Versailles

https://www.chateauversailles.fr/ ← this is the official website for tickets. We took the L train from Paris and, unfortunately, there was construction, so a number of the trains were canceled and we only got so far as Saint Cloud by train. The upside of this, we had a lovely 15 minute uber ride and I got to see a few smaller towns that are on my list for longer stay in France :) The L train luckily was back and up running when we headed home (exhausted).

First, just prepare yourself for the crowds - the gardens are vast and we really only got to see a tiny bit of them. Now that I have seen the palance, I won’t ever do that again, but I would absolutely come and explore the town more. The little bit I saw was just lovely and likely worth a full day or two.

They have an app that has the audio guides for all the areas and there is, of course, Rick Steves or formal tours. There were sooo many buses of tour groups - I really can’t fathom the shear number of people that must go through there ever day. It was as crowded as the Vatican Museums.

Unfortunately, I forgot my headphones, so listed to the Rick Steves guide on the way there. I didn’t bother trying to have my phone to my ear as I walked through the palace. It was really so very crowded (as the space is small in each room) that I would have prefered to just watch a video walk through of the the entire thing and spent more time in the gardens. Unfortunately, most of the fountains were undergoing maintenance - likely to get ready for the busy season. We were there at the end of March and the plants were a bit behind growth compared to Paris (likely a bit of a heat effect).

When you are on the train - right around Saint Cloud - you will get the most amazing view of the Eiffel Tower from the train. It will be on the right side of the train when headed back to Paris.