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Explore the Palace of Versailles and relive its temporary exhibitions remotely, with our collection of 360° virtual tours. 

Horace vernet 

Find all the artworks in this exhibition in a unique setting using 360° photo technology. An immersive experience, to discover the world of Horace Vernet. A key figure at Versailles during the reign of  Louis-Philippe , the artist produced, over period of 13 years, some of the most beautiful paintings in the  Historical Galleries , making Versailles home to the largest collection of his works today.

Curator:  Valérie Bajou, General Curator at the National Museum of the Palaces of Versailles and Trianon.

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louis xv passions of a king exhibition (2023)

Discover all the works of this exhibition in a unique scenography thanks to the 360° photo technology. An immersive experience, to discover the passions of Louis XV.

Curators : Yves Carlier, Chief Heritage Curator at the Musée National des Châteaux de Versailles et de Trianon, Hélène Delalex, Heritage Curator at the Musée National des Châteaux de Versailles et de Trianon.

the king's animals exhibition (2021-2022)

The Palace of Versailles, located in the heart of a huge forest in Île-de-France, has fostered the development of a new relationship with the animal world. From the object of study and collection to the animal as a political attribute and symbol of power, what relations did the Court have with pets, wild and exotic animals?

Exhibition curators : Alexandre Maral, Curator General, Head of the Sculpture Department of the Musée National des Châteaux de Versailles et de Trianon and Nicolas Milovanovic, Head Curator of the Paintings Department of the Louvre Museum.

hyacinthe rigaud or the sun portrait exhibition (2021)

The palace of Versailles presents the first major monographic exhibition dedicated to the work of  Hyacinthe Rigaud . This most famous portraitist of the Sun King dominated portraiture for nearly a century and set new codes in the discipline.

Exhibition curators : Laurent Salomé, Director of the Musée national des châteaux de Versailles et de Trianon, Élodie Vaysse, Curator of Heritage and Ariane James-Sarazin, Curator General of Heritage, Deputy Director of the Musée de l'Armée.

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versailles revival exhibition (2020)

The exhibition «Versailles Revival» shows the enthusiasm and passion for the Versailles of the Ancien Régime, which developed a hundred years after the French Revolution through 350 works, documents and photographs. In parallel, the Republic gathers its assemblies and receives foreign sovereigns, gardens attract tourists and large waters become a popular destination. 

Exhibition curator : Laurent Salomé, Director of the Musée national des châteaux de Versailles et de Trianon et Claire Bonnotte, scientific collaborator of the Musée national des châteaux de Versailles et de Trianon.

the king is dead exhibition (2015-2016)

The exhibition explores the role of the king’s death in the monarchical imagination and court society, placing the death of Louis XIV in the context of the funeral rituals of European rulers from the Renaissance to the Enlightenment. It presents major works of art and historical documents, some of which have never been exhibited before, relating to the survival of this ritual after the French Revolution .

Exhibition curators : Béatrix Saule, Director and Head Curator of the Musée National des Châteaux de Versailles et de Trianon, assisted by Hélène Delalex, Conservation Officer at the Musée National des Châteaux de Versailles et de Trianon

versailles and the ancient exhibition (2012-2013)

A political and aesthetic ideal, antiquity was glorified in all the courts of Europe since the Renaissance and the Greek and Roman remains were collected with passion by the princes and powerful. But with the reign of Louis XIV, this admiration took on a completely different dimension. To impose in the eyes of all the advent of the absolute monarchy and the power of France, the Sun King conceived his palace as a new Rome dedicated to the cult of Apollo, as well as a sanctuary for his prestigious collection of statues, busts, vases, cameos and medals.

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wardrobe of LOUIS xvi

The wardrobe cabinet , made in 1788, is considered the masterpiece of Versailles royal art. It is a small cabinet of about 13 m2, located in the interior apartment of Louis XVI and accessible through a hidden door. The white and golden woodwork is unique in Europe and represents a peak of French decorative art of the 18th century.  

napoléon rooms

The Napoleonic collections are now presented in several spaces in the palace: in the Coronation Chamber showcasing Napoleon 's rise to become Emperor ; in the rooms known as the « Revolution Room », the « Consulate Room » and the « Empire Room », on the ground floor of the South Wing, presenting the most important moments in Napoleon's rise and his reign in the political, military, diplomatic and dynastic domains ; and in the Gallery of Battles , on the first floor of the same wing. On the second floor, known as the Chimay and South Attics, the story of Napoleon is illustrated by other works, accompanied by many portraits of the Emperor's entourage and the society of his time.

Voyage d’hiver 2017-2018

The Palace of Versailles Opens Its Digital Doors, A Free Tour of Everything

“It’s not a palace, it’s an entire city. Superb in its size, superb in its matter.” — Charles Perrault, 1687

Here’s my guide to taking a virtual tour of the Palace of Versailles. Versailles is the most ornate and famous royal chateau in France. Once hidden away behind closed doors, the palace is now yours for digital viewing at home from your couch or computer screen.

Versailles is honestly one of my least favorite places in France to visit in real life. The lines are spectacularly long. The palace spectacularly crowded. It’s hard to really admire the royal handiwork with the crush of people.

READ : Tourist Traps To Skip in Paris

But in this time of global uncertainly and angst — a time of canceled vacations and missed travel opportunities — the Palace of Versailles has generously opened its digital doors, at least temporarily.

The palace is offering an unprecedented free virtual tour to experience from home. Everything can be seen; nothing is omitted.

