Palace of Versailles Tickets
Visiting the Palace of Versailles without booking in advance can mean spending hours in line or, worse, not getting in at all.
Tickets sell out days in advance, and if you do find availability, it may only be for the afternoon. When you book online, you choose your day and time and go straight to the security checks.
Palace of Versailles Tickets: Skip the Line
Visit the palace with a reserved time slot, the Hall of Mirrors, the gardens and the Trianon Estate.
Book in a few clicks and get your ticket on your phone.
Why Book Versailles Tickets in Advance
Versailles welcomes millions of visitors every year, and entry to the palace is managed by time slots, with a limited number of people admitted each hour. Without a booking, the line at the security checks can exceed 60 to 90 minutes during the high season, and tickets on the official website are often already sold out. Booking online has four main advantages:
- Guaranteed time slot: choose your preferred day and time slot and arrive at the entrance with no surprises.
- Shorter lines: you skip the line at the ticket office and go straight to the security checks.
- Everything in one purchase: with the Passport ticket you get the palace, the Trianon and the gardens.
- Ticket on your smartphone: just show the QR code, no printing needed.
You can enter the palace within around 30 minutes of your chosen time slot, so it’s best to arrive a little early.
A skip-the-line ticket with a reserved time slot gives you priority access, allowing you to bypass the ticket-office line and secure entry even on busy days.
Which Palace of Versailles Ticket to Choose
Tickets vary depending on the areas you want to see and how much time you have.
Standard Entry Ticket (Palace and Gardens)
This is the most comprehensive option. It includes the palace with the Grand Apartments, the Hall of Mirrors and the King’s and Queen’s apartments, the Domaine de Trianon with the Grand Trianon, the Petit Trianon and the Queen’s Hamlet, and the gardens, even on fountain show days, when access would otherwise be paid. It usually includes an audio guide in Italian.
Guided Tours with Priority Access
Versailles is huge and steeped in history. Choosing a guided tour with an expert guide lets you skip every line at the entrance thanks to dedicated access, and you’ll uncover the most fascinating secrets of Louis XIV’s court without getting lost in the palace’s maze of rooms.
Tickets with Transport from Paris
Some options also include round-trip transport from Paris: a convenient option if you don’t want to worry about trains or connections and want to arrive on time for your visit to the Palace of Versailles.
How Much Does a Palace of Versailles Ticket Cost?
The price depends on the season, the day and the type of ticket, so you’ll always find the up-to-date amount when you book.
Prices start at around €22 in low season and at around €32 on high season days when the musical fountains are running.
Tickets on the official website sell out quickly, so it’s common to find tickets from authorised resellers, which add a fee and include other services such as an audio guide or transport from Paris.
Musical Fountains and Gardens: When to Go
From spring to the end of October, the gardens host the Grandes Eaux Musicales, with the fountains choreographed to Baroque music, and the Jardins Musicaux, with music throughout the gardens. On show days, access to the gardens is paid, but some tickets include the show.
From November to March, the gardens are free, but the fountains are switched off and the statues are covered for protection. It’s the quietest time of year, ideal if you mainly want to focus on the interiors.
How Entry Works
After you book, you receive your e-ticket by email. Head to Entrance A, which is reserved for visitors with online tickets, a few minutes before your chosen time slot and go through the security checks. Keep the QR code ready on your smartphone, and bring ID with you if you have a reduced or free ticket.
How Long You Need and How to Plan Your Day
The palace alone takes a little under two hours, plus another two for the gardens and fountains. If you also want to see the Trianon, the Coach Gallery, the Grand Canal and the groves, you’ll need a full day, and if you want to take it all in at a relaxed pace, you can split the visit over two days.
The most convenient route is to enter the palace at 9:00 am, head to the gardens around 11:30 am and from 12:00 pm make your way to the Trianon and the Queen’s Hamlet, which are usually much quieter.
Practical Information Before You Visit
- What to wear: layers and comfortable shoes, because the visit alternates between indoors and the gardens, in heat or rain.
- Cloakroom: there are self-service lockers at the information points for small bags; suitcases and large bags are not allowed.
- Strollers: allowed in the palace.
- Photos: you can take photos without flash and use a selfie stick; photos are not allowed in temporary exhibitions.
- Food and drink: not allowed in the palace, and picnics are not permitted in the gardens. You’ll find refreshment areas in the Grand Parc, near the Grille des Matelots.
- Accessibility: the palace is accessible, with lifts and wheelchairs available to borrow at the palace and the Grand Trianon; electric vehicles are available for visitors with reduced mobility.
- Getting around the estate: there’s a shuttle between the palace and the Domaine de Trianon; in the gardens you can use bikes, electric cars and the little train, as covering the whole estate on foot isn’t possible.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, we recommend booking in advance to avoid the lines at the ticket office and guarantee your entry, especially during busy periods.The absolute most effective way to skip the queues is to purchase a timed-entry ticket online. This allows you to completely skip the physical ticket office line and head straight to Entrance A, which is reserved exclusively for online ticket holders.
To see which days still have open slots, you can check the live availability calendar below.
The Palace of Versailles boasts 2,300 rooms and sprawling gardens so vast that it would take days to see everything. It is incredibly easy to miss some of the most important rooms or waste hours wandering the garden pathways without catching the main highlights.
By exploring the Palace and grounds with an expert guide, you will see all the top treasures and uncover its best-kept secrets. Your time inside the chateau and the gardens will be optimized to suit your needs, making sure you don't miss a single must-see attraction.
Yes, audio guides are available in several languages to help you better understand the rich history of the Palace and its grounds. When buying your ticket online, check if the audio guide option is included in your package, or simply download the official Palace of Versailles app onto your smartphone before entering.
Yes, the gardens are free on days without shows and from November to March, even on Mondays when the palace is closed. You need a ticket for the palace and the Trianon.
The length of your visit depends on your schedule, the weather conditions when exploring the gardens, and how long you want to linger in each palace room.
For travelers on a tighter schedule, it takes just under 2 hours to tour the palace and another 2 hours to explore the gardens and fountains. If you also want to take in the Trianon, the Coach Gallery, the Grand Canal, and the groves, you will need a full day.
If you want to experience everything perfectly and uncover every single secret of the Palace and its grounds, you can opt for a two-day consecutive ticket.
