival, since weather, events, or operations can alter access to particular spaces.

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Visitor rules, accessibility, and facilities

Large bags and suitcases are not admitted anywhere on the Estate. Smaller items may be left in the free lockers in the North Ministers’ Wing; lockers measure 30 × 49 × 50 cm, and belongings must be collected by 4:45 pm in the low season or 5:45 pm in the high season (left-luggage rules). Inside the museum, food and drink are prohibited. In the wider Estate, alcoholic drinks are forbidden; picnics are permitted in the Park but not in the formal gardens. Private photography is allowed without flash, but tripods and selfie sticks are not; professional photography requires prior written permission (rules of visit). The Palace has lifts on visitor-accessible levels, flat benches in reception and museum areas, accessible toilets, and free manual wheelchairs; the attics are not wheelchair-accessible. The gardens are difficult for visitors with reduced mobility. Ask staff at the Honour Gate for help, or contact the specialist team in advance at +33 1 30 83 75 05 or [email protected] (reduced-mobility guidance; accessibility information). Free toilets and baby-changing tables are distributed across the Estate, though there are no toilets on the State Apartments’ first-floor circuit (toilet facilities).

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Crowd strategy and practical tips

The main time sink is trying to do everything in sequence without allowing for the estate’s scale. Editorial judgment: treat the Palace as the fixed point, then keep the rest flexible. On busy days—especially Tuesdays and weekends—the official FAQ recommends arriving at 9:00 am, when the Palace is less congested than later in the day. Go straight to the entrance shown on your timed ticket rather than joining the ticket-office queue: all Palace visitors need a time slot, and online tickets are the ones for which entry within 30 minutes of the booked time is guaranteed. Do not schedule a tight lunch, train, or tour immediately after the Palace. Security, room-by-room circulation, and the walk into the grounds can absorb more time than expected. The official route plan places the Gardens and Park roughly from 10:00 am to noon, then Trianon from noon onward; the Trianon estate is about 30 minutes on foot, or about 20 minutes by the little train or electric vehicle. If a Palace slot, room, or route is unavailable, use the Gardens, Park, or Gallery of Coaches as your fallback, then continue to Trianon after noon. Download the official app beforehand: its offline map helps reroute you to open areas and nearby services.

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Is it worth visiting?

Versailles is worth prioritizing if you want royal history, monumental interiors, and formal gardens—and can give the estate most of a day: the official planning guidance recommends a full day, while the Palace guidance allows at least 1½ hours for the Palace alone. It is a weaker choice for a short Paris stay, travelers uninterested in court history, or anyone who dislikes large, busy visitor sites; a smaller Paris museum or another château may suit them better. The biggest trade-off is completeness versus cost. In 2026, the Passport costs €25 in low season or €35 in high season, while the Trianon-only ticket costs €15. The Gardens are free from November through March, but charged from April through October. The minimum useful commitment is 1½ hours for the Palace; for the full experience, reserve a day and arrive between 9 and 10 am on busy days.

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Frequently asked questions

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How much time should I allow for Versailles?

Allow a full day if you want to combine the Palace, Gardens, and Trianon estate. Versailles’ official visit-planning guidance estimates about two hours for the Gardens and four hours for Trianon, while a Palace-only visit can fit into a shorter itinerary. See the official visit routes and advice.

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Can I bring a suitcase or large backpack?

No. Suitcases and large-capacity bags are not permitted on the estate. Free lockers are available for smaller items at the North Ministers’ Wing; the stated locker dimensions are 30 × 49 × 50 cm, and belongings must be collected by the relevant closing time. Check the official left-luggage information before travelling.

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Is Versailles accessible for wheelchair users?

The Palace, Trianon estate, and temporary exhibitions are free for visitors with disabilities and one companion, subject to proof. Non-motorised wheelchairs are available free of charge for Palace visits. The first floor of the Petit Trianon is not wheelchair-accessible, but a ground-floor multimedia presentation covers it. See the official accessibility information and FAQ.

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What ticket do I need for the RER C from Paris?

For 2026, buy a full-fare Metro–Train–RER ticket (€2.55); it is valid throughout Île-de-France, excluding airports. Confirm the current fare with Île-de-France Mobilités.