A Palace of Versailles tour comes down to three choices: whether you start in Versailles or in Paris, whether the guide takes you inside the palace or only outside, and how much you want to pay for that. I compared five guided tours, from $78 to $318, and this page sets them side by side with the meeting point, languages, route and what reviewers say. If you only want the entry, my page on tickets for the Palace of Versailles lists every option.
What a Palace of Versailles Tour Adds Over a Plain Ticket
The palace is built to be walked by thousands of people through a fixed route, and a guide tells you what you are looking at in each room. The main tour listing names the King’s and Queen’s State Apartments and the Hall of Mirrors, where the Treaty of Versailles was signed, and promises storytelling about Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette. A plain ticket gives you the same rooms and no explanation.
A guide also takes care of the entrance. The official site, chateauversailles.fr, says every visitor must book a Palace time slot, so every Palace of Versailles tour starts from the same limited slots as an individual ticket. What the tour adds is a set meeting point, so that you do not queue in the wrong place.
Palace of Versailles Tour Starting in Versailles
The tour I would start with is the skip-the-line guided tour from GetYourGuide France at $78. It takes 1.5 to 2 hours, with 90 minutes of guiding inside the palace, and it has the most reviews of any Versailles tour here, 2,621 at 4.7. You check in at the GetYourGuide shop at 10 Avenue du Général de Gaulle, not at the palace, and the guide hands you your tickets there. Seven languages are offered, from English and French to Japanese and Portuguese. Transfers from Paris are not included.
The gardens are included from November to March with every option, and from April to October the garden access with the musical fountain shows and Marie Antoinette’s Estate come with the All Access option only. After the guide leaves you, you can stay in the palace on your own. Cancellation is free up to 24 hours ahead.
GetYourGuide France
Palace of Versailles Skip-the-Line Guided Tour
★4.7 (2,621 reviews)
1.5 - 2 hours
Free cancellation
My pick: My pick for a first visit: $78, 4.7 from 2,621 reviews, seven languages and a guide who stays for 90 minutes.
What you get, where you meet, what reviewers say
Included
✓ Skip-the-line entrance to the Palace of Versailles
✓ 90-minute guided tour of the palace
✓ November to March: Gardens access included with all options
✓ November to March: Marie Antoinette’s Estate access (included with "All Access" option only)
✓ April to October: Garden access with Musical fountain shows and Marie Antoinette’s Estate (included with "All Access" option only)
Not included / not suitable
✕ Transfers to/from Paris
Meeting point: Check in at the GetYourGuide shop (do not go directly to the Palace). Your guide will meet you at the shop and provide your tickets. 10 Av. du Général de Gaulle, 78000 Versailles, France
Languages: Japanese, Italian, German, Portuguese, Spanish, French, English
Duration: 1.5 - 2 hours
Cancellation: Cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund
“Our guide was clear and knowledgeable. Easy to follow.” – GetYourGuide review
Reviewers rarely mention anything but the guides. One called the guide “an excellent story-teller”, and I would pay attention to the line from another: “Having the Vox with an earpiece makes a difference”. That points to a headset system, so you hear the guide in a crowded room.
“Excellent day. Our guide was super funny and made the tour memorable”
— GetYourGuide reviewer
Palace of Versailles Tour From Paris by Coach, Train or Private Car
A Palace of Versailles tour from Paris saves you the train ticket and the search for the meeting point.
Three of these tours collect you in Paris, and they differ mostly in price and in how personal they are.
Extime Travel is the cheapest, at $109 for 4.5 hours, rated 4.0 from 106 reviews. A guide leads you through the Royal Apartments and the Hall of Mirrors, the ticket has priority access, and the price includes the air-conditioned coach from 6 Avenue du Docteur Brouardel in Paris. After the palace there is free time in the gardens, and the Grandes Eaux show is included according to the calendar. English, Spanish and Portuguese are offered. Cancellation is free up to 3 days ahead, which is longer than on the others. One reviewer wrote that “the bus ran late” and that the operator would leave without latecomers, so allow an extra ten minutes for traffic. Another said there was no break for lunch until after the tour, so eat first.
Extime Travel
Palace of Versailles Guided Afternoon Tour from Paris
★4.0 (106 reviews)
4.5 hours
Free cancellation
My pick: The cheapest way to do it from Paris: $109 with the coach, priority entry and free garden time; 4.0 from 106 reviews.
What you get, where you meet, what reviewers say
Included
✓ Guided tour of the Royal Apartments and the Hall of Mirrors
✓ Free tour of the magnificent gardens and the Grandes Eaux show (according to the calendar)
✓ Entrance tickets with priority access
✓ Transportation by air-conditioned coach
Not included / not suitable
✕ Hotel pick-up and drop off
✕ Gratuities
Meeting point: 6 Avenue du Dr Brouardel, 75007 Paris – Meet our Extime Travel ambassador outside the building
In case of problem, contact us on:
1/ WhatsApp +33 6 14 96 42 81
2/ Phone +33 1 44 55 60 00 6 Av. du Dr Brouardel, 75007 Paris, France
Languages: Spanish, Portuguese, English
Duration: 4.5 hours
Cancellation: Cancel up to 3 days in advance for a full refund
“Versailles is beautiful. Tour was very informative and very interesting” – GetYourGuide review
Charming Tours Portugal costs $205 for 3 hours. The price includes a skip-the-line ticket to the palace and gardens, an expert guide, headsets and accompanied train transport from central Paris, and the guide meets you at 1 Rue de la Convention in Paris. It is English only, and it has no reviews yet, so I cannot tell you what the group feels like.
