The Palace of Versailles and its gardens

The Estate of Versailles

Walk in the park of the Palace of Versailles, visit the palace, boat ride, visit of Marie Antoinette’s estate, Trianon castles… Of all the castles in Ile de France, the Palace of Versailles and its estate are the embodiment of excess in the time of Louis XIV and the pinnacle of elegance.

The castle and its 2300 rooms (not all of them are visible), as well as the magnificent park of 800 hectares will fascinate children.

In Versailles, many activities are offered for children. Thanks to the Passport ticket, discover the gardens, ponds, groves and their fountains set to the rhythm of baroque music during the Musical Fountains Show and the Musical Gardens (free for children from 0 to 5 years old) on weekends from April to October, Tuesdays in May and June as well as public holidays.

Some advice before your visit

• Start with the visit to the castle (entrance A) and take the audio guide. Audio guides are included in the price of adult tickets.
• Continue with a visit to the gardens and groves, with the musical fountains show in summer.
• Head to the Grand Canal and have a picnic on its lawns. If you don’t have sandwiches planned, buy them at one of the food outlets in the gardens, or have lunch at one of the two restaurants north of the Canal
• Then discover the Trianon, Grand and Petit. They only open from noon.
• And finish with a walk through the Queen’s Hamlet with its factories and farm…

• Remember to book your tickets for the Palace of Versailles otherwise you will have to wait in line twice: once to take the ticket and then to enter the palace.
• If possible, avoid weekends and Tuesdays, which are very busy days.
• We advise you to visit the Château as soon as it opens at 9am. Then go to the Trianon estate from noon.
• The Versailles estate is 800 hectares so don’t hesitate to take the little train to get to Marie-Antoinette’s estate.

Self-guided tour of the Estate of Versailles

Entrance to the Estate, including the castle, is free for children (-18 and -26 EU residents)

A visit to the Palace of Versailles

* The entrance ticket for the Palace of Versailles gives access to the Gardens except during the Musical Fountains shows or the Musical Gardens days (April to October)
** Entrance ticket for the entrance to the Palace of Versailles, access to the Gardens (however, an extra charge must be paid on the days of the fountains and musical garden show), access to the Trianon estate, access to the Galerie des Carrosses on weekends, and during the Christmas holidays

• Admission to the Domaine is free for children (under 18 years old and -26 years old EU residents)
• The Musical Fountains Show and the Musical Gardens are free for children under 6 years old
• Reservation time is mandatory for everyone, including those who benefit from free travel

Treasure hunt “2 hours to save the King”

• Best seller in Versailles in the Leisure category
• Age : from 10 years old
• Duration : 2 hours
• What : this is a treasure hunt (or investigation game) that is done by teams (about 6-8 people per team)
• Where : in the gardens of the Palace of Versailles or in the city of Versailles)

Guided tours at the Palace of Versailles

• Family tours are for children from 7 years old
• They are led by a tour guide specializing in young people
• Group of 22 people max
• Duration: 1h30
• These tours are a great success during the holidays. We advise you to book as soon as possible

And also, A guided tour (for all ages) of the Palace of Versailles with a tour guide – In French, English, Spanish – Max 20 pers.

The Estate of Trianon

• It is composed of the Petit Trianon, Grand Trianon, Hameau de la Reine, the farm…
• It is one of the jewels of the Palace of Versailles
• The park is beautiful and a great place to walk
• The Queen’s Hamlet and its thatched and half-timbered buildings have a lot of charm
• The animal farm will appeal to children (horses, sheep, goats…)
• The Passport Ticket gives access to the Estate of Trianon and the Queen’s Hamlet
• But you can also take a ticket only for Marie-Antoinette’s estate

Family activities in the city of Versailles

Because, besides the palace, Versailles is a beautiful and historic city... Discover the historic centre of the city of Versailles!

Events and shows at the Palace of Versailles

• The Musical Fountains Show (every weekend from April to the end of October). During the Musical Fountains, the fountains fail to provide music and exceptionally parts of the park that are usually closed are accessible to the public. At the time of Louis XIV, the groves were open-air lounges hidden in the heart of the wooded areas of the garden. People went to these places reserved for celebration and entertainment to have a snack, listen to music or dance.
• The Musical Gardens : Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays until the end of October. Walk to the rhythm of baroque music (Lully, Rameau, Charpentier…), in the heart of the French gardens.
• The Night Fountains : every Saturday from June to September (8:30 p.m. to 11:00 p.m.). 2h30 walk to the rhythm of baroque music, in the sumptuous French gardens of the Palace of Versailles. The whole thing is put in water and lighted. The evening ends with a large fireworks display at 10:50 p.m. It’s simply magical
• The Royal Serenade of the Hall of Mirrors : every Saturday from June to September (5 sessions per evening of 40 minutes: 6:30 pm – 6:50 pm – 7:10 pm – 7:30 pm – 7:50 pm). The opportunity to discover the Grand Apartments of the Palace of Versailles in the company of baroque musicians and dancers
• The King’s journey from the Hall of Mirrors to the King’s Apartments: the magic of Christmas in the Hall of Mirrors. Exceptional show visit

Birthday – Treasure hunt in Versailles or in the park of the palace

Come and celebrate your birthday with your friends in the gardens of the Palace of Versailles or in the streets of Versailles. Your mission will be to find out who the assassin is in order to save the king. No stress, no need to have any special historical knowledge . You will have to solve puzzles as a team and join the guide in a given time.