Short History of the Palace of Versailles

The UNESCO-listed Palace of Versailles was once the center and cultural heartbeat of Europe, until the French Revolution. The Sun King Louis XIV transformed his father’s hunting lodge into a monumental palace in the mid 17th century.

The palace was France’s political capital and royal seat from 1682 to 1789. The royal court had 3,000 residents.

The Palace of Versailles is ornately decorated, to say the least. It’s massive, flashy, and very, very gold. The opulence is overwhelming. Even the bathrooms are gold plated.

As exemplifies the Baroque style, the palace was decorated with gilding, stucco, arabesques, frescoed vaulted ceilings, mirrors, and tromp l’oeil effects. The king’s apartments were in the center, because the world revolved around him.

But the palace itself wasn’t enough for the king who ruled by divine right. In 1687, Louis XIV built the Grand Trianon. This swishy pad is where Louis XIV escaped the viper pit of court life and pursued his affair with Madame de Montespan.

The architect, Jules Hardouin-Mansart, described the refined structure as “a little palace of pink marble and porphyry, with marvelous gardens.”

Aside from Louis XIV, Versailles’ most famous occupant was Marie Antoinette . The queen made major changes to the palace’s decor in the 18th century. With the exception of the Hall of Mirrors, the interior is more Louis XVI style than Louis XIV style.

Marie Antoinette also adored the Petit Trianon, a little Neo-Classical palace on the grounds. When Louis XVI inherited it, he gifted it to his queen, saying “This pleasure house is yours.”

The Petit Trianon bears her distinctive decor and ornamentation — ornate floral motifs run amok in cornflower blue, lilac, and green, without the glitz of the main palace.

Not content with just the Petit Trianon, Marie Antoinette hired two architects to create a pastoral fantasy for her, the Hameau de la Reine.

On the surface, the Queen’s Hamlet appeared as a rural village of crackled tumbledown cottages and wisteria vines. (The countryside was fashionable at the time.) But inside, the cottages were decked out.

READ : Guide To the Marie Antoinette Trail in Paris

Designed by Andre Le Notre, the gardens of the Palace of Versailles are also a vast showstopper. Louis XIV wanted a verdant display to demonstrate his power and to entertain VIPs.

It’s one of the most influential landscape designs in French history — with a series of geometric gardens, groves, fountains, and parks.

Virtual Tour of the Palace of Versailles

The palace has partnered with Google Arts & Culture to present its virtual exhibits online. Google takes users on a journey of the palace’s rich decor and art collection of over 22,000 pieces.

You can also take an amazing virtual tour on the Palace of Versailles’ website . Nothing is left out! For example, you can stroll through:

1. The famed Hall of Mirrors (one of the most famous rooms in the world). You

have a 360 view of the Hall of Mirrors here .

2. The King’s Apartments

3. The Queen’s Apartment s

4. The Royal Chapel

5. The Grand Trianon

6. The Petit Trianon

7. The Queen’s Hamlet

8. The amazing fountains in the garden

9. The lavish Le Notre gardens

10. The art galleries

11. The Napoleon Rooms

12. Marie Antoinette’s private chambers

13. The Coronation Room

And there are plenty of online virtual exhibitions and stories to whet your appetite or feed your soul. This is the perfect opportunity to discover the secrets behind the fashions of Versailles , how Louis XIV honed his political image , the jewelry worn at Versailles, or the gossip about Louis XIV’s long reigning mistress Madame de Montespan .

Versailles 3D , created by Google, also gives you an impressive 3D tour of Versailles. For the latest photos and stories, you can check out the Palace of Versailles’ Facebook page .

If you’ve watched the BBC’s Versailles TV series, you visit the filming locations via my guide .

READ : 3 Day itinerary for Paris

I hope you’ve enjoyed my virtual Versailles guide. You may enjoy these other virtual tours of France attractions:

French landmarks

Paris landmarks

Paris museums

French chateaux

Virtual Musee d’Orsay

Virtual Louvre

If you’d like to take a virtual tour of Versailles, pin it for later.

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Last Updated on November 9, 2021 by Leslie Livingston

VersaillesVR: The Palace is Yours

September 2019 | By Artist in Residence at Google Arts & Culture: Jonathan Tanant

Explore the Palace of Versailles in VR

Collection:

Built with:

Look Inside the French Palace of Versailles

Tour of the palace of versailles.

The Palace of Versailles stands as a testament to the power and wealth that the French royal family had before its demise. It was originally constructed in 1682 under the order of King Louis XIV, the Sun King, and served as the royal residence until his grandson, Louis XVI, was removed during the French Revolution in 1789.

A total of 700 rooms are found within the 720,000-square-foot palace that rests on more than 2,000 acres just outside of Paris. Yes, that makes it one of the largest palaces in the world.

Have you ever wanted to see inside? While it is impossible to see all of the rooms in this massive palace, tours are available that showcase the first floor, where the kings and queens lived out their days surrounded by courtiers. But you don't need to visit France to get a peek at the bougie chateaux. Follow along on our tour!

Map of Versailles' Ground Floor

To enter Versailles meant entering the King's State Apartment in the northwestern wing of the first floor, as you can see on this map you can follow as we take you through more than two dozen rooms.

The King's State Apartment consisted of seven grand rooms designed to be imposing and lavish — just the king's way of letting the world know who he was.

As you made your way through the apartments, you were part of a parade to reach the King's private rooms. Ready to see inside?

