Paris1972-Versailles2003

I have done a post on this subject when I started my blog long ago. I feel it needs update so here it is folks. Hope you enjoy it

How to come to Versailles? A question many times asked and usually connected with Paris. First, an explanation on geography as I lived in Versailles and worked in Paris. We are a separate city, in a separate geographical area totally independant of Paris. We are the Capital of the state,province or as we call it , Department 78 call Yvelines in the west part of Paris. We are the de facto capital of France for any constitutional changes to the French Constitution when the government moves over to the city.

The most direct way to come to us is by car, renting one at CDG airport is the most usual route or Orly can be done too. As you know done all but still a road warrior soul. There are many route planner sites and now even GPS navigation, just sometimes does not provide the uptimum route. I found out. . Here are my routes as follows

From CDG Roissy en France ( department 95, or Val d’Oise northeast of Paris) ; You go out of airport on the N104 or Francilienne road, the signs along the route tells you that you are on the Francilienne or A104, direction Cergy-Pontoise , the entire western section got new additions and number changes (like A115) but the road remains the same, it later changes to the N104 before coming to the N184 by the intersection with the A15 (that can take you into Paris or towards Rouen in Normandy),you stay straight on the road and it brings you to the N13 road to Le Port Marly and continue on the N186 Route de Versailles onwards to Versailles going under the A13 autoroute de Normandie  by Les Chesnay-Roquencourt it becomes the D186 or Route de Saint Germain , then , boulevard Saint Antoine , at the traffic circle with the twins towers or monument to the fallen at place de la Loi turn right into boulevard du Roi , becoming Rue des Réservoirs, and you will see passing the Montansier theater (right hand side) and then the palace of Versailles! Yes the numbers change, the streets change but it is really a straight line direction Versailles!

From Orly airport in city of Orly, department 94 or Val de Marne south of Paris, you take from either terminal Ouest /West or Sud/South the road A106 direction Paris, signs N7 and take the exit to the A86 exchange direction Sceaux/Antony/Versailles that is get on the right lane and turn around towards the left or west into the A86. Follow this road to the N12 and at exit 2 /N186 Rue du Pont Colbert same into the Rue des Etats Généraux , then left on Rue de Limoges , then right on ave de Sceaux, then right on ave Général de Gaulle and left on Avenue de Paris to palace of Versailles. Again easy, the key here is to take the exit 2 above!

From Paris most folks don’t do it, so won’t go into that, but its very easy indeed as the avenue de Versailles in Paris takes you straight by the Porte Saint Cloud  to the avenue de Paris in Versailles following the old royal route on the D910/D10 now that leads to the palace of Versailles. Royale lol!

The city has plenty of parkings all over, my most useful are these: parking ave de Sceaux ,this is just after the rive gauche-château RER C train station on ave Général Charles de Gaulle, intersection with rue Royale turn left and first ramp up to the parking. Metered machines are spread out for your ticket. . Parking avenue de Saint Cloud, very easy at the avenue and corner with ave de l’Europe away from the chateau will be your right hand side, you see the flower market on your right too. Parking place du Marché Notre Dame, at the market right off rue du marechal Foch, a bit tight but very nice and elevators bring up right in the middle of the market ! Parking place Saint Louis, this one is by the Cathedral Saint Louis, the big P and Cathedrale will guide you to it. Its right off place Saint Louis. You have a smaller parking right on Parking ave de l’Europe open air but very convenient to castle and market too.  Once on avenue de l’Europe to to avenue de Paris turn sharp right into the entrance.

Some info in English from the city of Versailles: https://www.versailles.fr/ma-ville/se-deplacer/parkings/

You can park on the street , but they have meters  unless park far off the main tourist spots. I used them if moving around town because we walk here but normally for long periods and visiting I will recommend the parking garages.

Then, for the public transports inclined there are many ways too. There are by way of RER/Metro/Bus, this is RER B from CDG airport to Gare de l’Est train station in Paris, here take metro line 4 direction porte d’Orléans but stop at Strasbourg-Saint Denis to connect with metro line 9 direction Pont de Sévres and get off here. Then take bus No 171 right to the front of Chateau de Versailles on ave de Paris! One more from CDG airport is to take RER B to St Michel-Notre Dame train station in Paris, and there change to RER C to train station rive gauche-château in Versailles , which is the closest to Chateau de Versailles! While walking around Paris there are other connections on the RER C to Versailles.

