France – Versailles & Palace of Versailles

The Palace of Versailles is a place of lore and legend, but even within Versailles itself, there are plenty of things to do, and most trips to Versailles won’t be able to cover them all. Step outside the typical route and see Versailles beyond the relics of the royals.

Divided into two sides flanking the palace, Quartier Saint-Louis and Quartier Notre-Dame, this lovely historic town bears the traces of a more prosaic life lived by the artisans and merchants who served the members of the Sun King’s court.

Marché Notre-Dame and Marché Les Halles

Gastronomes will gasp at the goods on display at one of the largest gourmet markets in the region. Four symmetrical buildings comprise the indoor market, with vendors such as butchers. Outside, it’s a mix of stalls selling seasonal fruits and vegetables, local wines, foie gras and patés, pastries, French cheeses and spices, from every corner of France in eye-popping and mouth-watering abundance.

Rue de la Paroisse
Tue–Sat 7am–7:30pm, Sun 7am–2pm
Open market: Tue, Fri and Sun 7am–2pm

On weekends, the Quartier des Antiquaires, close by the market, is the perfect place to find everything from small souvenirs to real antics.
Fri-Sun 10am–7pm

Quartier Saint Louis

Admire the adorable French homes in the quarter of Saint-Louis. With architecture that is unique to Versailles, I’ve rarely seen houses so cute! Take a walk in Le Carré of Saint-Louis, near the cathedral, they were commissioned during the reign of Louis XV to be used as market stalls. Although the homes were intended to be used as markets stalls, their primary use today is housing.

Just wander around, lose yourself in the little cobblestoned roads and discover all the little boutique shops, cafés, brasseries and antique shops.

You must walk by Rue de Satory and Rue des 2 Portes, just adorable! And make a stop at BiBoViNo (15 rue des 2 Portes) to taste some amazing wine and delicious food. I recommend booking a table on the terrasse (only 4 tables!) and taking an apéro with local charcuterie, cheese and a glass of red wine. Pure delight…

If you’re looking for a more healthy meal, go straight to Positive Café, a super cute restaurant (9 Rue de Satory). Oder a salad or a tartine, and finish up with an açai bowl, you’ll be all fuel up for the day!

Château de Versailles

The Château de Versailles (Palace of Versailles) is among the most visited sites in France and is the most glittering jewel of France’s royal past. Dripping with gilt and marble, the colossal palace was the vision of Louis XIV, the Sun King, whose lusty lifestyle mirrored his global ambitions for France in the 17th century.

Versailles is beautiful all year round but especially in spring and summer when the gardens are in full bloom. On some summer nights, the fountains and gardens are illuminated and followed by a spectacular fireworks show. It’s a very nice experience.

You can give it a good shot, but you can’t cover the entire Château de Versailles in just one day. But to be honest, a day is enough, unless you’re a huge fan of history and castles. If you’re a cheesy kind of person, you can also take a boat ride on the Canal in the Gardens.

You can buy your ticket on site but I recommend you to buy it online in advance to avoid waiting at the ticket office on the palace’s official website. The Gardens and the Park are open everyday from 8am, the access to the Gardens is free (except during some nights in the summer).

Avoid the busiest days of the week (Tuesday, Saturday, Sunday). It’s open from 9am to 5pm except on Mondays and national holidays.  If you want to avoid the busiest times, plan to arrive at least 1 hour before the opening and visit the main palace first followed by the gardens. But don’t be fooled, it will be over-crowded everywhere you go, the only thing you might avoid going early is hours (yes, plural) waiting to get in.

There is a security check at the entrance (large bags are not allowed). Don’t forget to bring a bottle of water, some light snacks, and sunscreen. There are snack bars but it’s very expensive and not that good. Wear comfortable footwear, and bring a sweater as it can get windy in the gardens in the late afternoons.

The best way to get to Versailles from Paris is by train RER. The closest station to the palace is Versailles Château Rive Gauche on Line C. This train line is separate to the metro and you need a different ticket (around €7) and the journey takes about an hour from central Paris. From the train station in Versailles it’s a 10 min walk to the palace. Make sure you buy a return ticket to avoid queues going back to Paris.