Room of Abundance

Entering the Palace, the first sight for a courtier or guest would be the intimate Salon d'Abondance, or Drawing Room of Plenty.

Here, coats would be taken and one could catch their breath before being led through the parade of halls to follow. The room was filled with refreshments, with coffee and wine available to begin or end your evening.

Officially the main entrance of the King's State Apartment, the Venus Room is located at the top of the Ambassador's Staircase, or Grand Degre, which was destroyed in 1752.

This room begins the theme of mythology in the rooms, as Louis XIV himself was called the Sun King. Venus, the goddess of Love, is painted on the ceiling of the room.

During evening events, this room was filled with fresh fruit and flowers.

The goddess of the hunt and sister to the sun god, Apollo, received recognition in this room named for her. Hunting scenes are found on the walls and in paintings.

Louis XIV used this room to play billiards, and the room had tiered seating for guests to watch him compete. But you're not in the "real" State Apartments yet. The space is considered yet one more entrance before the State Apartments truly begin.

Each of the three main State Apartment rooms features walls of a bold red, symbolizing courage, war, vigor and love.

As the god of war, Mars was appropriate for this room that was mainly used as a guard room during the day and transformed into a ballroom during evening events.

Mercury Room

Often called the bedroom, the Mercury Room was originally the King's bedchamber before he relocated it to a much smaller space behind the walls of the Hall of Mirrors.

The king then used this room, instead, for game tables. However, the museum added the bed to the room to showcase it in its original state.

Apollo Room

The Sun King saved the best room for last, dedicating this room to the god of the sun and of war.The king used it as his throne room, which featured his "silver" throne — an armchair bedecked in sculptures and plaques of silver.

Hanging above the fireplace is a copy of the famous portrait of the king, painted by Hyacinthe Rigaud. The original hangs in the Louvre, but during the king's reign, it called the Apollo Room home.

War Drawing Room

At the end of the parade that covered the northwestern wing of the palace comes the corner drawing room known as the War Room, which was completed in 1686.

This marble-filled room features gilded trophies and weapons celebrating war victories of the French. The bas-relief in the faux-fireplace, for example, depicts Clio, the muse of history, recording the kings' victories, while the relief above it features Louis XIV trampling his enemies on horseback.

Hall of Mirrors

As you leave the War Drawing Room behind, you enter the room most famous for bringing peace: the Hall of Mirrors. This room was actually supposed to be a large terrace but became ornately decorated in a Baroque style with 357 mirrors displayed. The Venetian mirrors, during the time of the kings, illustrated wealth, so it was just one more extravagance of the king.

More importantly, however, this is the very hall where the Treaty of Versailles was signed, creating peace between the Allies and Germany following World War I.

Peace Drawing Room

After war and a treaty comes peace, and this corner room on the opposite end of the western wing is so called. It's not one of the King's State Apartments, though. This is the last room of the Queen's Grand Apartments.

Found in the southwestern wing, the apartments mirrored the king's on the opposite side of the palace and were made for Louis XIV's wife, Queen Maria Theresa.

Queen's Bedchamber

The Queen's bedchamber was open to court as it was common for the queen's toileting and childbirth to be on display. The queens did give birth in this room, although, thankfully, they were allowed a screen to give them some privacy.

Maria Theresa died in this bedroom shortly after these rooms were ready for her. The king then turned her collection of apartments into his personal apartments.

Noble Salon

When Queen Marie Leszcznska, the wife of King Louis XV, lived in these apartments, she used this room to hold her formal audiences with the ladies of the court, sitting in a circle.

The decor of this room, however, is credited to Marie Antoinette, who didn't like the original look.

Grand Couvert

An odd tradition during the era of French royalty was to watch the king and queen eat dinner. Called the Grand Couvert, this is the room where the public could come watch the couple dine.

Louis XIV had dinner here almost every night, but his son Louis XV liked dinners in private, and Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette only dined here once a week. The young queen added a platform for musicians and had music played during the event.

As the official entrance into the Queen's Apartments and located at the top of the Marble Staircase, this is where 12 guards were stationed night and day.

As such, the queens never used this room, and its decor is the original of the palace — one of the few!

Coronation Room

Although it is called the Coronation Room, this room was the guardhouse until the French Revolution and the rise of the First Emperor of France, Napoleon Bonaparte.

He was crowned in 1804 but not here. He was crowned in Paris, so this is actually where the greatest paintings of his reign were on display, including one celebrating his crowning.

The Queen's Library

The queen did have some privacy, especially in this library that overlooks the Dauphin's Courtyard.

This room was given to Marie Antoinette while she was Dauphine and has remained intact since she used the space.

King's Bedchamber

Within the center of the palace, overlooking the Marble Courtyard, was the king's private rooms.

Louis XV relocated his bedchamber to this small south-facing location because it was easier to keep heated. He died in the room in 1774, and the room became the bedchamber to King XVI, the last King of France.

Mistresses' Apartment

The French kings were known for keeping mistresses, especially Louis XV, who is said to have cried when his love, Madame de Pompadour, died. 

Just a short — and private — walk to the king's private apartments, the space is actually found on the second floor and was an attic above the Mars, Mercury and Apollo rooms.

Dauphine's Chamber

The upper floors of the palace housed the royal family and courtiers and is where the Dauphine's chambers were located. Dauphines were the wives of the Dauphins, heirs to the throne — the French versions of princess and prince.

Before Marie Antoinette became queen, she used this collection of rooms that included a bedchamber and a sitting room.

