Versailles: Guided Palace Tour & Gardens with Paris Pickup

Two hours inside the Palace of Versailles, then the gardens are yours to wander

You get hotel or central Paris pickup, reserved entry to avoid the morning queue, a 1.5–2 hour guided tour of the palace's main rooms, and 2–4 hours to explore the gardens and grounds at your own pace. Groups range from 11 to 20 people depending on your option. The driver returns you to Paris when the tour ends, so you don't arrange transport yourself.

Step-by-step itinerary

Versailles guided tour and exploration

• Pick-up or meet at Versailles
• Guided tour of Palace of Versailles
• Guided tour of Versailles Gardens
• Free time to explore Versailles independently
• Return to Paris by driver

The experience

You're picked up from your Paris hotel or a central meeting point and driven out to Versailles in a minivan. The ride takes about 45 minutes depending on traffic and where you start. Your guide meets you at the palace entrance with your reserved admission ticket already in hand, which saves you the queue that forms by mid-morning. The group stays between 11 and 20 people depending on which option you choose, so it's small enough to move together but not so tiny that you feel watched.

The guided portion lasts 1.5 to 2 hours and covers the King's State Apartment and the Hall of Mirrors: the rooms that actually matter if you've never been before. Your guide talks through the history and the architecture in English, and you're moving at a pace that lets you look, not just listen. After that, you have roughly 2 hours on a half-day tour (or 4 hours on a full-day) to walk the gardens on your own or sit on a bench and let the scale of it sink in. The gardens are included, and if you book the full-day option, you also get access to the Grand and Petit Trianon palaces, which most people skip because they don't know they're there.

The whole thing (guided time, free time, pickup and drop-off) runs about 4 hours for a half-day tour or 6 to 8.5 hours for a full day. Your driver picks you up in front of the castle when it's time to leave and takes you back to Paris. If you'd rather not deal with pickup, you can meet the guide directly at Versailles instead and skip the transport, which cuts the cost. The palace is massive and includes stairs and uneven cobblestones both inside and out, so you need to be comfortable walking for a few hours without a lot of stops.

What’s included

• Your day includes hotel or central Paris pickup (depending on your option), reserved admission ticket to the Château de Versailles, a 1.5–2 hour guided tour in English covering the King's State Apartment and Hall of Mirrors, a 30-minute guided tour of the gardens, and 2–4 hours of free time to explore the palace and grounds at your own pace. Full-day options add access to the Grand and Petit Trianon palaces. Roundtrip transportation from Paris is included in most options.
• one option allows you to meet the guide directly at Versailles with no transport. Drop-off returns you to your hotel or the central meeting point.

Options for this experience

5 options

Essential Experience GroupUp to 6 people · Guide in English · 08:30, 08:45 and 11:45Half-day hotel pickup tour: Essential Experience group. Half-day tour lasting 6 hours including roundtrip transfer time: a 1 hour 30 minute guided palace tour, followed by 2 hours of free time and a self-guided garden visit. Hotel or residence pickup and drop-off in Paris only, in districts 1, 2, 5, 6, 7, 8, 14, 15 and 16. Up to 27 guests or fewer. Musical fountains show or Musical gardens (April to October). Minivan or car. Morning pickup between 8:30 and 9:45 am; afternoon pickup between 11:30 am and 12:30 am, depending on the district. The time on the voucher is the first pickup; the actual pickup time depends on your location. Pickup is included.

Small group tour with hotel pickup.Up to 6 people · Guide in English · 08:30, 11:30 and 11:45Half-day hotel pickup tour: small group, up to 15 guests or fewer. 6-hour tour including roundtrip transfer time, with a 2-hour palace and garden tour and 1 hour 45 minutes of free time. Pickup starts between 11:30 am and 12:30 am, depending on the district. Minivan with 4 to 8 seats. The time on the voucher is the first pickup; your actual pickup time depends on your location. Pickup is included.

