Ornate palaces and gardens. If you've ever wondered why your American passport has French writing in it, you'll find the answer at the Château de Versailles, Europe's greatest palace. Around 1700, Versailles was the cultural heartbeat of Europe, and French culture was at its zenith. Throughout Europe, every king wanted to be like Louis XIV, and everyone learned French. French taste in clothes, hairstyles, table manners, theater, music, art, and kissing spread across the Continent. That cultural dominance continued, to some extent, right up to the 20th century. On this tour, we'll explore the historic heart of the palace, now decorated with period furniture and the magnificent Hall of Mirrors. Then we'll stroll the immense landscaped gardens, dotted with fountains and sprinkled with smaller palaces, each an architectural gem. Don't forget to download the handy PDF companion maps. Sightseeing nitty-gritty: I recommend buying either a Paris Museum Pass (2 days/€32, 4 days/€48, or 6 days/€64) or Versailles' "Le Passeport" Pass (€20 Mon–Fri, €25 Sat–Sun; from Nov to March it's €16 Tue–Sun; buy at Versailles' TI or at www.chateauversailles.fr). Both passes let you skip major lines, and cover admission to the three most important parts of the complex — the Chateaux, Gardens, and Domaine de Marie-Antoinette. Versailles' fine website is www.chateauversailles.fr. The Château, the main palace, costs €13.50 (for an individual ticket), and is open Tue–Sun April–Oct 9:00–18:30 (perhaps later some summer Saturdays), Nov–March 9:00–17:30, closed Mon. The Domaine de Marie-Antoinette, the estate of the queen, gives you access to the far corner of the Gardens and entry into several small palaces. An individual ticket costs €10 April–Oct (€6 after 16:00 and Nov–March), and it's open daily April–Oct 12:00–18:30, Nov–March 12:00–17:30. The Gardens are free (except on weekends April–Sept, when the fountains blast and the price is €8), and are generally open daily 9:00 to sunset (17:30–21:30), but close at 18:00 on Sat in summer to prepare for evening events. Last entry to all of these areas is one hour before closing. Versailles is very crowded May–Sept 10:00–13:00, with especially big crowds all day Tue and Sun. Try arriving by 9:00, see the Chateau first, and then the Gardens. Or arrive later, tour the Gardens first, then the Château after 13:00 when crowds dissipate. TIs are near the train station (by the Pullman Hôtel, tel. 01 39 24 88 88) and the Château (left side of courtyard, tel. 08 10 81 16 14, often crowded). Photos are allowed indoors without a flash. Beware pickpockets. WCs are scarce: try the WC just before the palace gates, the one inside the Château, or several tucked away throughout the Gardens. For food, there are small cafes at the Chateau, near the Apollo Basin, or restaurants along pleasant rue de Satory between the station and the palace. Getting There: The town of Versailles is 30 minutes southwest of Paris. For most the best option is to take the RER-C train (4/hr, 30–40 min one-way, €6 round-trip) from any of these Paris RER stops: Gare d'Austerlitz, St. Michel, Musée d'Orsay, Invalides, Pont de l'Alma, and Champ de Mars. Any train whose name starts with a V (e.g., "Vick") goes to Versailles; don't board other trains. The Chateau is a 10-minute walk from the Versailles R.G. train station. All in all, with transportation, lines, and sightseeing, Versailles is an eight hour day-trip from Paris. For more specifics, consult my guidebook. This is excerpted from Rick Steves' Paris 2010. Copyright 2009 Avalon Travel. Related information at www.ricksteves.com.
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