A full day at Versailles: ceremony and retreat
A short visit introduces the main palace. This full-day programme connects it with the gardens, Trianon and the Queen’s Hamlet, contrasting official grandeur with places designed for greater privacy. It is a private estate tour, rather than a group coach trip with fixed stops. Indoor visits alternate with substantial outdoor walks. We agree the start time, order, breaks and finish before booking; the museum calendar, weather and your needs shape the plan.
The palace and Hall of Mirrors
Meet outside the palace in Versailles, pass the required entrance checks and explore the open State Apartments. Court ceremony helps explain the scale and decoration. In the Hall of Mirrors, discover how light, reflections, painting and garden views work together. We follow the permitted public route. Private studies, closed rooms, the Royal Opera and special exhibitions are not automatically included. Room closures may change the order without changing the central theme.
Gardens and the walk to Trianon
Notice the garden perspectives and changing scale as we leave the main façade. The walk to Trianon is a substantial part of the programme: this takes a day, rather than 1.5 hours. Walking is the default. If needed, discuss transport within the estate in advance. Internal transport tickets, electric cart hire and other paid services are excluded and cannot be guaranteed without separate agreement. Fountains and shows depend on the calendar and are not promised.
The Grand Trianon
Discover a more intimate palace, its colonnade and relationship with the garden. We visit rooms open for ordinary admission and discuss the building’s changing uses. Access is checked for your date; closed rooms or a separate special tour are not promised. An agreed break allows time to rest. Lunch and drinks are at your own expense.
The Petit Trianon and Marie Antoinette’s Hamlet
Compare the Petit Trianon’s architecture with the main palace and Grand Trianon, then follow open paths through the Queen’s Estate to the Hamlet. Landscape design and rural motifs create a different atmosphere. Buildings in the Hamlet are viewed from outside where accessible. Entry to every house, the Queen’s Theatre, service buildings or closed gardens is not promised. This explores the history and design of the place, rather than recreating peasant life or providing a theatrical performance.
Tickets, opening days and transfers
Admission is separate from the guide’s fee. Contact us before buying so we can agree the date, available slots and combination of tickets for the palace, Trianon and gardens. Requirements vary by day, age and group size. A randomly chosen ticket may not cover the whole programme or the correct guided-visit arrangements. The palace and Trianon are usually closed on Mondays; Trianon opening times differ from the palace. Indoor visits and walks follow the official calendar and access conditions, with possible seasonal changes. The standard meeting point is outside the palace in Versailles. Return private transfers from Paris are available separately on request; pick-up address, time, vehicle capacity and price are confirmed in correspondence. Neither travel from Paris nor transport around the estate is automatically included.
Choosing the right programme
Choose the full day to connect the palace’s story with the gardens and Trianon, and if you are comfortable with extended walking. For the main interiors alone, choose our 1.5-hour Versailles Palace tour and plan the rest independently. Tell us about mobility, pushchairs and children’s ages. We discuss distances, pace and breaks without promising universal step-free access. Bring comfortable shoes and weather-appropriate clothing. The tour language is agreed when booking.
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