The Gilded Room

Belonging to Madame Adelaide, the daughter of King XV, this private chamber served as a school for the princess.

The king also used the room for privacy and having his coffee.

King's Dining Room

One of the two rooms that had been Adelaide's apartments, this dining room overlooks the courtyard and was transformed by the king for his post-hunt dinners. (Remember, he liked his dinners private.)

When Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette ruled, this was one of their favorite rooms, where they would have dinner with their closest friends.

Louis XVI's Games Rooms

Connected to the dining room, this room became a game room for Louis XVI.

After dining, the dinner party could continue in this room well into the night.

Louis XVI's Library

The first room in the palace commissioned by Louis XVI when he became a young king was a new library.

As the younger family members lived on the upper floors, he had libraries but built this to be his largest and on the same floor with his apartments.

Royal Opera

In the South Wing, the stunning Royal Opera was the largest concert hall in Europe when it was first used in 1770 by Louis XV. The theater and ballroom were first used for the wedding of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette.

Now, the museum continues the tradition and features performances and concerts open to the public.

Hercules Room

In the North Wing, the Hercules Room was the last room Louis XIV was working on before his death. Formerly a chapel, the space was being converted following the completion of the grander chapel to which it is connected.

Louis XV finished the room, and it is an entrance to both the chapel and the Room of Abundance.

Royal Gallery

The last space Louis XIV saw to completion was this gothic chapel, which was dedicated to Saint Louis, of the family's ancestry and the kings' namesake.

The two-story chapel was used daily for the king's mass at 10 a.m.

Louis XIV enjoyed life away from the royal court, so he had the Grand Trianon constructed as a space with gardens to retreat. He also used it to entertain his mistress, who later lived here during the summer months.

This area on the Versailles' estate includes the first grand palace, a second smaller palace and gardens. Its name comes from the former village that occupied the land.

The Grand Trianon

The Grand Trianon is rather two palaces connected by a sheltered colonnade called the Peristyle.

Housing a North Wing, for State Apartments, and a South Wing, for residential use, the pink marble building was a favorite of Louis XIV.

The Round Room

This round room was the entrance to the first of Louis XIV's State Apartments, found in the North wing.

Mirror Room

Louis XIV's suite of apartments in the Grand Trianon included this Mirror Room, which was used as a council chamber.

Chapel Room

This room was originally used as a private chapel with an altar in the back and doors that could be closed to convert the room into a gathering space.

Louis XIV turned it into an antechamber during his reign.

Louis-Philippe's Family Room

In this palace that acted more like home, this was the family room to Louis-Philippe and was a relaxing place.

The tables were meant for card games.

Garden Room

Cards were also played in the Garden Room, which overlooks the Chestnut Grove and the Grand Canal.

Private Chamber

This room had a number of uses during its different rulers. A bedroom, a "resting room" and an office.

The artwork adorning the green damask walls are paintings of Apollo.

Breakfast Room

Preferring to eat his meals privately, Louis XIV enjoyed his supper in this room, where there was also an elevated platform for musicians.

Louis XV made the space a private office, but Napoleon turned it back into a dining room for breakfast.

Empress' Bedroom

Originally the bedroom of Louis XIV and where Louis XVIII died, this royal bedroom became the Empress' bedroom during Napoleon's tenure.

Emperor's Bedroom

This bedroom was originally used by Louis XV, who decorated the space with wood paneling.

But Napoleon used this as his bedroom once he took over the palace.

Petit Trianon

On the same estate as the Trianon, Louis XV added this smaller palace. He died here, but when his son and Marie-Antoinette became King and Queen, Louis XVI gave it to the queen.

Napoleon III's wife, Empress Eugenie, turned it into a museum dedicated to Marie-Antoinette.

As the original chapel had been removed, Louis-Philippe created this private chapel out of Louis XIV's former billiard room.

Queen's Theater

Hidden in the gardens of the Grand Trianon is a theater commissioned by Marie-Antoinette.

Renowned for loving the arts, she wanted a class theater for performances. This one seats 250 with an orchestra pit that holds 20 musicians.

The Queen's Hamlet

Marie-Antoinette felt that even the Petit Trianon was still not enough of an escape from the royal court.

So, the King presented her with a rustic hamlet, the Hameau de la Reine, built even farther away as a retreat just for her.

The Queen's Stage

The Flemish-designed buildings created a neighborhood grotto around a lake and gave the young Queen a place to escape the glamor and glitz of Versailles as she entertained her closest friends in private.

The entire space was designed to look like a stage.

Marie Antoinette's Maison

The largest building of the Hamlet was, of course, the Queen's House, called Maison de la Reine. Designed like a stage that connected Antoinette's bedroom, boudoir, dining room, salon and billiards room, its construction was meant to be temporary.

The house was restored in 2018, and it is filled with pieces from Empress Marie-Louise's estate, as Antoinette's furnishings were destroyed and scattered during the French Revolution.

Yellow Salon

The largest salon in Marie-Antoinette's house was airy and sunny with walls hung in yellow silk.

This first-floor room welcomed only the closest of her friends.

The Boudoir

This intimate room featured wood floors, white marble and mirrors and was used by Marie-Antoinette for just a few guests.

Its name says it all.

The Guard House and Dovecote

The Dovecote was not only home to doves but hens, roosters and chicken that Marie-Antoinette chose herself.

Each building in the hamlet had a vegetable garden. The hamlet's agricultural buildings were actually used as such. Workers lived in these buildings, including the head gardener.

