Palace of Versailles
The Palace of Versailles, Château de Versailles or just Versailles was created by Louis XIV by taking his father’s hunting lodge and then transforming it into a work of wonder. This prompted the whole court and government of France to Versailles from Paris in 1682. The palace then received additional special touches by the next two French kings. However, this transition had eventually become too much for the country’s starving people, causing the French Revolution in 1789. After the revolt, Versailles was no longer the seat of power, and the palace became the Museum of the History of France in 1830.
Now, the Palace of Versailles is attracting tourists all year round for its 700 rooms that are replete with carved details, frescoed ceilings, and gilded cornices. As for its exteriors, they are surrounded by fascinating gardens that comprise geometrically designed walkways, terraces, fountains, and canals.
A Great Way to Explore the Palace of Versailles
By taking a VIP small group tour, you can experience the Palace of Versailles like how French kings did. As you can see, this exclusive tour includes a once-in-a-lifetime private viewing of the royal quarters of the palace. It gives you priority entrance to Versailles through a reserved door that gives you unprecedented access to the majestic private rooms, including the library of Louis XVI, which are normally restricted to the general public. This tour allows you to see a side of the UNESCO World-Heritage-listed palace that other people would never see.
Also, this VIP tour includes a visit of the famous Hall of Mirrors of and 2 rooms in the State Apartments (the King’s Chamber and the Council Study), as soon as the palace opens, before a huge crowd arrives.
What to Expect
A VIP tour to Versailles starts as you board a luxurious minivan in the heart of Paris heading to the palace. Upon arrival, you can enjoy coffee and croissant in a cafe that is just nearby, before meeting a knowledgeable guide at the palace entrance. With your priority access ticket, you can then go straight inside, following your guide to the said 2 rooms of the State Apartments and then the Hall of Mirrors. As you will be part of a group that is prioritized to enter ahead of the general public, you can enjoy this great place in all its glory.
Another exclusive part of the tour is when you visit one of two additional royal sites, which depends on their daily availability. You either choose to see the Royal Opera House or the Royal Chapel.
The guided portion of the tour would now end, where your friendly tour will be happy to answer any question that you might have.
More Useful Information
Shows running in Versailles are only open during summer from April to October, though you can still explore the gardens during winter, there will not be any fountain displays or musicals. Also, during the colder months, you can book a ticket for the Trianon, so you can independently explore Marie-Antoinette’s Estate.
There will be a lot to see in the Palace of Versailles, so plan your trip visit based on its 4 sections, which are the multiple-winged palace building, the 2 smaller palaces (Grand Trianon and Petit Trianon) and the vast gardens.