Sure, there's art here – and great art, too – but where the Louvre focuses almost exclusively on its collection, the Palace of Versailles provides a more rounded experience thanks to its lavish halls and splendid gardens.
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The Louvre is the larger building (72 135 square meters vs. 63 154). But the grounds of Versailles are enormous, much larger than those of the Louvre, and the total park covers 1070 hectares.
Only tickets purchased online guarantee access to the museum. If you are a regular visitor, you can become a member of the Amis du Louvre and skip the queues by entering the museum via the Richelieu entrance.
From April to October, access to the Gardens is charged from Tuesday to Sunday (days of the Fountains shows and Musical Gardens). To make the most of your visit at Versailles, plan to spend a full day in the estate. Read our advices to better organize your visit.
You can skip the line for the audio guide at the palace by downloading the free app that houses all of the Versailles related audio guides in 11 different languages. To tour the inside of the palace thoroughly, it takes around 2-3 hours. Allow longer if you want to explore the gardens.
Which places are free for everyone? 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.
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 !
The Louvre palace is huge, with over 400 rooms and 35,000 artworks! It's impossible to see everything in one day. If you only have an hour or two, we recommend visiting the Denon wing, which houses some of the most famous masterpieces (Mona Lisa, the Winged Victory of Samothrace, The Raft of the Medusa, and more).
We suggest arriving right at opening time—if not a little before. If you did not pre-purchase Versailles admissions or a tour, avoid touring the palace in the late morning and afternoon, when crowds are at their peak.
While the Palace of Versailles is open to the public, it is still a Royal Palace and visitors are expected to dress accordingly. This means no sandals, shorts, sleeveless shirts, or hats.
Water displays of the Musical Fountains Showon 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.
Plan on two to three hours for the château, one hour for the gardens, and another two hours if you want to include the Domaine de Marie-Antoinette in your visit. Add two hours to cover your round-trip transit time, and it's a five- to ten-hour day trip from Paris. His times seem reasonable.
Although there is no formal dress code for visiting the Louvre, most people choose to step up their outfits. You want to hit the right balance between comfortable and chic while capturing that classic French elegance. Think tailored trousers, chic dresses, and well-fitting jeans.