Palace of Versailles Tickets 2026: Prices, Gardens & Day Trip Guide

Updated September 2026 · 16 min read

Versailles is not simply a palace with a famous mirrored room. It is an immense royal estate: the State Apartments, Hall of Mirrors, formal Gardens, Grand Canal, two Trianon palaces and Marie Antoinette's pastoral hamlet are spread across grounds large enough to turn an unplanned visit into an exhausting race.

The key is to reserve a Palace time, choose a ticket that matches how much of the estate you truly want to see, and visit in a logical order. This guide explains those choices, how to travel from Paris and where the most important rooms and garden sights fit into a realistic day.

Quick answer: Book a morning timed entry, use Entrance A for individual ticket holders, tour the Palace first, cross the Gardens next, and reach the Trianon Estate after it opens at midday. The Palace and Trianon are normally closed Mondays.

2026 Versailles ticket prices

Versailles changed its individual ticket structure on 14 January 2026. Prices now differ between low season, from 1 November to 31 March, and high season, from 1 April to 31 October. Visitors who are French or nationals or residents of the European Economic Area can receive a €3 reduction with valid identification.

For individual visitors the Passport is the ticket that includes Palace admission with a fixed time slot, so most first-time visitors simply choose between a standard Passport and a cheaper Late Passport. The Trianon and Gardens tickets do not include the Palace.

Free admission and who qualifies

Palace and Trianon admission is free for everyone under 18, for EEA nationals or residents under 26, and for certain other eligible visitors such as people with disabilities and their companion. Eligible visitors must still reserve the appropriate free ticket with a Palace time slot, and free admission does not necessarily include the paid high-season Gardens programme. Bring proof of age, nationality or residence.

Compare Versailles ticket options

Buy from the official site first. Partner listings are useful for guided visits and transport packages.

The Tiqets link is an affiliate link. If you book through it, AllTrips may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Check the exact entrance, transport and garden inclusions before paying.

Official tickets and partner options

Every Palace visit needs a timed reservation, including many visitors who qualify for free admission. Arrive at the main courtyard 30–45 minutes before your slot to allow for security and orientation. The official guarantee applies to admission within 30 minutes after the booked time for tickets purchased online; the time slot does not eliminate security queues.

A third-party ticket can be useful when it bundles a guide, coach transfer or a clearly described experience. It does not create a secret entrance. Read the details carefully: “Versailles tour from Paris” may mean transport plus guided Palace entry, or it may mean transport with free time and admission sold separately.

Opening hours and closing days

The Palace and Trianon are normally closed Mondays. The Gardens and Park are normally open daily, subject to severe weather and special closures. Last entry is earlier than closing time in every area, so check the published last-admission times for your date.

The best order for a one-day visit

1. 08:15–08:40: arrive in Versailles, walk to the Place d'Armes and clear the first checks.
2. 09:00: enter the Palace through Entrance A and see the State Apartments before the midday peak.
3. 11:00: step into the Gardens, following the main axis toward Latona Fountain and the Grand Canal.
4. 12:00–13:00: stop for lunch near the Grand Canal or bring a picnic for the Park where permitted.
5. 13:00–15:30: continue to Grand Trianon, Petit Trianon and the Queen's Hamlet.
6. 15:30 onward: return through the Gardens, timing fountain displays if they operate that day.

Garden re-entry warning: on paid Garden-programme dates, the Passport may permit only one entry to the Gardens. Check the route before leaving for the Park or Trianon and ask staff which gate allows you to continue without invalidating your planned return.

This route works because the Palace opens before Trianon. Reversing it wastes the quiet first hour and puts you inside the Hall of Mirrors with the largest tour groups.

Inside the Palace: what not to miss

The visit builds toward the Hall of Mirrors, but the rooms before it explain why that gallery mattered. Louis XIV transformed his father's hunting lodge into a stage for monarchy. Courtiers lived within a strict hierarchy where access to the king—watching him wake, dress or dine—was itself a form of political power.

In the King's State Apartment, look up as much as forward. Each salon is associated with a classical deity and uses ceiling painting, marble and gilding to present the Sun King as the centre of an ordered universe. The Queen's Apartment follows a parallel sequence and includes the bedchamber used by several queens, most famously Marie Antoinette.

The Hall of Mirrors is 73 metres long. Its mirrors once demonstrated French manufacturing skill as much as royal wealth, reflecting the garden light opposite. It later became a diplomatic stage: the German Empire was proclaimed here in 1871, and the Treaty of Versailles was signed in the gallery in 1919.

Gardens and fountain shows

André Le Nôtre designed the Gardens as controlled theatre: terraces, clipped bosquets, sculpture and water extend the Palace's central axis toward the horizon. The geometry is clearest from the terrace, but the experience improves once you leave that single view and enter the groves on either side.

The Gardens are free in low season, from 1 November to 31 March. During the 2026 high season, access is charged when the Musical Gardens or Musical Fountains programme operates, and a high-season Passport includes the relevant Gardens access for the selected date. Fountain displays do not run continuously throughout every opening day, and some groves open only as part of those events, so check the official calendar for the exact date and hours.

Distances are easy to underestimate. The Grand Canal alone stretches for more than a kilometre, and Trianon lies well beyond the Palace terrace. Comfortable shoes are more useful here than formal Paris footwear. Estate transport options operate seasonally, but walking gives the best sense of Le Nôtre's shifting perspectives.

Trianon Estate and Queen's Hamlet

The Grand Trianon offered Louis XIV a retreat from the ceremony of the main Palace. Its pink marble, low roofline and garden-facing rooms feel intimate only by Versailles standards. Petit Trianon later became closely associated with Marie Antoinette, who used the surrounding domain to create a more private life away from court.