You can,also, take the Le Bus Direct (old Cars Air France) on line 4 to Montparnasse train station, there take the regular train to  Chantiers train station in Versailles, the farthest from Chateau at more than one km easy for us but maybe too far for you. At Chantiers especially in high season you can take the Phebus network TRI buses to the domaine de Versailles (castle , trianons, hameau etc).

Yet another one is to take the Roissybus bus service to behind Opéra Garnier and there take at the Opera metro station connection with metro line 3 to gare Saint Lazare to take regular train to gare/station rive droite in Versailles, then connect with the Phebus network TRI buses to the Domaine as above.

From Orly airport, take the Le Bus Direct bus line 1 or 4 to Montparnasse, then regular train to Chantiers train station in Versailles. You can ,also ,take the navette bus from Orly airport to the gare de Rungis, from here RER C to gare d’Austerlitz, and again the RER C direction Versailles rive gauche-château RER station.

There are several private lines taken this route today I will just list one naturally call Versailles Express webpage: https://www.versaillesexpress.com/en

And even from low cost Beauvais-Tillé airport you can do by taking a taxi to the  gare or train station at Beauvais (11 – 15€ update prices please) ,then take the train to the  gare du Nord in Paris. There take the RER B to stop St Michel-Notre Dame, and follow that with the RER C to Versailles rive gauche-château RER station. Walking distance to the palace of Versailles.

If you are a curious visitor and like a bit of adventure into off the beaten paths places go to bus depot at avenue de l’Europe at the corner of ave de Saint Cloud. You get here walking from the palace to your left and take the ave de Saint Cloud stay on the right hand side to just before reaching avenue de l’Europe, there is the bus stop No 19  every 30 minutes or so take it stop Arboretum/Parly II , get off walk back down towards Versailles about 300 meters you will see the porte de Saint Antoine, on your right hand side. Walking in is free on the gardens and the Hameau de Marie-Antoniette is on your right as you enter, then the Trianons one after the other.Sublime!! My jogging and walking favorite spot in Versailles and there is a branch of Angelina cafe next to the Petit Trianon!

The RER C can be taken at several locations in Paris to go to Versailles in addition to St Michel-Notre Dame, there are gare d’Austerlitz, Auber, Musée d’Orsay, Invalides, Champ de Mars/tour Eiffel, Pont de l’Alma, Javel,Porte Maillot, Ave Foch, Ave Henri Martin, etc etc. Best to grab a metro/RER map right off the airport by the RER B train station in the airport.

And of course, the city has a lot more than the Château. As I told several times before, Versailles has a lot more indeed. Just walk into the districts of Notre Dame (left side facing out the chateau,and my old home) or Saint Louis (right side facing out the chateau) or go up ave de Paris into the district of Montreuil and see the mansions of the court (they want it some privacy away from the bustle of the castle so build away) here is Madame Elizabeth  (sister of louis XVI who ended in the same faith as his brother) and Madame de Provence (the sister in law who made thru the revolution) and others. See my posts on them in my blog.

Some webpages to help you plan your trip and you must visit Versailles are:

The site for the ile de France region regular train service, Transilien: https://www.transilien.com/en

The Paris and surroundings transport by RER train, bus,tram RATP: https://www.ratp.fr/en/

The unique bus No 171 at pont de Sévres to Versailles is here: https://www.ratp.fr/plans-lignes/busratp/171

The  TRI bus service from Phebus network in Versailles. It connects arrival at all 3 Versailles gares or train station to the Château and Trianons. All local bus lines are here. However, bear in mind seasonal line in Summers, check if it will be still running next Summer when info available here: https://www.phebus.tm.fr/se-deplacer/toutes-les-fiches-horaires/horaires/main/Search/

There you go a nice way to come into my beloved Versailles, hope it helps your planning for the future. I have updated info and webpages here. I have other posts with pictures but this is just for information only. Versailles is a must visit in France!

And remember, happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all!!!