Palace of Versailles Map

Our Palace of Versailles map highlights the estate’s most iconic attractions and helps you easily visualize where each landmark is located, while also providing the distance and estimated travel time between them. This allows you to plan your day in Versailles with clarity, confidence, and complete peace of mind.

We offer you this step-by-step guide so that you may create your own bespoke itinerary in Versailles, fully tailored to your interests and the time you have available.

Enjoy your discovery of Versailles!

This former Royal Domain, now proudly owned and preserved by the French government and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, encompasses some of the most extraordinary treasures of French heritage. As shown on our Palace of Versailles map, the estate includes:

~ The Main Palace (Chateau), featuring nearly 3,000 rooms

~ Two additional Royal Residences: the Petit Trianon and the Grand Trianon, intimate retreats created for moments of royal privacy

~ Seventy hectares of formal gardens and bosquets, with more than 55 fountains—masterpieces of classical landscaping

~ 24 hectares dedicated to the Grand Canal, where royal festivities and naval battles once unfolded.

~ 96 hectares for Marie Antoinette’s Estate, a world of pastoral charm and elegance

And beyond these grand landmarks lie hundreds of statues and works of art, secluded groves, sculpted perspectives, greenhouses, and many other secrets that reveal themselves only to those who take the time to wander.

There are three train stations in Versailles from Paris. Each is a short walk through the town of Versailles. Once you see the statue of Louis XIV, you will know you have arrived! For more information on how to get from Paris to Versailles, check out our dedicated web page!

RER C → Versailles–Château–Rive Gauche (Blue Label):
The RER C is the most direct and popular route to the Palace of Versailles. Trains depart from central Paris stations like Saint-Michel–Notre-Dame, Musée d’Orsay, Invalides, and Champ de Mars–Tour Eiffel, making it very convenient for visitors. You’ll arrive at Versailles–Château–Rive Gauche, the closest station to the palace, just a 10-minute walk away.

Transilien Line L → Versailles–Rive Droite (Red Label):
Line L trains leave from Paris Saint-Lazare, a major hub near Opéra and the Grands Magasins shopping district. This route arrives at Versailles–Rive Droite, a quiet residential area about 15–20 minutes on foot from the palace. It’s a great option for travelers staying in north-central Paris.

Transilien Line N → Versailles–Chantiers (Green Label):
Line N trains depart from Gare Montparnasse and offer one of the fastest connections to Versailles. You’ll arrive at Versailles–Chantiers, a large station located around a 15-minute walk from the palace. This route is ideal for visitors staying in southern Paris or near Montparnasse.

Before reaching the Château of Versailles, you will first pass through a gateway where a routine security check is performed. Please be aware that this is a bag inspection, generally quite straightforward. However, during the summer months, you may experience a short wait between 5 and 10 minutes.

This entrance is known as the Honor Gate (Main Gate), the access point that leads directly into the Honor Courtyard (marked as yellow tick n°2 on the Palace of Versailles map above). Crossing this gateway is your first step into the grandeur of Versailles, where the immensity of the palace begins to reveal itself even before you reach its famous golden façade.

Once you arrive in the Honor Courtyard, you will have several options depending on whether you already hold your tickets.

If you have not yet purchased your tickets, you will need to walk toward the building on the left side of the courtyard, known as the Minister’s Wing (yellow tick n°8 on the Palace of Versailles map). This is where the official ticket office is located.

Ticket Information can be found on the Chateau de Versailles Official Website. There are several options depending on what you want to see. The following information was last updated November 2025.

~ Passeport: This gives you access to everything on the Grounds of Versailles (Chateau, Gardens, and the Trianon). The cost is different depending on the season (32 euros from April to October or 24 euros from November to March). This gives you a specific time slot to enter the Palace.
~ Billet Chateau: This ONLY gives you access to the Palace and the gardens during the low season (21 euros).
~ Billet Domaine de Trianon: This ONLY gives you access to the Grand Trianon, Petit Trianon, the Queen’s Hamlet, and the gardens during low season) (12 euros).

Please note there is a limited number of Billet Chateau and Billet Domaine de Trianon if purchased in person.

Free admission: Under 18 years old (worldwide), Under 26 years old (EU residents), Disabled visitors and one accompanying person, Holders of certain professional cards (teachers, journalists, etc.)

Once you have your tickets, or if you have already purchased your tickets online— which we strongly recommend— simply proceed directly to the main individual entrance A, where you will join the queue for timed admission. It is easy to locate: just follow the flow of visitors toward the central access point on the left side. If you notice the entrance point B, which reserved for groups, this is the priority access used by our Private Versailles Tour.

