Palace of Versailles
Versailles is a city on the western edge of the French capital Paris, now part of the Ile de France metropolis. Versailles is best known as the site of the huge royal palace and gardens built by King Louis XIV in what was once a royal hunting lodge. It is also one of the richest cities near Paris.
The Palace of Versailles was the scene of several historic events, including the signing of the peace treaty between defeated Germany and Switzerland on June 28, 1919, in the Hall of Mirrors between the allies that officially ended World War One. The signing of the treaty at Versailles, of course, mirrored the proclamation of the establishment of the German Empire under the Prussian King, later the Kaiser, in 1871 in the same long hall. Originally, the palace was just a hunting lodge built by Louis XIII. In 1789, the palace lost its seat as a center of power, but today houses the Museum of French History.
Guided tours of the Palace of Versailles
The easiest way to get to the Palace of Versailles and avoid queues is to buy your ticket directly from the Palace of Versailles website: It includes an audio tour of the Chapel and Opera House, the King and Queen's State Apartments, the Dauphin and Mesdames Apartments, the Carriage Museum, Trianons and different temporary exhibitions.
You can easily reach the palace by train and buy tickets for each attraction there. This may be the best approach if you want to see something specific or just explore the vast gardens that surround the palace.
Shopping around the Palace of Versailles
In addition, a short walk into town can provide a welcome contrast to the hectic, touristy chateau. The town, like most others in France, is lined with a few small historic churches and small shops. If you eat on the grounds of the chateau, you can save time and go for a walk. Finding food at a small café, pastry shop or sandwich shop in town is cheaper and an authentic experience. Eating a picnic lunch along the lake in the castle is a pleasant experience, and you can find a few small grocery stores in town to pick up things like bread, sandwich meats, cheese, wine, etc. for a picnic in the castle.
You do not have the option to eat or drink in the castle itself. There are no food options for tourists. Therefore, you should consider making the side trip into the city. However, the Palace of Versailles houses its own souvenir shop. You can find more souvenir shops outside the palace.
