Paris - Versailles

Question if you have been to Versailles -

How cool are the fountains to see on Sat/Sun when they turn them on?

My ideal plan is to go to Versailles on Thursday to take advantage of our Museum Pass and hopefully avoid some of the weekend crowds. This makes our last day in Paris Saturday which I have 1 or 2 things planned and then free-time for anything we might have missed.

We could go on Saturday but that would mean we can't use the Museum pass and would end up paying around $60 total for me and DH to go.

Do you think its worth it to pay the extra money?

How crowded is it on the weekend?

We are going in early may.

Re: Paris - Versailles

Versailles is absolutely incredible. If it is a nice day I would plan to be there the whole day the grounds are actually a public park, you can picnic, rent row boats and row through the canals, it's spectacular.

It is worth it to go on the weekend, go early.

Have fun! It was the best time I had in France.

Re: Paris - Versailles

We went on a weekday in October and the fountains were on intermittently. I don't think it's worth $60 to see them on all the time.

Also, the line to get tickets up front was about 2 hours long, and this was a weekday! We walked through (grounds are free) and slowly made our way to the Grand Trianon and bought our tickets there. We toured everything back there first. We toured the Palace last, on our way out, which was nice because it wasn't so crowded then.

It's a beautiful place, much bigger than I ever imagined! Have fun! And wear good shoes! I wore flats and the bottoms got so chewed up from the terrain.

Re: Paris - Versailles

I went on a Sunday in July. The fountains were awesome when they turned them on, but the "Big Show" at the Neptune Fountain at 530 was really not worth waiting around for. IMO, the fountain show at the Bellagio in Vegas blew that 530 show away. The fountains that they put on once an hour are pretty cool to see once, especially when they turn on the music, but there's sooo much more to see at Versailles.

Honestly, I spent more time walking around the garens and Marie Antointte's Hamlet, which was AMAZING, than watching the fountains. The grounds are so huge, that when you're in the Hamlet, you're so far away from the Castle and you almost feel like you're in the village from Beauty and the Beast. We spent all day wandering around outside, that we almost forgot to go inside! We went inside like an hour before it closed, which ended up being better, since there were hardly any crowds inside.

This picture should give you an idea of the fountains. This was one of the fountains just off the terrace area. when you first enter the gardens.

ETA: The picture was too big, so I made an album

Message edited 4/9/2011 1:22:25 AM.

Re: Paris - Versailles

Thanks so much for the replies and picture!

I think we may see what the weather is like while we are there. It will be spring so rain is a possibility.

I don't want to leave Versailles for the last day, spend the extra money and change my itinerary to something less preferable only to have it rain.

This is probably the thing I am most excited to see in Paris. Been dreaming of this trip my whole life

Re: Paris - Versailles

I love the fountains but it's not a deal breaker.

Make sure to take the little train to got farther into the park.

You def. HAVE TO see Marie Antoinette's village (the Hamlet) the gardens. It's so charming! If you can get a guide that speaks English or a paper guide, do it. It's so interesting to listen to the why and who. I would get the behind the scene (can't remember what they are called) before spending more $$$ on the fountains.

The place and garden are GIGANTIC. Acres and acres. Get your tennis shoes. Get that train to save some of the walking. You will literally spend HOURS walking. And I am not kidding.

Go see the Petit Trianon and Grand Trianon too.

http://en.chateauversailles.fr/marie-antoinettes-estate

Message edited 4/9/2011 6:01:37 PM.

Re: Paris - Versailles

Re: Paris - Versailles

It is so beautiful. We went on a weekday and it was PACKED. My favorite part was Marie Antoinette's gardens. You could spend the whole day and still not see every bit of it. I can't even remember there being fountains so I guess that wasn't the highlight for me.