Classic group with hotel pickup.Up to 8 people · Guide in English · 08:30Half-day hotel pickup tour: classic group. Guided tour, garden and pickup: a 2-hour guided palace tour plus a musical fountains show or Musical gardens visit (April to October). Pickup and drop-off at a hotel or residence in Paris only, in districts 1, 2, 5, 6, 7, 8, 14, 15 and 16. 6-hour duration, which includes transfer time. Lunch is not included. Minivan seating 7 to 8 passengers. Up to 20 guests or fewer. Pickup is included.

See 2 more options

Semi-Private Group TourUp to 6 people · Guide in English · 08:30 and 11:45Half-day hotel pickup tour: semi-private group, up to 11 guests or fewer. 6-hour tour with pickup from your hotel or Airbnb in Paris: a 2-hour guided palace tour, a musical fountains show or Musical gardens visit (April to October), and 1 hour 30 minutes of free time. Duration includes roundtrip transfer time. The time on the voucher is the first pickup. Pickup and drop-off are at a hotel or residence in Paris only, in districts 1, 2, 5, 6, 7, 8, 14, 15 and 16. Minivan or car, maximum 8 passengers. Your actual pickup time depends on your location.

Private half-day guided tour.Up to 8 people · Guide in English · 12:00Private half-day tour with hotel pickup. Private guided tour: pickup from your hotel or Airbnb in Paris, a 6-hour tour including roundtrip transfer time, with a 2-hour palace and garden tour. Lunch is not included. By minivan or car, maximum 8 passengers. Pickup is included.

You see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates & prices

Before you book

Days and timesTuesday to Sunday5 departure times: the first at 08:30, the last at 12:00

Book up to1d before

AgesAdult (18 to 80 years) · Youth (6 to 17 years) · Child (3 to 5 years) · Under 3: can't be included in the booking

GroupUp to 11 · max 8 per booking

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup is optional; you can also go straight to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated yesterday

Good to know

Demanding physical levelNot for pregnant travelersNot for heart conditionsNot for back problems

Operated by PARIS WEBSERVICES

Is this one for you?Book this if you want the main rooms of Versailles explained by someone who knows them, plus time to wander the gardens without rushing: the reserved entry ticket and guided portion handle the logistics, so you arrive knowing what you're looking at instead of reading plaques in a crowd.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (6 to 17 years); Child (3 to 5 years). Under 3: they can't be included in the booking.

How long is the guided portion of the tour?

The guided tour lasts 1.5 to 2 hours, covering the King's State Apartment, Hall of Mirrors, and gardens. You then have free time to explore on your own.

Is hotel pickup included?

Yes, for most options. Pickup is available from hotels or Airbnbs in western Paris districts (1, 2, 5, 6, 7, 8, 14, 15, 16) or from a central Paris meeting point. One option allows you to meet the guide directly at Versailles with no transport.

What's the difference between half-day and full-day tours?

Half-day tours last about 4 hours total and include the palace and gardens. Full-day tours last 6–8.5 hours and add access to the Grand and Petit Trianon palaces, which you explore independently.

Is admission to Versailles included?

Yes. Your ticket includes reserved entry time to the Château de Versailles, so you skip the entry queue.

How many people are in the group?

Groups range from 11 to 20 people depending on which tour option you select. Semi-private options cap at 11 guests.

Is the tour suitable for people with mobility issues?

No. The palace involves numerous stairs, uneven cobblestones inside and throughout the gardens, and long walking distances. The tour is not recommended for travelers with difficulty walking long distances or climbing stairs, or those with spinal injuries or poor cardiovascular health.

What language is the guide?

English only.

Can I cancel or reschedule?

Cancellations within 24 hours of the tour date incur a 100% fee. Museum tickets are non-refundable, and bookings cannot be modified at the last minute.

Is there free time to explore on my own?

Yes. After the guided portion, you have approximately 2 hours (half-day) or 4 hours (full-day) to wander the palace and gardens independently.

What's the minimum age?

Children must be at least 6 years old and declared at booking. Undeclared children, including babies and those under 6, cannot be accommodated.