Once inside the Château, navigation is simple. The route is clearly marked by numerous signs, and you only have to follow the designated path (marked with arrows) to explore the State Apartments, the Hall of Mirrors, and the many other wonders of Versailles, like Marie Antoinette’s Bedroom.

After you finish your visit inside, the exit of the Château, located on the left-hand side, will lead you directly into the gardens. On the Palace of Versailles map, you will notice a red line: this is the suggested pathway that guides you through the principal garden axis and its most iconic views.

Once outside, we recommend turning left and walking toward the Parterre (tick n°26 on the Versailles map above). This elegant, symmetrical terrace leads you to one of the most breathtaking perspectives of Versailles. From here, you will discover the majestic Orangerie (tick n°27), where the Kings of France proudly displayed their prized collection of orange trees—exotic symbols of wealth, refinement, and royal prestige.

Take a moment to pause on the balcony overlooking the Orangerie. From this elevated viewpoint, you will enjoy a sweeping, bird’s-eye panorama. This is one of the most cinematic vistas in all Versailles, a place where the grandeur of the gardens truly unfolds before you.

Returning to the red guide line on your Versailles map, this pathway now leads you into the heart of the renowned Great Perspective, which begins at tick n°23. The distance from the Garden Access point to the start of this grand axis is approximately 200 meters (0.2 miles). Including a brief stop to admire the Orangerie, it will take you no more than three minutes to reach your first panoramic view of the Great Perspective.

The entrance to this royal vista is marked by a broad staircase flanked by two fountains. From this vantage point, you enjoy a commanding view over the entire garden. At first glance, you may feel that the layout appears modest in scale but do not be fooled. The legendary gardener André Le Nôtre, who devoted 50 years of his life to shaping Versailles, mastered the art of optical illusion. His design techniques make distances appear shorter, horizons seem closer, and symmetry feel infinite.

From where you are standing (tick n°23) to the end of the French Gardens at the Fountain of Apollo (yellow tick n°9) is actually 500 meters (0.3 miles)—a walk of about 10 minutes. Along this path, you will follow the dramatic line of the Green Carpet (tick n°16), a perfectly manicured lawn stretching 330 meters (1,082 feet)—which, remarkably, is longer than the Eiffel Tower is tall. It is one of the most grandiose open-air corridors of French landscape architecture.

On either side of the Great Perspective, you will find the celebrated groves of the French Formal Garden. Most of these enchanting green “rooms” were created by the legendary gardener André Le Nôtre, over the course of five decades. Conceived as outdoor salons mirroring the rooms of the Château, the groves embody the philosophy of Versailles: balance, symmetry, geometry, and the royal ambition to create nothing less than a vision of Heaven on Earth.

Please note that select groves are only open to visitors on selected days: Tuesday, Saturday, and Sunday from April to October. On the Palace of Versailles map, each grove is marked precisely to help you plan your route.

To fully explore the gardens, we recommend devoting at around 2 hours (without a lunch break) or 2–4 hours if you wish to enjoy a leisurely meal along the way. The groves collectively cover around 300 hectares, though some are more visually compelling, historically meaningful, or artistically sophisticated than others.

Interested in exploring the Gardens with a private guide? 

To access this part of the Versailles grounds, you will need either the Passeport or the Billet Domaine de Trianon. The Trianon Estate only opens in the afternoon at 12 pm. Following the red line on your Palace of Versailles map, you will eventually reach the Trianon Estate, a vast and serene royal retreat composed of three major points of interest:

The Grand Trianon
Louis XIV’s exquisite pink-marble palace, designed as a haven of peace away from the ceremonial pressures of the Court.

The Petit Trianon
A neoclassical jewel later beloved by Marie-Antoinette, who transformed it into her personal sanctuary.

The Queen’s Hamlet & the English Garden
A romantic countryside village created for Marie-Antoinette, complete with a dairy, mill, farmhouses, and winding English-style pathways.

The walk from the Château to the Trianon Estate covers 2.2 km (1.6 miles) and takes approximately 30 minutes at a leisurely pace. However, several alternative means of transportation are available within the estate, offering more comfort and efficiency if preferred.

If you plan to visit all three sites, we recommend allocating 3–4 hours without a lunch break, or 4–5 hours if you wish to enjoy a meal during your visit. The Trianon Estate is a world of its own, more intimate, more peaceful, and deeply tied to the personal lives of the French royalty, so giving yourself ample time will greatly enhance your experience.

