FRANCE - Best of Europe 2014 - page 406

Hours: The Château is open April-Oct Tue-Sun 9:00-18:30, Nov-March Tue-Sun
9:00-17:30; closed Mon year-round.
The Trianon Palaces and Domaine de Marie-Antoinette are open April-Oct Tue-
Sun12:00-18:30,Nov-MarchTue-Sun12:00-17:30;closedMonyear-round(off-season
only the two Trianon Palaces are open, not the Hamlet or other outlying buildings).
The Gardens are open April-Oct daily 9:00-20:30, but may close earlier for special
events; Nov-March Tue-Sun 8:00-18:00, closed Mon.
Last entry to all areas is 30 minutes before closing.
Crowd-Beating Strategies: Versailles can be packed May-Sept 10:00-13:00. Avoid Tues-
days and Sundays, when the place is jammed with a slow shuffle of tourists from open
to close. Ticket and security lines can be long: To skip the ticket-buying line, use a Paris
Museum Pass or Le Passeport, buy tickets in advance, or book a guided tour (below).
Everyone—including holders of advance tickets and passes—must go through security
(longest lines 10:00-12:00). Before queuing up at the security entrance, check for signs
that they might have opened up a special, shorter line for passholders (but don't count
on it).
Pickpockets: Assume pickpockets are working the tourist crowds.
Information: Before you go, check the excellent website for updates and special
events— www.chateauversailles.fr . The palace's general contact number is tel. 01 30 83
78 00. Versailles has two information offices. You'll pass the city TI on your walk from
the RER station to the palace—it's just past the Pullman Hôtel (daily 9:00-19:00, tel. 01
39 24 88 88). The information office at the Château is on the left side of the courtyard
as you face the Château (WCs, toll tel. [phone]). Pick up the free, useful map just
inside the Château.
Guided Tours: The 1.5-hour English guided tour gives you access to a few extra rooms
(the lineup varies) and lets you skip ticket-buying lines if you came sans pass. Ignore
the tours hawked as you leave the train station. Book at the guided-tours office in the
Château courtyard—it's to your right as you approach the palace (look for Visites Con-
ferences signs). You can book a tour online on the palace's website or reserve immedi-
atelyuponarrival—tours canselloutby13:00(€16includespalaceentry—just€1more
than entry alone, €7 if you have pass, tours run about hourly from 9:00-15:00).
Audioguide Tours: A free audioguide to the Château is included in your admission (pick
up just inside the palace, return as you leave).
You can download a free Rick Steves audio tour of Versailles; see here . Other
podcasts and digital tours are available in the “multimedia” section at
www.chateauversailles.fr .