There was construction at some of the spots (e.g. The place was very crowded (and apparently it gets even more crowded in June-August! Even then, your feet will hurt. There are more than 700 rooms, including 1,200 fireplaces and 60 staircases in the Palace of Versailles. Cobbles are not easy to walk on. Guilllaume had so much to say about all the aspects of the garden it was like taking an art/France history course. The gardens are vast but mostly laid with grass and shaped trees, the fountains are worth visiting and they made the gardens interesting. The gardens are not to be missed. Which, honestly, turned out to be fine because the extreme luxury of the rooms on display became quickly overwhelming. About 3 deep trying to get through the doors! Walking through the rooms and bedrooms, even the King's, was really something special. Owing to the nature of the construction of Versailles and the evolution of the role of the palace, construction costs were essentially a private matter. How much did it cost to build Versailles? Thankfully, they have staff in most rooms to control the crowds, and get people moving.After covering the chateau, we had lunch in one of the cafes inside the chateau. A nice walk through meadows and along meandering paths, fairly quiet (everyone was back touring the chateau! So, my advice, GET A MAP, and strategize your walk accordingly. Due to a lack of data, and historical currency conversion being arcane at the best of times, calculating the cost is tricky. However the cost to build the largest structure there was 11 million rubles. Well worth the long day if you are into history or just curious about the place! In today's money it would have cost roughly $2 billion to build. ), so reading the plaques for a description would not have been a pleasant experience. Maintenance of the palace was estimated to be between 6 to 25 percent of the French government's budget. If you plan on visiting, a Passport ticket is the only way to go at about 25 euro each and bypassing most of the ticket sales lines (which is worth it). History TV and radio in the UK: what’s on our screens in October 2020? • Festival of Sacrifice: The Past and Present of the Islamic Holiday of Eid al-Adha. On our way back from the Palace, the transit police were checking tickets (I had not seen this before on our trips in Paris) and was glad we kept our ticket- one tourist was not so lucky and they told her that she had to pay a 15 euro fine- thankfully they let her off with a warning as she didn't speak any English or French (although I don't believe this is a common exception). ), The Secret Science of Solving Crossword Puzzles, Racist Phrases to Remove From Your Mental Lexicon. First off, the Chateau de Versailles deserves a full day to completely experience its beauty, and understand its history. He is truly a "Francophil" and seems to enjoy the fact that if it weren't for France there would be no democracy in the USA and we wouldn't won the Revolutionary war. After seeing the Louvre, specifically Napoleon's apartments in the Louvre, we were ready to be amazed, however, it was not as amazing as we had expected. Ano ang mga kasabihan sa sa aking kababata? In sharp contrast, today’s costliest buildings don’t cost more than 6- Billion USD. When did organ music become associated with baseball? It was a very special day. It was wonderful. All Rights Reserved. Continue your visit to www.tripadvisor.co.uk, Versailles Palace Fast Entrance Ticket with Audio Guide, Versailles Palace Skip-the-line Classic Guided Tour, Versailles Palace Priority Access Guided Tour Optional Show & Pickup from Paris. The Chateau is certainly beautiful and magnificent but the gardens and the tour by Guillaume made this such a special day. As a result, we covered the different areas a little haphazardly. It was hot and stuffy and we were glad to finish the tour and get out to the fresh air. • The material on this site can not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with prior written permission of Multiply. After that we entered the gates and had to queue again for another 30 minutes at least before entering inside to have another security check again with only 2 staff. The total cost of Versailles is difficult to estimate. queen's house in the hamlet). You will shortly receive a receipt for your purchase via email. Guilllaume had so much to say about all the aspects of the garden it was like taking an art/France history course. That day, it also rained for some time in the afternoon, so check the weather forecast. Palace of Versailles: How much did this thing cost to build?! One tip: ensure that when you are on the RER or the Metro that you KEEP YOUR TICKET on you. Versailles Palace Fast Entrance Ticket with Audio Guide, Versailles Palace Skip-the-line Classic Guided Tour, Versailles Palace Priority Access Guided Tour Optional Show & Pickup from Paris. So we decided to see the gardens first, which we thought were actually not as stunning as we expected, and then took the little train down to Marie Antoinette's little village and farm. Always try to book any tours, or visits, online and save time. They are truly spectacular in size and scope. If you are a resident of another country or region, please select the appropriate version of Tripadvisor for your country or region in the drop-down menu. Initially, Versailles was planned to be an occasional residence for Louis XIV and was referred to as the "king's house". ), and beautiful light stone cottages, and at the farm, a variety of animals to see, and more buildings to look at. Since we had our rain jackets on, it did not impede our outdoors walk at all.The experience was not easy, but I came away with a better understanding of the history behind this beautiful palace and that of the country in the different periods during which this chateau was relevant. Was really looking forward to visiting here but won't be going again. It was midday already by then. A nice walk through meadows and along meandering paths, fairly quiet (everyone was back touring the chateau!