So there I am again, time to update, revise links etc on my fav city of all France, Versailles! I like to tell you a bit on how to get around and go inside the Château de Versailles or palace of Versailles. As many posts already and pictures, this will be another in my black and white series. Hope you enjoy it as I did reading it again!
I have heard many bloggers pointing of the crowds and transportation mishaps coming to Versailles, my former home in the Yvelines dept 78 , Île de France region for 9 years. I think I know a thing or two on how to move about in Versailles.
Versailles is a city of a bit over 100K folks but it is done very wisely modern by the kings of France, it is pretty much rectangular and all starts at the palace. The three big avenues from it commands all, avenue de Saint Cloud, avenue de Paris, and avenue de Sceaux. The Domaine of Versailles as it is call the whole complex was much bigger than today, (8000 Ha) well have written several posts on it, right now there is about 807 hectares of it (about 8 sq km or 3 sq miles).
The Castle sits as independent with the neighborhoods coming out from it , mine was Notre Dame. Other famous are Saint Louis, Montreuil, Chantiers, and Montbauron. Folks as said come here for the palace mainly, not really to blame but a shame missing on so much, you need more time here. I have written on the monuments and their place in history many times before so will let you do some search in my blog.
The castle/palace/museum is open every day except Mondays from 9h to 18h30 , however, the Trianons opens at 12h (garden closes at 19h) , and the Coach Gallery (wagon carriages) open by 12h30.;closing by 18h30 The park and gardens are open every day and they are free except on Musical Fountains Shows and Musical Garden. The Trianons you can come through the Gardens or through the city (by the porte Saint Antoine on ave de Versailles). Versailles has three city train stations the one closest on foot to the Castle/palace/museum is on the RER C express trains to the Rive Gauche-château station on ave Général de Gaulle; however, the other two Rive Droite and Chantiers can be access to the Castle/Palace/museum with the local bus network Phebus.
The park domaine per se has the following entry points on foot thru the Main Gate (place d’Armes) 8h until 20h30; the Queen’s Gate (bd de la Reine and allée des Moutons) 7h to 20h30, Sailor’s Gate (Rue de Saint Cyr (D10)) 9h30 to 19h, Saint Anthony’s Gate (porte Saint Antoine ,along avenue de Versailles) 9h30 to 19h and the Grille of the Royal Star (further back of the Grand Canal on chemin Etoile Royale off the road D7) only accessable on weekends and holidays from 9h30 to 19h15. You can come with vehicles thru the Queen’s gate by 9h until 17h50 last entry and the Saint Anthony’s Gate only on weekends from 9h last entry at 17h50. The tricky part are the gardens where you need to verify the dates according to the times you will be here, otherwise the entry points and times are everyday from 8h to 20h30 with last admission at 19h and on foot you can come thru the Main gate 8h to 19h ,the Dragon’s Gate (side of theater Montansier off bd de la Reine) from 12h to 18h30, Neptune Gate (bd de la Reine and Petit Allée Saint Antoine), Menagerie Gate (Allée des Matelots debut Grand Canal) and Little Venice Gate (by La Flottille resto debut Grand Canal) on similar times. At Porte Saint Antoine below, you can come from avenue de Saint Cloud on bus 19 and stop at Parly II/Les Chesnay(a nice shopping mall and my kids schools) walk down and entered for free and no crowds to the gardens/Trianons and Hameau properties without going in .We love it for jogging and walking many times.
As told the main entrance is thru the main courtyard passed the grille iron gate and statue in front of king Louis XIV; if you do not have a pre purchase ticket (which you should), and not eligible for free admission (like a student or under 26 UE) go to the ticket office first, on the left of the Main courtyard in the South Ministers’ wing and then to Entrance A of the Palace. This is for individual entries. If you have reserved your tickets in advance then go straight to Entrance A with your ticket and proof of identity. And lastly, if going to the Trianons first opening at 12h go straight to them by their Saint Anthony’s gate (Porte Saint Antoine at Allée de Saint Antoine)) next to it is the Hameau of Marie Antoinette and then the Petit and Grand Trianon.
