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Visiting Versailles has been a dream of ours for years and we finally made it happen this year. We were so excited to visit and we couldn’t wait to wear our pretty dresses and feel like royals in this stunning palace.

We did our best with our planning, but there were still some things we wish we would have known about or been advised on beforehand. To that end, we wanted to share with you these helpful tips for visiting Chateau de Versailles so that you can make the most of your visit.

1. Book your Versailles tickets in advance

This might seem obvious to most, but the sooner you book your tickets, the better so that you can get the earliest time slot available.

We wanted to get the 9 AM slot, but by the time we booked, the first available slot was at 12 PM. I thought two weeks in advance would be enough time in advance, but for this particular Tuesday in the summer, the morning time slots were already taken.

Many tourists in front of Versailles — Chateau de Versailles entrance

2. Familiarize yourself with the history of Versailles

If you don’t want to do a tour or carry an audio guide with you, make sure to familiarize yourself with the history and layout of Versailles. Most of the rooms within the palace do not have plaques displaying information and if they do, it’s usually written in French.

There is an app you can download to familiarize yourself with the property and you can also download their audio guide in advance. If you don’t like to read, watching the TV show, Versailles, and movie, Marie Antoinette, will give you great insight into the history of Versailles.

Portrait of King Louis XIV, also known as the Sun King

Portrait of Marie Antoinette with her children

3. Consider booking a guided tour

If you don’t have time to familiarize yourself with the history of Versailles or do not want to use an audio guide, consider booking one of the many guided tours. You can do a 90-minute tour and learn the rich history of Versailles along with the many portraits within the palace or a full-day bike tour that takes you all around the grounds of Versailles with a professional tour guide.

Versailles chapel with guided tour — You can only go inside the Royal Chapel with a guided tour

4. Avoid visiting on weekends and Tuesdays

If it’s possible, avoid visiting on the weekends and Tuesdays. Most likely, it will be busy these days. Tuesday is especially busy because other museums, like the world famous Louvre, is closed on Tuesdays, so visitors will flock to Versailles instead.

Unluckily for us, we had to visit on a Tuesday since that was the only day that would work for us and we definitely experienced the crowd. The best day to visit Versailles to avoid crowds is on Wednesday or Thursday.

Following the crowds of tourists into the Versailles entrance

5. Be prepared for packed trains

If you are making a day trip to Versailles from Paris, you will be taking the RER-C train. It’s a double decker, so we thought there would be plenty of room, but we were dead wrong. This train was packed to the max. Many people had to stand by the doors because there were no seats available. The good news is that the train ride from the Eiffel Tower is only 30 minutes.

Also, be prepared for the heat. Paris does not like to use air conditioning and this is especially true inside the trains. Most windows on the train do not seem to open, so it was very hot inside the train. Everyone was drenched with sweat by the time we reached Versailles. I recommend bringing a portable fan with you to help cool off.

6. Pack snacks and drinks

Make sure you eat a hearty breakfast before you leave and bring snacks and drinks with you. We brought some snacks and water, but wish we would have packed another bottle of water.

The palace has a cafe where they sell snacks and food, but the line is long. If you’re willing to wait in the line, you will have no problem getting something to eat and drink.

The next spot to get food and drinks is within the gardens at the other end and it will take some time to walk to that point.

Walking through the Hall of Mirrors — Hall of Mirrors

Walking down Versaille's stairs — Versailles staircase

7. Bring a hat and/or sunscreen

If you plan on visiting the gardens of Versailles, which you should, be prepared for the beaming sun. I was not prepared for this at all and my shoulders, chest, and back were exposed to the sun. As a result, I got sunburned pretty bad.

Definitely put on sunscreen or wear clothing to protect your skin. I regretted not having sunscreen and Candy regretting not bringing her hat.

Line of people waiting in line for a golf cart — Waiting in line for a golf cart

8. Wear comfortable shoes

If you do not plan on renting a golf cart or bike and want to explore the gardens or other areas of the Versailles estate, make sure you wear comfortable shoes. Sneakers will be the best choice as there are some areas where you have to walk on dirt and/or rock pebbles.

We both wore flat sandals and they were fine for the most part, but it did get uncomfortable at times when we had to walk on the little pebbles.

Taking a stroll through the gardens of Versailles — Walking through the gardens of Versailles

9. Rent a golf cart

Most likely, there will be a long wait for a golf cart, usually around 45 minutes to an hour, but if you want to explore beyond the gardens, a golf cart rental is highly recommended. We waited in the line for exactly an hour and we can confirm that the wait was totally worth it.

Yes, waiting an hour in line may seem like a waste of time, but that would have been the same amount of time or more if we walked to the Estate of Trianon. At the time of our visit, it was around $40 for one hour. We rented it for 2 hours, but could have easily spent another two hours with the golf cart if we had more time.

You can also rent a bike for a cheaper rate, but the stand to rent the bicycles is a 15-minute walk from the palace near the Apollo Fountain. Another option is to take the Little Train, but there were a lot of bad reviews online.

Excited to explore more of Versailles with the golf cart rental — Happy to get a golf cart at Versailles

10. Don’t miss the Estate of Trianon

Of course, you have to see the magnificent Hall of Mirrors when visiting Versailles, but make sure you save some time to visit the Estate of Trianon as well; especially if you are a Marie Antoinette fan like us.

There are three sections to the estate: The Grande Trianon, The Petit Trianon, and the Queen’s Hamlet. The Petit Trianon is where Marie Antoinette loved spending her time to escape the court, which was hard for her to adapt to. Her husband, Louis XVI gifted it to her in 1774 and she became very attached to her little palace.

Marie Antoinette was also very fond of the Hamlet, a place where she could enjoy walking and hosting small gatherings. The agricultural and horticultural experiments carried out here were also an important part of the royal children’s education.

Standing outside the gate of Petit Trianon — Petit Trianon

Charming decoration inside Petit Trianon — Inside Petit Trianon

11. Grab dinner near Versailles

If you stay at Versailles until closing, you may be starving. Rather than ride the crowded train back to Paris, consider eating at one of the many restaurants serving traditional French cuisine near the palace or station. Gaberem, Le Sept, and Le 17.37 all have excellent reviews and worth checking out.

There are a couple of restaurants located inside the palace as well, but you may need a reservation or have to wait awhile for a table. One of their restaurants also does not have great reviews, so it may be best to avoid them.

Visitors looking at the portraits inside Versailles — Many portraits inside Versailles

Looking out into the gardens through a tall framed window — Looking out into the gardens of Versailles

12. Consider staying one night in Versailles

If you have time, consider staying one night near Versailles so that you can make the most of your trip and explore all that Versailles has to offer. It’s nearly impossible to see everything at Versailles in one day, so if you have two days, you can see everything at a leisurely pace. A 2-day ticket is only 5 euros more than a 1-day ticket.

Waldorf Astoria Versailles and Le Louis Versailles Chateau - MGallery are both very close to Versailles and have outstanding reviews at reasonable rates.

If you want the full Versailles experience and have extra cash to spend, you can even spend the night on the property at in one of their beautifully decorated historic rooms.