How to plan a private day trip to Versailles
Versailles is easy to reach and easy to do badly. A little planning — and one car for the day — makes the difference.
In short
- The palace is closed on Mondays; always check the official website for current hours, tickets and fountain-show days.
- Book a timed ticket directly with the palace and plan the pickup around it.
- Three ways to travel: one-way, return with waiting, or a chauffeur at your disposal for the day.
Choose the day carefully
The palace is closed on Mondays, and the busiest days are weekends and the summer months. A weekday outside the peak season is the calmest. Always confirm opening times, ticket types and special days — such as fountain shows in the gardens — on the official website before you travel.
Tickets
Book your entry directly with the palace. A timed ticket removes the longest queue, and we plan the pickup so that you reach Versailles comfortably before your slot. Palace tickets are never part of our quotation unless we agree otherwise.
What to see
The palace and the Hall of Mirrors are the headline, but the estate is vast: the gardens and the Grand Canal, the Grand Trianon and the Petit Trianon, and the Queen’s Hamlet. Most visitors comfortably see the palace and one other area in a day; the whole estate rewards a slower pace.
Three ways to travel with a chauffeur
- One-way: we take you from your hotel to Versailles; you return by train or on your own.
- Return with waiting: the car stays close while you visit and brings you back to Paris.
- At your disposal for the day: the whole day with you, with lunch and stops of your choice.
Host or guide?
Your chauffeur-host can share general information and suggest where to go next. Commentary inside the palace usually requires a licensed guide-conférencier, which we can arrange on request — read driver-host or licensed guide.
Quick answers
How long does it take to drive from Paris to Versailles?
About 25 km — normally 45–90 minutes, depending on traffic and the time of day.
Is there a fixed price for Versailles?
Day trips are quoted personally for the whole itinerary, so the price reflects your plan.