Castles · Tour
Versailles and the Trianon Estate, with a Picnic by the Canal
The lunch break here happens by the Grand Canal, and in decent weather you can take it on the grass rather than in a queue at a café. Lunch itself is not included, and the guide will point you to the options nearby. The minibus runs southwest out of central Paris, about 25 miles, and a priority-access ticket takes you past the entrance queues. An hour inside covers the State Apartments, the Hall of Mirrors and the Queen's Apartments, with the guide on the kings who lived there. The gardens follow at your own pace: French Baroque, nearly forty years in the making, with the fountains and the Orangery. The afternoon belongs to the Trianon estate, and to Marie Antoinette in particular. The Petit Trianon was where the wife of Louis XVI went to get away from the court, and the Queen's Hamlet beside it was designed by Richard Mique: a thatched cottage, lakes, streams and a working farmhouse. The hamlet is the last thing you see before the minibus returns to Paris. The tour starts from the Paris TRIP Agency, 41 Avenue de la Bourdonnais, 75007. Nearest metro: École Militaire, line 8.
What's included
- Live guiding by a local professional art historian guide
- Transport by air-conditioned minibus
- All Fees and Taxes
- Skip-The-Line Tickets
Itinerary
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41 Av. de la Bourdonnais, Paris
Departure point: central Paris, near the Eiffel Tower. Address: the tour starts from the Paris TRIP Agency, 41 Avenue de la Bourdonnais, 75007 Paris. Directions: nearest metro station École Militaire (line 8). Take exit 1 (Tour Eiffel), then follow Avenue de la Bourdonnais to number 41.
Palace of Versailles
Out of central Paris by luxury minibus, southwest to the town of Versailles, roughly 25 miles or 40km away. The town is known as the home of Louis XIV, and its palace, gardens and monuments all measure the scale of his reign. The first stop is the Palace of Versailles, the compound where Louis XVI and his wife, Marie Antoinette, lived. It was the centre of French royal power through the 17th and 18th centuries, which is why it still draws visitors from everywhere.
La Galerie des Glaces
Straight past the queues outside with your skip-the-line ticket and into the building. Your guide takes the State Apartments, which include the Hall of Mirrors and the Queen's Apartments, with the stories of the kings who lived there as you walk.
Jardins du Chateau de Versailles
After about an hour inside the palace, the gardens are yours at your own pace. They match the building for ambition: French Baroque, nearly forty years in the making, with the Versailles fountains and the Orangery among them. Afterwards there is free time for lunch, not included, near the Grand Canal. Your guide can recommend somewhere. In good weather you can also eat on the grass by the canal.
I Trianons E Le Hameau
The afternoon goes to the Trianon estate, which belongs to Marie Antoinette more than to anyone else. The Petit Trianon is where the wife of Louis XVI went to get away, and the Queen's Hamlet stands nearby, the last thing you see at Versailles before the return journey. Richard Mique designed the retreat: a thatched-roof cottage, lakes, streams, and a small farmhouse. After the hamlet, back to the minibus for the drive to Paris.
41 Av. de la Bourdonnais, Paris
Not included
- Hotel pickup and drop-off
- Gratuities (optional)
- Lunch
Good to know
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
- Up to 8 travelers per booking.
- Mobile or paper ticket accepted
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- Guiding available in: en.
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