The Palace of Versailles is the supreme statement of French royal power — its Hall of Mirrors, State Apartments, and 800-hectare gardens the most visited and most imitated royal complex in the world.
What to see
- The Hall of Mirrors — 357 mirrors facing 17 garden-facing windows, running the full length of the central palace; the Treaty of Versailles was signed here in 1919
- The State Apartments of the King and Queen — the sequence of gilded rooms leading to Marie-Antoinette's bedroom
- The Grand Trianon and Petit Trianon — the two smaller palaces on the estate grounds
- Marie-Antoinette's Hamlet — a pastoral village retreat built for the queen on the edge of the estate
What to do
- Book timed-entry tickets well in advance — the palace receives over 10 million visitors a year and queues without pre-booking are severe
- On weekends from April to October, the Grandes Eaux Musicales bring the fountains to life with baroque music
Take note
- Pre-book tickets at the official palace website before your visit