The Queen's Hamlet is not evidence that the queen lived as a working farmer. It was an ornamental village within a landscaped estate, used for walks, entertaining and a highly controlled vision of rural life. Visit it for the contrast: after the gold and ceremony of the Palace, its paths, lake and cottages make the political distance of Versailles feel unusually tangible.

How to get to Versailles from Paris

• RER C to Versailles Château Rive Gauche: usually the most convenient route for visitors near the Seine. The station is about a ten-minute walk from the Palace.
• Transilien N from Montparnasse to Versailles Chantiers: useful from southern Paris; allow roughly 15–20 minutes to walk from the station.
• Transilien L from Saint-Lazare to Versailles Rive Droite: practical from the 8th, 9th and 17th arrondissements; the walk is about 20 minutes.
• Bus 171 from Pont de Sèvres: a direct road option from the end of Métro line 9, stopping near the Palace.

Versailles lies outside central Paris, but the regional fare system is no longer based on buying a more expensive destination ticket for ordinary Metro, train and RER journeys. A Metro–Train–RER ticket, generally €2.50, can be used for a journey to Versailles, including transfers between the Metro and the RER or Transilien network, provided you remain within the permitted transfer conditions. Airport routes use separate fares. Navigo passes may also cover the journey depending on the product.

Best time to visit

Tuesday is often exceptionally busy because major Paris museums close that day. A Wednesday or Thursday morning is usually a better target outside school holidays. Spring and early autumn balance garden colour with more manageable heat; summer brings the full programme and the heaviest crowds. Winter strips the estate back but can make the Palace interiors much calmer.

The best Palace slot is generally the first available. Late afternoon can also be calmer, but it works only if you visit the Gardens or Trianon first and leave enough time for the main rooms. Before travelling, check the official calendar for closures caused by state events, weather or special programming.

Food, bags and accessibility

Food and breaks

Food and drink are not permitted inside the museum rooms. Cafés and restaurants operate around the estate, especially near the Gardens and Grand Canal, but queues rise at the standard lunch hour. A picnic can save time when eaten in an allowed Park area rather than in the formal Gardens.

Bags and security

Security is strict. Luggage larger than 46 × 43 × 26 cm is prohibited. Smaller-item deposit facilities may be available, but capacity and operation can change, so do not arrive with travel luggage. Selfie sticks, tripods, knives and other restricted objects should stay at your hotel. Travel with a compact day bag and keep your ticket available.

Accessibility

The Palace and Trianon Estate provide accessible routes, and visitors with disabilities plus one companion can use priority access at the Honor Gate. The challenge is scale: long distances, cobbles and gravel can be tiring even when individual buildings are accessible. Review the official accessibility information and ask staff about lifts and the easiest route on arrival.

Mistakes to avoid

• Arriving without a Palace time slot. A rail ticket to Versailles is not an admission reservation.
• Booking Monday. The Palace and Trianon are normally closed even when parts of the wider estate remain open.
• Assuming every ticket includes the fountain programme. Read the date-specific garden conditions.
• Trying to see everything in three hours. A short visit means choosing the Palace or the wider estate, not racing through both.
• Carrying a suitcase. Oversized luggage is prohibited and storage is limited.
• Leaving Trianon until closing time. It opens later than the Palace and deserves at least two hours with the Hamlet.

Frequently asked questions

Do you need to book Versailles in advance?

Yes. Palace admission uses a timed reservation, and popular morning slots can disappear well before busy dates. Book before travelling and arrive with enough time for the security queue.

How much do Versailles tickets cost in 2026?

The Passport costs €25 in low season and €35 in high season, with a €3 reduction for French and EEA nationals or residents. The Trianon Estate ticket is €15, the high-season Gardens programme €15, and Gardens plus Trianon €20. Late Passports cost €18 in low season and €28 in high season.

Which Versailles ticket should a first-time visitor buy?

The Passport is the simplest full-day choice because it covers the Palace with a timed slot, the Trianon Estate and the Gardens, including the paid high-season programme. Always check the exact inclusions for your date.

Is Versailles closed on Mondays?

The Palace and the Estate of Trianon are normally closed on Mondays. The Gardens and Park may remain open, but schedules change for holidays and special events, so check the official calendar.

How long should you spend at Versailles?

Allow four to five hours for the Palace and part of the Gardens, or a full day for the Palace, Gardens, Grand Trianon, Petit Trianon and Queen's Hamlet without rushing.

What is the easiest way to reach Versailles from Paris?

For many visitors, RER C to Versailles Château Rive Gauche is easiest and leaves about a ten-minute walk to the Palace. Trains from Montparnasse to Versailles Chantiers and Saint-Lazare to Versailles Rive Droite are useful alternatives.

Are the Versailles Gardens free?

The Gardens are free in low season, from 1 November to 31 March. During the 2026 high season, access is charged when the Musical Gardens or Musical Fountains programme operates. A high-season Passport includes the relevant Gardens access for the selected date.

Is admission to Versailles ever free?

Palace and Trianon admission is free for everyone under 18 and for EEA nationals or residents under 26, plus certain other eligible visitors. A free ticket with a reserved Palace time slot is still required, and free admission does not necessarily include the paid high-season Gardens programme.

Is Versailles accessible for wheelchair users?

Many principal spaces in the Palace and Trianon Estate are accessible, and visitors with disabilities can receive priority access with one companion. The estate is extremely large and some historic surfaces are uneven, so consult the official accessibility guide before visiting.

Official planning sources

• Palace of Versailles official website
• Official tickets and prices
• Official opening and events calendar
• RATP journey planning

Opening times, admission rules and seasonal programmes can change. This guide was checked in September 2026; verify your date on the official site before travelling.

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