PALACE OF VERSAILLE, Versaille (France)

The Palace of Versailles, Château de Versaille, was the principal royal residence of France from 1682, under Louis XIV, until the start of the French Revolution and is located 20 kilometers southwest of Paris. It is the second most visited monument in France, after the Louvre. (It beats the Eiffel tower)

The tour of the museum entails a visit through the main palace and the gardens. At a small extra fee,one can visit Marie Antoinette’s hamlet which is a ‘small village’ she created for herself to escape the formality of royal life. Along with this is the Grand and Petit Trianon and the gardens and fountains of Versailles.

Quick tips
1. Just like the Louvre museum, this palace visit is a full day activity. The museum also offers a two day ticket which would have been ideal if I had more time.

2. While there are no dress restrictions, I did meet an elderly French lady that expressed to me her dislike for some tourists’ choice of attire. To her, and perhaps other royal-tradition enthusiasts, this was a royal palace that deserves the respect it has earned.

3. Pay for the full package if you can. After leaving the main museum hall, you can walk (For 30 minute walk but there’s so much walking on the other side so I’d advise to take a tram) to Marie Antoinette’s village as well as the Grand and Petit Trianon.

4. Get your tickets online to avoid queuing twice.

5. The museum has audio guides in different languages, I personally didn’t see the need for a guided tour, unless one is visiting for an intense research etc.

6. There’s a gift shop within the museum whose items are fairly priced. You can get souvenirs that are specific to the Palace.