This honor went to Jean Bersy, who was also in charge of Marie-Antoinette's safety when she was in the hamlet.

Marlborough Tower and Working Dairy

The tower of the hamlet is a part of the fisherman's cottage and was used to store fishing equipment.

The dairy supplied the rich butter and creams Marie-Antoinette so famously loved to enjoy.

The Windmill

The windmill, however, wasn't actually a mill.

It was painted in trompe-l'oeil to look like a deteriorating French countryside building.

The Gardens of Versailles are considered to be the most beautiful in the world — so much so that other royal families have attempted to recreate their own versions of these grand gardens.

Designed by landscape architect Andre Le Notre, there are more than 350,000 trees throughout the 2,000 acres that feature a Grand Canal and an Orangerie.

The gardens are most famous for their fountains, of which there are 50 with various themes. Fifteen groves, like the one pictured here, were created as small gardens with fountains surrounded by walls of trees and greens to hide them away.

From outside the palace, follow the Water Walk that leads to the famous Neptune Fountain, constructed in 1682, and reach the Dragon Fountain, which tells the story of Apollo and has water jets that make this fountain the tallest of them all.

Long before refrigerators and freezers, to keep ice meant creating large buildings with thick stone walls. 

The first ice stores at Versailles were added during Louis XIV's reign.

1-Hour Guided Virtual Reality Tour of the Palace of Versailles

• Virtual Tour
• 78000 Versailles, France This is a Virtual tour so you will meet your guide from the comfort of your home.
• Wheelchair accessible
• Stroller accessible
• Service animals allowed
• Transportation is wheelchair accessible
• Surfaces are wheelchair accessible
• Confirmation will be received at time of booking
• Most travelers can participate
• This tour/activity will have a maximum of 25 travelers
• All sales are final and incur 100% cancellation penalties.

