Château de Versailles

Be prepared for a clash of aesthetics and history when you first visit the Château de Versailles. On arrival at the Place d’Armes, you will be greeted by an immense statue of Louis XIV on horseback – which sets the tone, as this estate is inextricably linked with the Sun King. During his reign, the palace was transformed from a hunting lodge into a magnificent royal abode that became the principal home for the kings of France right up to the French Revolution. Today, the palace is an overwhelming display of the grandeur of this warrior king, who loved gardens and the arts. And it was here that Louis XIV’s grandson Louis XVI and his queen, Marie-Antoinette, saw out the last troubled years of the French monarchy.

Ceremonial rooms

Set with 357 mirrors, interspersed with marble and frescos, the glittering 73-metre-long Hall of Mirrors is one of the jewels of Versailles and visiting it is a unique experience. Just as sumptuous, the grand King’s and Queen’s Private Apartments give a sense of the opulent daily lives of the monarchs. The decoration and furnishings make it easy to imagine the king and the queen, and the unchanging ritual that punctuated each day: breakfast, lunch, dinner, reception … The King's Apartments are a succession of seven salons, while those of the queen are organised around the royal chamber.

Marie-Antoinette’s refuge

Not to be outdone, the Trianon Estate completed under Louis XV, is a jewel of neoclassical architecture, perfectly integrated into the Versailles park. It was a haven of peace for Marie-Antoinette, who set up a little [hamlet]/en/hameau-de-la-reine-queen-s-hamlet) and vegetable garden here – a reflection of the taste at the time for the charms of country life. It provides a lovely place for children to run beside the lake and discover the windmill, the dovecot, the dairy, as well as the farm and its animals.

Magical fountain shows in the gardens

Illustrating how the Sun King’s absolute control extended even to nature, make sure to visit the estate’s formal French-style gardens designed by Le Nôtre. During the period of the Great Musical Fountains shows, from April through October, its groves are exceptionally open to the public as the pools and fountains are set to music by Jean-Baptiste Lully. In the nocturnal version of the show, on Saturday evenings in the summer, the show finishes with a spectacular fireworks show.

Meanwhile, music-lovers can enjoy concerts, operas and ballets throughout the year in two of the palace’s iconic spaces: the Royal Opera and the Royal Chapel.

Discover the Château de Versailles through one of the treasure hunts in the Paris Region Adventures application specially designed for families and downloadable free of charge.

To prepare your visit and make the most of this dreamlike place, check out our Five tips for visiting the Château de Versailles.

You might also like the Château de Vaux-le-Vicomte which inspired the construction of the Château de Versailles.