The Grand Trianon (tick n°43 on the Palace of Versailles map) was designed as Louis XIV’s summer residence, a discreet sanctuary where he could escape the rigid etiquette of the Court and enjoy a more intimate, human rhythm of life. Today, the palace is beautifully decorated in the 19th-century Empire style, reflecting the tastes of its later occupants. It was home first to Letizia Bonaparte, Napoleon’s mother, and then to Empress Marie-Louise, his second wife. The décor you see today is therefore striking, elegant, and richly imperial—although very different from what existed in the time of the Sun King.

Behind the palace lies a small formal garden, a peaceful and charming extension of the residence. If you intend to spend time exploring the Trianon Estate, this garden is well worth a stroll. Just a short walk away, you will also find a delightful example of Baroque sculpture in the Apollo Water Feature (tick n°45). The distance from the Grand Trianon to this fountain is approximately 200 meters (0.12 miles)—a pleasant 3-minute walk.

After visiting the Grand Trianon, turn left and follow the cobbled pathway. This elegant stroll will lead you directly toward the Petit Trianon, the next jewel of the estate and one of Marie-Antoinette’s most cherished retreats.

The Petit Trianon (tick n°44 on the Palace of Versailles map) is an elegant 18th-century residence originally built by Louis XV as a private haven for his mistresses. In 1781, Louis XVI gifted it to Marie-Antoinette, who immediately transformed it into her personal refuge—far from the rigid rituals and unrelenting scrutiny of Court life. With its understated architecture and delicate interior decoration, the Petit Trianon exudes a serene intimacy. As soon as you step inside, you can almost sense the timeless atmosphere that once brought comfort to the Queen.

A visit to the small building itself takes less than 30 minutes, but the true charm of this retreat lies just outside. Upon leaving the Petit Trianon, you can wander through the English Garden, a romantic landscape designed with meandering paths, shifting perspectives, and poetic scenery. As you follow these winding walkways, one of the highlights you will encounter is the enchanting Temple of Love (tick n°51). This graceful rotunda, perched on an artificial island, transports you instantly to the era of courtesans, poets, and gallant intrigues—a delicate ode to the refined tastes of the Queen.

Although the Queen’s Hamlet (tick n°56 on the Palace of Versailles map) is only 600 meters (0.4 miles) from the Petit Trianon, the walk takes around 15 minutes—a gentle stroll through the romantic, winding paths of Marie-Antoinette’s English-style gardens.

Built for the Queen in the 1780s, the Hamlet is an idealized reconstruction of a rustic French village, designed as a refuge where Marie-Antoinette could escape Court etiquette and indulge in the pastoral fantasy of being a simple shepherdess. The buildings are utterly charming—quaint, picturesque, and irresistibly photogenic, especially the Queen’s House (tick n°55), located at the very heart of the Hamlet.

A leisurely wander through this bucolic setting takes around 20 minutes, particularly if you choose to continue toward the Queen’s Farm (tick n°61), located at the upper right corner of the map. Remarkably, the farm is still home to rabbits, chickens, cows, donkeys, and other friendly residents, bringing the Queen’s countryside dream vividly to life.

The walk back from the farmyard to the Trianon Estate covers approximately 700 meters (0.4 miles) and will take you about 10 minutes.

There is only one exit from the Petit Trianon, leading you into the courtyard just in front of the residence. Here, as indicated on your Palace of Versailles map, you will find the meeting point for the Little Train, one of the pleasant transportation options available for exploring the vast Versailles grounds with ease.

Visiting the Palace and Gardens of Versailles is truly a full-day excursion if you wish to experience everything this extraordinary royal estate has to offer. That said, it is essential to pace yourselves—especially if you are traveling with children, elderly guests, or visitors with reduced mobility. Versailles is vast, and its wonders are best enjoyed without rushing.

We also understand that your stay in Paris may not always allow for an entire day in Versailles. This is why we share here our expert recommendations, drawn from years of guiding guests, to help you make the most of your time, whether you have a full day, a half-day, or only a few hours to explore.

As you look at your Palace of Versailles map, take a moment to be realistic and intentional about what you want to see. Versailles is unforgettable, but choosing wisely will ensure a far more enjoyable experience.

Below, you will find several efficient visit combinations—not exhaustive, but crafted from our on-the-ground expertise—that consistently work well for our guests.

If you have the spare time, we absolutely recommend you book a night in a hotel in the charming town of Versailles. This allows you to get a feel for the town and really experience where the Sun King set up the power of France 400 years ago! Please contact us for any assistance!