The basic info on influx of visitors is split in two ; high season from April 1st to October 31st and low season from November 1st to March 31st. However, avoid Wednesdays as it is school day off in France and mom stayed home thinking where to go out, and on Fridays which is the weekend. So come on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and be there at opening time with your advance purchased tickets.
Of course, the above days and hours etc are the norm, as current events dictate, you need to check the proper official webpage to know in advance the latest information.
Basic transportation info tells you that you can get here by
RER C to Versailles Château–Rive Gauche from many points in Paris and it is about 8-10 minutes walk to the palace. Leaving from Paris Montparnasse you can come to the Chantiers station which is only about 20 minutes from the palace. And last my station the Rive Droite coming from Paris Saint Lazare train station and about another 20 minutes to the palace. The Versailles bus network Phebus is excellent on time, clean and very helpful drivers. For quite some time now there is a bus from Paris RATP Bus No. 171 from Pont de Sévres metro station to the Château of Versailles ave de Paris facing the castle. (see posts)
I must add driving here is easy, from Paris or Normandy on the A13 autoroute de Normandie on exit or sorties 5 and 6. Coming from the west as I do now I take the free N12 and exit:sorties 1-4. There is good parking underground at Notre Dame and Saint Cloud parkings and above ground my favorite at Sceaux next to the rive gauche-château RER C station. At the end of the Avenue de Sceaux, after the parking you have the wonderful garden of Jardin des Etangs Gobert.
You can from Paris following the old King Louis XIV road that still can be done in automobile as well. Leave Paris on rue de la Convention and cross the Seine river at Pont Mirabeau, next street over from the Seine is appropriately Avenue de Versailles take a left on it and go to the traffic circle at Porte de Saint Cloud ; take direction Boulogne-Billancourt on the D910 ; continue past the wonderful traffic circle of Marcel Sembat, and continue on Avenue du Général Leclerc (same D910) ; cross the Seine river at the Pont de Sévres passing on your right hand side the museum of Sévres or manufacture and continue you are still on the D910 road. Passing the quaint town of Chaville, continue and entering Virofray the road changes to the D10 ,continue same road.(the street name changes to Avenue de Paris appropriable) but same road D10. And you know what, this is Versailles!!! Leading head on to the palace/museum!!! The road of the Kings of France coming from the Louvre fortress (now museum).
From the Hôtel de Ville or even closer from the rive gauche-château train station you go left (not right to the castle) and continue on avenue du Général de Gaulle continuosly street is the Rue Royale at the corner of rue d’Anjou you have the Carré Saint Louis many intimates stories of the kings and an antique shops heaven on either side, if you turn right and continue on rue d’Anjou you will reach the St Louis Cathedral, and onwards to Rue du Maréchal Joffre you hit on the Potager du roi vegetable gardens. If at this street, you turn left you will get to the romantic Parc Balbi on your right hand side. If you turn right on rue du Maréchal Joffre eventually becomes rue de Satory, you turn left on rue de l’Orangerie and you will reach the Orangerie from the outside go in on the porte grille de Cent Marshes (100 steps), and right across you see the Piéce d’Eau des Suisses walk alone the edge of the lake to the back you will see the only statue in Versailles to king Louis XVI! If you get off from the rue de Satory into the rue du vieux Versailles you will reach the Salle de Jeu de Paume and continue further you will reach the rue de l’independence Americaine (where the municipal library keeps the table where the support of France for the US independence was signed) . All within walking distance.
The city of Versailles on coming to the city in English: https://www.versailles.fr/ma-ville/se-deplacer/venir-a-versailles/#
The city of Versailles show a nice interactive map in English by the world globe click on it: https://www.versailles.fr/ma-ville/se-deplacer/plan-de-la-ville/
The tourist office of Versailles has plenty of practical information on getting,moving about in Versailles: https://en.versailles-tourisme.com/useful-information-and-tips
Ahh this is the iceberg on the mountain of possibilities in my beloved Versailles, the Royal town of France, history on every brick or every tile on every stone of France and many of the World. Hope you enjoy the post as I.
And remember, happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all!!!
Paris1972-Versailles2003 
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