The Versailles Palace tour is a must-do day trip for anybody visiting Paris due to its dramatic history and spectacular features. But which famous artworks or tourist attractions should you visit while you're there?
This page includes a list of the top 5 Versailles attractions to see:
The Gardens of Versailles
A Versailles tour wouldn't be complete without visiting the Versailles Gardens. The early garden required thousands of workers, even entire regiments, and took 40 years to build because of its size. It needs to be replanted every 100 years to keep everything looking new. You can get a taste of what it was like by going now since it last occurred in the early 2000s.
The Gallery of Battle
The Gallery of Battles is one of the palace's most stunning galleries. Louis-Philippe, I erected this gallery to celebrate French military might with a collection of paintings that line every wall and depict historical events. These paintings are quite astounding when you consider their size and sense of patriotism. This is a great place to admire the skill of magnificent pieces of art celebrating French heritage.
A place of arms and the Gate of Honor
Fortunately for you, you really can't miss this portion if you're taking the Versailles tour. Place d'Armes is the name of the vast, funnel-shaped courtyard in front of the palace. Avenue de Paris, Avenue de Sceaux, and Avenue de Saint-Cloud all intersect here. The Palace does not include the gates. Those were destroyed during the French Revolution and reconstructed as part of a major project in 2008.
Empire Rooms
These halls were also built by Napoleon's contemporaries Louis-Philippe to garner the support of Bonapartists and former emperors. He gathered many of the largest paintings that Napoleon had ordered and placed them in the south wing of the palace, where they may still be seen today beneath the Gallery of Battles.
The Grand Trianon
At Versailles, excess had no bounds, and the Grand Trianon was no exception. One example of this was the floral display. The grounds are surrounded by expansive flowerbeds and terraces that could each hold thousands of blossoms in separate flower pots.
If you're taking the Versailles Museum tour, be sure to stop by these 5 locations, which make the Versailles tour well worth the money! Book your tickets online well in advance to beat the rush. Travel carefully!
