Castles · Tour

Private Versailles Half-Day, Through the 17th-Century Town

Half a day, privately, in a WiFi-equipped Mercedes-Benz driven by the guide, with hotel pickup in Paris. The route crosses the town of Versailles, which is worth knowing about: it was built in the 17th century in front of the palace, to house the people the court needed, and most visitors go straight through it without registering that it exists. Inside the palace the visit takes the State Apartments of Louis XIV and the Hall of Mirrors, which the guide will explain as a statement of French political, economic and artistic power rather than as a room with mirrors in it. Afterwards there is free time outdoors in the gardens, where sitting down in front of one of the 55 fountains is a reasonable use of an afternoon. Half a day also means fewer people: the private vehicle and the shorter format keep you clear of the coach schedules.