Paris
Paris
+ Exploring Paris
Vicinity
+ Vicinity
Sights
* Chantilly, Château de
* Disneyland Resort Paris
* Ecouen, Château d'
* Fontainebleau, Château de
* France Miniature
* Malmaison, Château de
* Parc Astérix
* Saint-Cloud, Parc de
* Saint-Denis, Basilique
* Saint-Germain-en-Laye
* Sceaux, Château de
* Sèvres, Musée National de la Céramique de
* Vaux-le-Vicomte, Château de
* Versailles, Château de
* Vincennes, Château de
Walk/Drive
Food&Drink
In The Know
Did You Know?
( Do not miss )
The physical expression of a king's superego, Versailles turned out to be one of the most splendid castles in the world through the genius of the artists who built and decorated it. What began as a modest hunting lodge became the seat of government and political centre of France for over a hundred years. A town grew up around the castle to accommodate the court. Several thousand men worked on the castle for 50 years, thousands of trees were transplanted, and 3,000 people could live in it.
The castle is huge (680m long) and it is impossible to see everything in the course of one visit. Aim for the first floor where the State Apartments are, including the famous Galerie des Glaces, as well as the Official Apartments and the Private Apartments of the royal couple, situated on either side of the marble courtyard. The north wing contains the two-storey Chapelle St-Louis built by Mansart and the Opéra, added later, by Gabriel.
The focal point of the park is the Bassin d'Apollon, a magnificent ornamental pool with a bronze sculpture in its centre representing Apollo's chariot coming out of the water. Two smaller castles, Le Grand Trianon and Le Petit Trianon, are also worth a visit, and Le Hameau, Marie-Antoinette's retreat, offers a delightful contrast.
Url: www.chateauversailles.fr
Address: 20km southwest of Paris. 78000 Versailles
Phone: 01 30 83 78 00
Hours: Château: 9-5:30 (6:30 in summer); closed Mon, some bank hols. Trianons: noon-5:30 (6:30 in summer); Parc: 7-5:30 (up to 9:30pm depending on the season) ceremonies
Restaurant: Cafeteria (Inexpensive) and restaurant (Moderately priced)
Metro: Gare St-Lazare to Versailles Rive Droite
Accessible: Good
Admission: Moderate
Practical: Guided tours, shops
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