Charming Tours - Portugal
Guided Tour of the Palace of Versailles – Half Day
3 hours
Free cancellation
My pick: A guided half day with the train ride included, $205; English only and no reviews yet.
What you get, where you meet
Included
✓ Guided tour of the Palace and Gardens of Versailles
✓ Skip-the-line entrance ticket to the Palace and Gardens of Versailles
✓ Expert tour guide
✓ Headsets so you can always hear your guide
✓ Accompanied train transport from central Paris
Meeting point: 1 Rue de la Convention, 75015 Paris, França
Languages: English
Duration: 3 hours
Cancellation: Cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund
VENETS is the private option, at $318 for 4 hours. It includes hotel pickup and return in an air-conditioned car with a driver, a private guide, tickets to the Château, a visit to the gardens and a guided tour of the local market, with water and Wi-Fi on board. The languages are French and Russian. With no reviews on the listing, the price is the real test: it is about four times the main tour.
VENETS
Private Guided Tour of the Palace of Versailles, Gardens & Local Market
4 hours
Free cancellation
My pick: Private car, driver and guide, in French or Russian: $318 for 4 hours, no reviews yet.
What you get, where you meet
Included
✓ Hotel round-trip pickup and drop-off
✓ Admission tickets to the Château
✓ Private professional guide throughout the experience
✓ Private transportation by comfortable vehicle with driver
✓ Guided tour of the Palace of Versailles
✓ Exploring the Gardens of Versailles
Not included / not suitable
✕ For tea
✕ Personal souvenirs
Languages: French, Russian
Duration: 4 hours
Cancellation: Cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund
Red Cardinal Voyages sells a 2-hour guided walk through the gardens for $150, in English and Spanish. The group meets at the statue of Louis XIV in the Cour d’Honneur, in front of the main gates. The not-included list is the important part: no entry to the palace, no guided tour inside it, and no transport inside the gardens, since this is a walking tour. You also get a map of recommendations around the town of Versailles. I would only pick this for a second visit to the estate, when the apartments are already behind you.
Red Cardinal Voyages
Guided tour through the Gardens of the Palace of Versailles
2 hours
Free cancellation
My pick: Gardens only, no palace entry: $150 for 2 hours, English and Spanish; a second-visit choice.
What you get, where you meet
Included
✓ Entry tickets to the gardens of the Palace of Versailles
✓ Guided tour through the gardens of the Palace of Versailles
✓ A map of recommendations around the city of Versailles
Not included / not suitable
✕ Entry or visit to the Palace of Versailles
✕ Guided tour inside of the Palace of Versailles
✕ Transportation to Versailles
✕ Food or drinks
Meeting point: In the middle of the Court d'Honneur, just outside of the Palace of Versailles main gates, you see a big statue of Louis XIV riding his horse. The square is now used as a parking lot. See you in front of the statue. R43G+F9 Versalles, Francia
Languages: English, Spanish
Duration: 2 hours
Cancellation: Cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund
Is a guided Palace of Versailles tour worth the premium over a ticket? The two ticket-only options I compared are the Passport at $33 and the reserved entry with an audio guide at $36. Against the $78 guided tour, the guide adds about $42 to $45, and it buys a person who answers questions and a fixed start. The official Passport is 25 euros in the low season, per chateauversailles.fr, and covers the wider estate. If you have read about the palace and want to move at your own pace, the ticket alone is enough, and my Palace of Versailles tickets page explains which one opens which area.
Small Group, Private or Standard Tours
A private Palace of Versailles tour is rare in these listings. Only one of the five is private: VENETS, with a driver and a guide for your party. The other four are shared tours, and none of the listings gives a maximum group size. That means I cannot compare how crowded each one is. The review of the coach tour mentions a bus and a check-in an hour ahead, which suggests a larger group.
How I’d Choose a Palace of Versailles Tour
My shortlist for a Palace of Versailles tour depends on where you start the day.
First visit, already in Versailles: the $78 tour, in any of seven languages.
From Paris on a budget: Extime Travel at $109, with coach transport.
From Paris without a coach: Charming Tours at $205, with the train.
Private, in French or Russian: VENETS at $318.
Gardens only: Red Cardinal at $150, once you have seen the palace.
The guided palace tours I compared include 90 minutes of guiding on the main tour, 1.5 to 2 hours in total. The coach tour from Paris takes 4.5 hours and the private tour with a driver 4 hours. The gardens-only walk is 2 hours. Add time for the security check either way.
Is a Palace of Versailles tour worth it?+
I think so for a first visit. The palace is hard to read without someone explaining it, and the most-reviewed tour, at $78, has 4.7 stars from 2,621 reviews. The ticket-only options cost $33 to $36, so the guide adds about $42 to $45.
Can I do a Versailles tour from Paris?+
Yes, three of the five tours include transport. The Extime Travel half-day tour uses an air-conditioned coach ($109), Charming Tours has an accompanied train ride ($205) and the VENETS private tour sends a driver to your hotel ($318). The $78 tour starts in Versailles, so you pay your own train.
Does a Versailles tour include the gardens?+
It depends on the tour. The $78 tour includes the gardens from November to March, and from April to October its garden access with the musical fountains comes with the All Access option only. Red Cardinal sells a 2-hour gardens walk that excludes the palace. Read the included list for the date you want.
Do I need to book a Versailles tour in advance?+
I would. The official site says every visitor must book a Palace time slot, and tour operators work from the same slots. The tours here all say they include tickets with priority entry, so book a date before you travel.
What language are Versailles tours in?+
The $78 tour runs in seven languages: English, French, Spanish, Italian, German, Portuguese and Japanese. Extime Travel offers English, Spanish and Portuguese, Red Cardinal English and Spanish, Charming Tours English only and VENETS French and Russian.
