How did they pump water in Versailles?

Fourteen hydraulic wheels—each 33 feet in diameter—worked with 251 suction and treading pumps to push water uphill along a set of pipes and two other pumping stations to the Tour de Levant, the first of two towers anchoring the Louveciennes Aqueduct on each end.



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There are several toilets and free changing tables for babies at your disposal all over the Estate. In the Palace, there are toilets and changing tables before the ticket checks in the South Ministers' Wing and after the ticket checks in the basement of the Dufour Pavilion (Entrance A).

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But where did they stay? Most apartments consisted of a bedchamber, a cabinet and perhaps a wardrobe. The lucky ones could add a few antechambers or had rather large rooms. In this context, the servants' quarters were in the wardrobe.

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Access to the Palace and the estate of Trianon is free for visitors under 18 (or under 26 residing in the EU).

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Water displays of the Musical Fountains Show on Tuesdays and some public holidays (Friday April 7th, Monday April 10th, Monday May 8th, Monday May 29th and Friday July 14th 2023) : from 10am to 6.45pm*, 5 minutes every 15 minutes.

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Rooms with toilets, cesspools, and drainage systems only started to become common in the 19th century. At the Palace of Versailles, people would conduct their business in the corridors or in the gardens. In 1715, it was decreed that once a week the feces would be collected from the corridors.

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At its peak, there were 2,400 fountains in use at Versailles, including the fabulously complicated Machine de Marly that pumped water from the Seine. Today there are only fifty fountains still functioning and the mile-long Grand Canal supplies the never-ending supply of water required.

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Take a Peek Inside. We're guessing Marie Antoinette's TripAdvisor review of the Château de Versailles would have been decidedly mixed (Pastry chef: okay; security against angry mobs: subpar; verdict: two stars).

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Visit during the week One of the top ten most visited sites in France, the Château de Versailles gets its biggest crowds on the weekends and Tuesday mornings (it is closed on Mondays). So aim to visit between Wednesday and Friday. The result? Less waiting and a smoother visit around the palace.

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Within half a day, you will have the opportunity of discovering all the richness of the castle, visiting the Hall of Mirrors and the royal apartments inside, but also the famous French style gardens. We propose two visits each day, departure from Paris center. The ideal formula to discover Versailles in half a day !

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Palace of Versailles wedding cost will exceed 100 000 euro with optimal budgets starting at 200 000 euro. The venue rent itself varies from 18 000 euro for the Crusades Rooms to 70 000 euro for the Gallery of Battles or Orangerie.

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The Gallery of Coaches, located in the Great Stables of the Palace of Versailles, is open from 12.30pm to 5.30pm (in Low Season) or from 12.30pm to 6.30pm (in High Season). Admission is free and no ticket is required. The gardens are also free, except on Musical Fountains Show and Musical Gardens days.

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To tour the inside of the palace thoroughly, it takes around 2-3 hours. Allow longer if you want to explore the gardens.

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The Palace of Versailles is currently owned by the French state. Its formal title is the Public Establishment of the Palace, Museum and National Estate of Versailles. Since 1995, it has been run as a Public Establishment, with an independent administration and management supervised by the French Ministry of Culture.

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