Versailles Gardens Walking Tour from Paris
Experience France’s most dramatic gardens, at the Palace of Versailles. Travel by train to see the gardens of Versailles, where you’ll explore the grounds as your expert guide reveals bits of enchanting insight and history along the way. There is an option at the end of the tour to stay and explore the palace on your own and immerse yourself deeper into its history. No trip to Paris would be complete without seeing this iconic, awe-inspiring spot.
Meet your guide in central Paris and then take the train to Versailles to see one of the most magnificent and famous gardens in Europe. Dating back to the 17th century, the palace began as Louis XIII’s hunting lodge and housed three French kings before the French Revolution. The gardens are among the chateau’s most stunning features, reflective of the time and effort it took to create and expand them over hundreds of years.
Follow your guide into the gardens surrounding the Palace of Versailles. Stroll the grounds and admire the beds of manicured plants and aromatic flowers, originally planned by the famous French landscape architect André Le Nôtre. Discover the scandals, secrets, myths and legends the garden has kept since it was commissioned by Louis XIV in 1661. Explore hidden corners, lakes, statues and more. Walk the road to revolution and Marie Antoinette’s downfall. Witness the vast original perspective of the grounds, developed by Le Nôtre by widening the Royal Path and digging the Grand Canal.
Learn just how much manpower creating these gardens required. Obscene amounts of dirt had to be displaced to create the flower beds, the Orangerie, the fountains and the canals. Previously, the land was woods, grassland and marsh, but thanks to the dedication and work of many people, it was transformed into a beautiful wonder. At the end of the tour, you will have the option to purchase tickets for the palace, which you can explore at your leisure. Alternatively, return to Paris by train with the rest of the group.
Please note: On Tuesdays, Saturdays and Sundays from March to October (plus select other dates) musical garden and musical fountain shows take place in the afternoons. These are not included in the tour.
Please note: On Tuesdays, Saturdays and Sundays from March to October (plus select other dates) musical garden and musical fountain shows take place in the afternoons. These are not included in the tour.