• O9219IHadriane 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles Highly recommended Excellent guiding services. The guide was so helpful and friendly. He introduced the history of the tower and showed some videos and photos to us by using tablet. Read more Written April 12, 2024
• 778adriany 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles Eiffel Tower Tour Experience in Paris I think the tour of the Eiffel Tower in Paris was excellent. The tour guide told us a lot about the Eiffel Tower (For example, the ugly side and the beautiful side of the Eiffel Tower and about Eiffel Tower’s history). Read more Written April 12, 2024
• audbertoo 0 contributions 4.0 of 5 bubbles The tour to the Palace Good, the guide , the bus, the tour is good. The Palace was under a lot of maintenance, so was less authentic. There a additional tour for the gardens, didn’t know until arrival. Read more Written April 12, 2024
• reahv2024 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles Interactive Tour with Great Insight - Thank you Rhoda! Rhoda was incredible as a guide - I was consistently looking at paintings differently with her guidance, and she was interactive and funny. She gave us a fantastic overview of the Louvre and I am grateful for her tour. Read more Written April 12, 2024
• Ana Caroline M 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles Wonderful tour The tour was fantastic. Almost 3 hours going to the highlights of Louvre such as French part, Louis XIV, italian sculptures, little of Egypt and Greece as well. The guide Rouda was awesome! Read more Written April 12, 2024
• staceyaB8337SN 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles Great time for the family with a great guide My 16 year old son after we took the Versailles tour with Ahmed: "mom if Ahmed was my history teacher I would pay attention in class." I can't think of higher praise Read more Written April 11, 2024
• saphr0nj 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles The most amazing experience! We had the best time. The river cruise was beautiful aswell as the Eiffel Tower. Our tour guy Hasham was amazing! Very friendly, caring and funny. We 100% recommend and would definitely book again. Read more Written April 10, 2024
• Chris K 0 contributions 1.0 of 5 bubbles Extremely Dissapointed in Highly Disorganized Trip Overall, our experience was terrible and not at all what we expected. The tour was terribly disorganized, was late getting to the palace, almost left people behind, and gave us barely any time at the palace to use the bathroom. The only good thing was our tour guide, who was knowledgeable. First off, the day we went had torrential cold rain with the meeting point outside a train station in the open. Once we arrived, we learned that we were not going by train anymore but instead by chartered bus despite the instructions given to us and the website saying we would go by train. 5 of the tour guides at the site even admitted the instructions were not clear. Unfortunately, the bus was more than 30 minutes late, forcing us to wait in the cold rain until it showed up. The tour guides blamed it on traffic, but making us wait outside when there was a covered train station nearby was extremely shortsighted. Funny enough, two other people on the tour time right before us tried to do this but missed their tour pickup even though the tour guides knew they were over there. Unfortunately, the problems continued. Once arriving at the palace, we quickly disembarked, received our tickets, and received our media guides. Since we were very late to the palace, we missed our timeslot forcing us to wait in the group lines for another 20 or 30 minutes. Once we got into the palace, we were given 5 minutes to use the crowded bathrooms with lines before starting the tour. For the next hour or so, we went through several rooms, which was the best part of the experience. Our guide was knowledgeable and was good at keeping us together in a crowded palace. Unfortunately, after the hall of mirrors, we skipped over some rooms so we could spend 5 minutes in the courtyard before being ushered to the gardens. We were told we only had a half hour to get into the gardens and maybe have some time to see the gift shop. We were also told we could wait on the bus if we didn't want to go to the gardens. My girlfriend I took a look at the long line to get into the gardens and decided to go to the gift shop instead, use the bathroom, and then go to the bus. To our surprise, when we got to the bus parking lot about 10 minutes before we were to leave, the bus wasn't there. We found another tour guide in our group (there were 3) who were trying to contact the bus to no success. Then, out of the blue, the bus came speeding into the parking lot to swerve around to the pickup spot. We boarded the bus and began waiting for more members of our group to board. Around our leaving time, we began to pull away with not everyone on the bus. Several people on the bus started yelling and banging on the windows to stop the bus as there were people from our group running towards the bus, including one of the tour guides. Once we were all on, the last tour guide blamed the late boarding on trying to find everyone from our tour. However, this wouldn't have been a problem if they figured out ahead of time who was staying and who was returning with the bus. After pulling away, we stopped somewhere in the nearby town alongside the side of the road. After about 20 minutes, it turned out they were looking for a missing media guide, which my girlfriend and I thought was really because they thought they lost a group member. Luckily, someone in the bus had it, returned it, and we finally drove back to Paris. Honestly, this was the worst, most unprofessional trip we have ever been on. Due to the disorganization, they ruined our experience and potentially put people in dangerous situations. While the weather made things worse, a tour team should be able to work around it and not let it ruin the trip. Read more Written April 10, 2024
• richs403 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles Awesome tour. Great tour. Our guide, Anna, was awesome. She spoke so clearly and was easy to understand. She was so knowledgeable. She made the tour outstanding. Read more Written April 10, 2024
• contrib12 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles Amazing detailed tour Amazing tour with Nev! She described all the sights like no one else and was a very kind, and amazing overall tour guide! Would definitely use Nev again and will be recommending this tour to friends and family visiting Versailles! Read more Written April 9, 2024
• A8504DBjasona 0 contributions 2.0 of 5 bubbles Bewildering Experience with The Tour Guy - Not As Advertised My trip to Versailles with The Tour Guy was a letdown. Despite Versailles itself being impressive, even with the gardens torn up for the Olympics, the tour didn’t live up to what was promised. The itinerary on their website is simply inaccurate. It promised a train ride; we got a crowded bus ride with other groups. It said we’d have an hour and a half inside the apartments, but between waiting in line to get in and bathroom breaks, we barely had an hour. The legendary gardens? We got a five-minute talk, tickets, and were left on our own. And the flexible return to Paris with an included ticket turned out to be a fixed bus time back, with the option to buy your own train ticket and figure out your own way back if you wanted to stay longer. It seems I wasn’t the only one upset by the misleading information. Others in my group felt the same. When I tried to talk to the guide about it after the tour, they just brushed me off to contact the company. Don’t be fooled by the detailed itinerary The Tour Guy advertises. It’s not what you actually get. Was the tour ok? Sure. But, there are plenty of other tours out there that likely deliver what they promise. Save yourself the disappointment and go with someone else. Read more Written April 8, 2024
• Charlottenc123 0 contributions 2.0 of 5 bubbles Needs way better communication The tour guide was nice. She was hard to follow and the audio was spotty. She didn't have a flag or company outfit on, so she was hard to find and follow. We walked through the Louvre very quickly and only spent about an hour inside. Then we walked to the Eiffel Tower only to find out right then that our Tower tickets were not until 8pm, leaving no time for the cruise portion. After a week of back and forth, we were offered only a $ 32.00 refund since we could not use the cruise tickets. I would not take this tour. Read more Written April 8, 2024
• 354kirstynh 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles Amehd was fantastic! Amehd was great! Very informative and engaging. Would highly recommend to anyone wanting to visit. Skip the line guided tour is the way to go! Read more Written April 7, 2024
• Kathy E 0 contributions 2.0 of 5 bubbles Very Disappointing The tour description needs to be revised. Our ticket included the gardens, which are currently totally ripped up, so there is absolutely nothing to see. None of the fountains are currently working. Also, the king's chamber is closed for renovations, so you can't see any of that. Again, the tour description needs to be updated with this info. and the prices need to be lowered since you only see half of what you paid for. Our tour guide did a good job. Read more Written April 5, 2024
• Amy O 0 contributions 5.0 of 5 bubbles Perfect Tour for Our Family! This was the perfect tour for our family and a great value! We have 9 and 11 year olds and were only in town for a few days. This tour helped us see so many of the key attractions, including the Eiffel Tower, Louvre, Notre Dame and Montmart in an easy way. Our guide was so nice and knowledgeable, and we all learned so much. We all had earpieces, so we could hear the guide even if we were farther away. And she continued to tell us about things, even while walking, so we had ongoing commentary. The tour was also a great pace for us. We spent about 1.5 to 2 hours in the Louvre, which was the ideal amount of time for our kids before they lost interest. The guide showed us and told us about some of the key pieces of art - and we got to skip the huge line! Also, we got to get up the Eiffel Tower with a shorter wait with timed entry. The boat trip tickets were for any time after the tour, so we ended up using ours a couple days after, so nice to have that flexibility. (We did notice the line for the cruise was a lot longer in the evening, so we had to wait an hour or so, but the line didn’t seem long at all immediately after the tour if we had gone then.) All in all, we thoroughly enjoyed and highly recommend! Read more Written April 4, 2024

More to explore in Versailles

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

1-Hour Guided Virtual Reality Tour of the Palace of Versailles provided by The Tour Guy

Tour of The King's Chamber

Virtual tour of the king's chamber at the palace of versailles in 360°.

