Taking A Tour From Paris

Reaching Versailles From Paris - By Metro

Reaching Versailles From Paris - By Train

Reaching Versailles From Paris - By Bus

Reaching Versailles From Paris - By Car

Taking A Tour From Paris

The major tourbus operators (Cityrama, ParisVision) run day trips/tours out to Versailles.

Reaching Versailles From Paris

By Metro

Does the Paris Metro go to Versailles ?

No, it doesn't. Sorry. Take the bus, the train or drive.

Reaching Versailles From Paris

By Train

Various trains come out to Versailles. In general, trains run between approximately 05h30 to 23h30. There are far fewer trains on Sundays and holidays.

From Paris, the C line of the RER, direction Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, is nice. There are frequent trains. The stations are: Invalides, Pont de l'Alma, Champ de Mars/Tour Eiffel, Javel, Bd Victor, Issy/Val de Seine, Issy, Meudon-Val Fleury, Chaville/Vélizy, Viroflay-RG.

Make sure you are on the train which goes to Versailles-RG (that's Versailles Rive Gauche, i.e., Left Bank). It's about a seven-minute brisk walk from the station to the Chateau.

The SNCF (French National Railways) trains also come out to Versailles:

The train from the Paris Gare Montparnasse goes to the Gare de Versailles-Chantiers (then you walk about a half an hour to reach the Chateau.

The train from the Paris Gare Saint-Lazare goes to the Gare de Versailles-Rive Droite. From there it's a fifteen-minute or so walk to the Chateau.

Reaching Versailles from Paris

By Bus

Take the Paris Metro to the "Pont de Sevres" station. From there take the 171 bus (only that number, 171 !) to the end of the line, which is the Chateau de Versailles. You need to hand over several metro tickets per person for the trip. Try to avoid rush hour (from 17h00, say, to 19h00) so that you can sit. The buses go from about 05h30 to 23h30 or so. Sunday is a bad day because the buses are infrequent. A lot of people go to Versailles if the weather is nice.

Reaching Versailles from Paris

By Car

Unless you are used to Paris traffic, we recommend that you NOT drive to Versailles during the rush hour.

The easiest way to drive to Versailles is to drive to the Pont de Sevres and take the National 10 highway directly. Go to the Pont de Sevres at the edge of Paris and exit Paris. After you cross the Seine river bear right and go downhill slightly. You'll follow the (sometimes hilly) road through the towns of Sevres, Chaville and Viroflay before reaching Versailles. Just take your time, stay on the main road (it is really hard not to) and you'll eventually jog to the right and enter a wide, treelined boulevard. That's the Avenue de Paris. Just keep going and you'll see the Chateau de Versailles in front of you.

You can reach Versailles from Paris on the freeway/motorway.

Drive to the Pont de Sevres, on the edge of Paris. After you cross the bridge going out of Paris, bear left and go up the (very) steep hill. You'll be on the freeway after the bridge. Follow the signs to Versailles. Exit the freeway at the first opportunity (Versailles-Ouest) and go straight. Keep going straight about two kilometers (you'll be on the rue des Chantiers, which changes name to the rue des Etats-Generaux). Just stay on the same thoroughfare - don't turn left or right. When you can't go any further, turn left and lo ! you'll see the Chateau in front of you.

You can also drive to the Pont de Saint-Cloud, on the edge of Paris. From there follow the blue signs to go onto the "Autoroute de l'Ouest" or "A13". The direction you want is "Versailles" and "Rouen" (the signs differ). You'll go through a tunnel (close your windows if it is stop-and-go traffic) and then will be on a major freeway. Stay on the freeway until the very first exit (that's "Versailles-Ouest"). Take that exit and turn left at the top (of the ramp). Stay on the main thoroughfare. You'll pass a golf course and riding stable complex, then go down a relatively steep hill. Just keep going on the main thoroughfare, which eventually jogs about 30 degrees to the right. You'll eventually find yourself in front of the Chateau de Versailles.

There is a pay parking area in front of the Chateau. You'll also find underground and aboveground parking areas scattered around the town. There is also on-street metered pay parking.

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http://www.versailles-france.com/tfaqa001.htm
Last Updated : 15 June 2003