Get ready to explore Versailles like never before. In this guide, we’ll reveal its hidden treasures and share insider tips for making the most of your visit. From grand halls to tranquil gardens, Versailles offers a glimpse into an unparalled world of history and beauty.
Immersing Yourself in Versailles
Of course, you’ll see the famous highlights such as the Hall of Mirrors, the Chapel, the Queen’s Staircase… But did you know that Versailles is also the national history museum of France ? As such, it has rooms dedicated to Napoleon, the French Revolution, as well as the Gallery of Battles, featuring over 30 paintings depicting the greatest battles in French History! To see these rooms, make sure to take a right after the Queen’s apartment last room instead of walking down the staircase. Sit back and enjoy 2,000 years of French history depicted by France’s greatest painters.
Discovering the Gardens
The gardens are typically French, filled with large perspectives and distant points of views. However, they also are filled with a network of groves : smaller and unique gardens, invisible until you step into them… There are 9 of them : from the Enceladus Grove to the Grove of the Baths of Apollo, all worth seeing. Added to that, they all have fountains that turn on at specific times, so be sure to check their timing beforehand – you won’t be able to see all of them, so pick either the north side or the south side of the gardens to see as many as possible.
Unveiling the Private Apartments
Want to learn more about the kings and queens of Versailles ? The Hall of Mirrors is one thing, but it was never a private space. You can book a tour with us & our licensed guides to see the real Versailles, the rooms in which the kings slept, ate, and entertained themselves. You can even see the apartments built especially for the King’s mistresses. All that and more, just for you, your guide & your party, as only private tours are allowed in these rooms.
Escaping to the Trianon Estate
Outside of the private apartments, located inside the Versailles palace, the kings also built themselves two other palaces : the Grand Trianon, and the Petit Trianon. Located 30 minutes away from the palace on foot, but accessible with the golf carts and the Versailles minitrain, they are famous for different reasons. The Grand Trianon was the location built for king Louis XIV, and his mistresses, and probably his favorite place on earth. The Petit Trianon was Marie-Antoinette’s, who spend so much time there she even build a fake village for her children to play in, the Queen’s Hamlet. Be aware that both locations only open after 12am.
Yes Versailles is crowded, but there’s enough room for everyone – especially if you know how to ditch the crowds!
If you want to discover more things about Versailles, you can see our video on YouTube !
If you want to book a tour with My Private Paris: click here.
Article written by Lucien