By Palace of Versailles

These were the bed chambers of Louis XIV from 1701, and where the King's getting-up and going-to-bed ceremonies took place. At 8.30am, the First Valet would say “Sire, it is time to get up”. Then, the King was washed, combed, shaved and dressed before breakfast.

At around 1pm, he would dine at his Private Table; a small square table with gold cutlery, facing the windows. At 11pm, the King went to bed following the same ceremony as for getting up, but in reverse.

Bed from the King’s Chamber

The bed on display in the King’s Chamber, which has been there since 1701, is a reproduction of the summer furnishings in use between 1723 and 1785, commissioned by Louis XV when he returned to live in the Palace.

"Louis XIV” clock Palace of Versailles

"Louis XIV” clock

The base contains the barometer, accompanying a rich ornamentation in gilded bronze, in particular the mascaron decoration and the feet in spiral spindles. This design by Boulle met with great success and was copied by various clockmakers.

Bust of Louis XIV, Coysevox Palace of Versailles

The sovereign is depicted as a warlord and is wearing armour onto which fall the locks of his wig, a veritable exercise in virtuosity. The haughty bearing of the head and the distant stare give this official portrait its great strength.

Sciences at Versailles part 1: science & power

Palace of versailles, sciences at versailles part 2: astronomy, queen of sciences, sciences at versailles part 3: discovering new worlds, geography, sciences at versailles part 4: cascade creation, water engineering, sciences at versailles part 5: botany & zoology, a taste for exoticism, sciences at versailles part 6: fit for a king, medicine and surgery, sciences at versailles part 7 : the science show, physics and chemistry, sciences at versailles part 8: mechanics, automatons and hot-air balloons, louis xiv / nicolas fouquet: a certain history of taste, palace of versailles - the château of vaux le vicomte, a place at the royal table.

The Palace of Versailles or Château de Versailles, which has been on UNESCO's World Heritage List for 30 years, is one of the most beautiful achievements of 18th-century French art. One of the best known tourist attractions in France, few places better showcase the opulence and grandeur of the French monarchy better than the Palace of Versailles. The site began as Louis XIII's hunting lodge before his son Louis XIV transformed and expanded it, moving the court and government of France to Versailles in 1682. Each of the three French kings who lived there until the French Revolution added improvements to make it more beautiful. The Hall of Mirrors, the King's Grand Apartments, the Museum of the History of France. The Château de Versailles, the seat of power until 1789, has continued to unfurl its splendour over the course of centuries. At first it was just a humble hunting lodge built by Louis XIII. But Louis XIV chose the site to build the palace we know today, the symbol of royal absolutism and embodiment of classical French art.

Currently 12 panoramas in this collection

The Hall of Mirrors (La Grande Galerie) #1

The Hall of Mirrors (French:Grande Galerie or Galerie des Glaces) is the central gallery of the Palace of Versailles and is renowned as being one of the most famous rooms in the world. The principal feature of this famous hall is the seventeen mirror-clad arches that reflect the seventeen arcaded windows that overlook the gardens. Each arch contains twenty-one mirrors with a total complement of 357 used in the decoration of the galerie des glaces.

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The Hall of Mirrors (La Grande Galerie) #2

The Hercules Salon

The first salon of the King's Grand Apartment, the Hercules salon was created at the end of Louis XIV's reign. The works on the Hercules salon lasted until 1736, when Francois Lemoine completed the painting of the vault depicting the Apotheosis of Hercules, which was supposed to show that "Virtue raises man above himself". This vast allegorical composition with 142 figures aimed to rival the masterpieces of the Italian fresco painters but it was painted on primed canvases, i.e. glued onto the support. The work was so exhausting that the young painter, despite the success of his work, committed suicide shortly afterwards.

The Coronation Room

This large space adjoining the royal apartments first served as the palace's second chapel (1672-1682), and then the Great Guard's Room "for both the King and the Queen" (1682-1789). In 1833, it became a room devoted to the glory of Napoleon Bonaparte, First Consul and then Emperor of the French. The plan was to display the greatest paintings of his reign, which could not be placed anywhere else in the palace: the two immense paintings commissioned from Jacques-Louis David to commemorate the ceremonies celebrating Napoleon's crowning as Emperor of the French: The Coronation of 2 December 1804 (1805-1808), and The Distribution of the Eagle Standards on 5 December 1804 (1808-1810). The Palace of Versailles.

2011-03-13 Show on map

The War Salon (Salon de la Guerre)

The decoration of the War Room (Salon de la Guerre) glorifies the military victories that led to the Peace of Nijmegen. The walls are covered with marble panels decorated with six trophies and gilded bronze carvings. The wall has an oval plasterwork bas-relief representing Louis XIV on horseback trampling over his enemies. It is surmounted by two gilded Renomm�es supported by two prisoners in chains. The ceiling represents France in the centre, armed and sitting on a cloud, surrounded by Victories. The ceiling panels portray the king�s three conquered enemies: Germany, kneeling, with an eagle; Spain, threatening, with a ro#229 lion and Holland, upside down on a lion. The fourth panel represents Bellone, Goddess of war, enraged between Rebellion and Discord.

The Peace Salon (Salon de la Paix)

The Peace Room (Salon de la Paix) features the same decoration of marble panel and trophies of gilded bronze and carved weapons as in the War Room, to which is symmetrical. However, Le Brun decorated the cupola and the ceiling panels with the benefits of the peace given to Europe by France.

The 1830 Room

The 1830 Room was the finishing touch on Louis-Philippe's galleries at Versailles when it was inaugurated in June 1837. The decor commemorates the accession to power of Louis-Philippe, Duc d'Orléans, following the July 1830 Revolution, the "Three Glorious Days": first as lieutenant-general of the kingdom and, a few days later, as king "elected" by the French under the name Louis-Philippe I. The Duc d'Orléans Arriving at the Hôtel de Ville in Paris" and "The Reading of the Proclamation of Deputies and the Proclamation of the Lieutenant-General of the Kingdom", "Louis-Philippe Taking the Oath before the Chambers to Uphold the Charter of 1830" and "The Flags of the National Guard Being Given to Paris" hang beneath the ceiling depicting "Truth Accompanying Justice and Wisdom, Protecting France from Hypocrisy, Fanaticism and Discord".

The Hall of Battles

The Galerie des Batailles (Gallery of Battles) is a 120 metre long and 13 metre wide gallery occupying the first floor of the aile du midi of the Palace of Versailles, joining onto the grand and petit 'appartements de la reine'. It is an epigone of the Grande galerie of the Louvre and was intended to glorify French military history from the Battle of Tolbiac (traditionally dated 495) to the Battle of Wagram (5–6 July 1809).

The Abundance Salon

On evening soirees, the Abundance Salon was the place of refreshments, where a buffet served coffee, wine and liqueurs. It was also the antechamber of the Cabinet of Curiosities or the Rarities of Louis XIV (now occupied by the Games Salon of Louis XVI) which was accessed by the rear door. The king liked to show his distinguished guests the silverware vases, gems and medals which were kept here and which inspired the decor of the vault, where one can see in particular the great royal vessel depicted above the doorway.

The Diana Salon

Like the Venus Salon, the Diana Salon served as a vestibule to the Grand Apartment and in Louis XIV's day, on evening soirees, as a billiard room. In Greek Antiquity, Diana, the goddess of hunting, was associated with the moon due to her coldness. She was also the sister of Apollo, the Sun God. The mouldings are decorated with hunting scenes of heroes of the Antiquity. The central part of the ceiling represents Diana presiding over navigation and hunting. On the mantelpiece, the Sacrifice of Iphigenia and, opposite, over the console, Diana and Endymion.

The Mars Salon

Mars is a planet but also the God of War. The choice of this military theme which inspired all the decoration of the salon can be explained by the fact that this large room was originally meant to serve as the guard room for the parade apartment. It was later reserved, at evening soirees, for music and dancing, so that it was commonly known as the "ballroom". In the centre of the ceiling, Mars on a chariot drawn by wolves. The work is framed by two compositions; one, to the east: Victory supported by Hercules followed by Abundance and Felicity; the other, to the west: Terror, Fury and Fright taking over the powers of Earth.

The Venus Salon

This salon, as well as Diana�s Salon, formed the main access to the Grand Apartment, since the grand staircase, known as the "Ambassadors� Staircase" (destroyed in 1752) ended here. Like all the following rooms, this salon takes its name from a planet, the theme linked to the solar myth which inspired all the decor of Versailles in the 1670s. Here Venus is depicted on the ceiling with the features of the Goddess of Love who, in Greek Antiquity, was associated with this planet.

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interactive map of the palace of versailles

Where are the entrances? Where can I buy tickets? Where is the Hall of Mirrors? How do I get to Marie-Antoinette’s Estate? Where are the toilets? etc.

This interactive map will accompany you throughout your visit to the Palace and the Estate . With over 500 points of interest, " Bienvenue" also lets you explore the estate at your own pace and increase your knowledge of Versailles.

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The Estate of Versailles is vast. Use this map to locate the services and the main places. Here are also our recommendations for coming by train, car, etc.

The gardens are open every day from 8 am to 8.30 pm during the high season (April to October) and from 8 am to 6 pm during the low season (November to March) except for exceptional events and when there are Fountains Night Show (closure at 5.30 pm). Plan for at least 2 hours for your visit.

Please note that from 29 March to 31 October, access to the gardens is subject to a charge from Tuesday to Sunday (days of the Fountains Shows and Musical Gardens). In this case, buy a "Passeport" ticket online (access to the entire estate) or a Grandes Eaux / Jardins musicaux ticket (available at the entrance of the gardens).

See the dates for Fountains shows, Musical Garden and Fountains Night Show.

The Palace of Versailles

The Palace is open every day, except Mondays, from 9 am to 6.30 pm during the high season (April to October) and from 9 am to 5.30 pm during the low season (November to March). Last admission 30 minutes before closing.

Plan for at least 1½ hours for your visit. Due to the large number of visitors, it is important to buy your ticket online, as only an online reservation guarantees you access to the Palace.

The Park is open free of charge every day from 7 am to 8.30 pm during the high season (April to October). Last admission: 5.50 pm for vehicles and 8.00 pm for pedestrians. The Park is open free of charge every day from 8 am to 6 pm during the low season (November to March). Last admission: 5.30 pm.

It is the perfect place for a walk, renting a boat on the Grand Canal, going for a bike ride, etc.

Warning: only the Queen's Gate gives access to the estate park by car.

Trianon Palaces and Marie-Antoinette’s Estate

This estate includes the Petit Trianon, the Grand Trianon and the Queen's Hamlet. During the high season (April to October), the Trianon Palaces are open every day except Mondays from 12 pm to 6.30 pm. The Palaces are open from 12 pm to 5.30 pm during the low season (November to March). The visit will take at least 3 hours.