Private Versailles
Spend eight hours on a guided private tour that takes you back in time to explore the quarters of French royalty, neoclassical architecture, and more when you embark on this epic tour in Versailles. Your private tour includes a licensed professional guide who will show you some of Versailles' popular attractions where you'll get to beat the crowds with skip-the-line priority admission tickets. These including the beautiful Gardens of Versailles, the palace, and the quarters of King Louis XIV and Queen Marie-Antoinette at the Trianon Domaine. Enjoy convenient roundtrip transportation to and from your terminal cruise pickup and drop-off points and a convenient headset upon request as well as leisure time for lunch in this enchanting city. With so many historical sites to see, this private excursion is a culture connoisseur's dream.
Start your journey off by meeting your guide at a Parisian hotel to take a scenic one-hour drive to Versailles aboard a comfortable luxury vehicle. Here, you'll find a storybook-like city filled with castles of past French kings and queens and enchanting gardens. Head to the iconic Palace of Versailles, the former residence of French monarchs like Queen Marie Antoinette and King Louis XV that spans nearly 722,000 square feet. This palace once served as King Louis XIII's hunting lodge but was later expanded in 1682 by his son King Louis XIV, which now features the Royal Apartments. Admire the painted ceilings and marbled paneling characteristic of the Italian-style decor that you'll see throughout the Queen's Grand Apartment and the King's Royal Quarters.
Continue your cultural excursion as your tour guide leads you through the Hall of Mirrors, where you'll catch the shifting colors and lights that reflect the gardens from the hall's 357 intricately decorated mirrors. While in this 8,072-square foot hall, you'll also witness a collection of paintings that depict the accomplishments of French monarchs, including a painting that depicts the diplomatic trade treaties signed between Persian and France just before King Louis XIV's death. Next, make your way to view the iconic Gardens of Versailles, which took 40 years to complete and is also the world's largest open-air museum, due to its massive collection of 221 sculptures. Take in its panoramic views of this French-style garden as you come across an array of flowerbeds and encounter special events, such as the summertime musical gardens that play on Tuesdays starting in June and the weekend-filled musical fountain shows that run from April until October.
Take a break for lunch and explore the city's delightful French cuisine on your own with a stop to indulge in royalty-themed delights at the Ore Restaurant, such as the Queen's tea, brioche, macarons, and other refined delicacies. Continue your guided tour with a visit to the Trianon Estates, where you'll get to admire the neoclassical architecture of the Petit Trianon, an estate gifted to Marie Antoinette that includes her preferred quarters of the Belvedere and the Temple of Love. Explore the Grand Trianon, which is known as the Marble Trianon thanks to its pink marble and is home to a garden that showcases a beautify array of groves and flowers. Before heading back to Paris near your port of Le Havre, you'll make a final stop at the Queen's Hamlet, where you'll view the majestic billiard rooms and farmhouses and entertainment meeting grounds of Queen Marie Antoinette and her friends.
With so many gardens and architecture to view and historical sites to visit, this tour offers a serene setting that's perfect for history buffs to explore. Get ready for a cultural experience like none other and book your private tour today to see all that Versailles has to offer.
Shore Excursions Group was created with one goal in mind: to provide exceptional travel experiences to cruise passengers in the ports they visit around the world. To accomplish this, we have compiled an exceptional array of tours delivered by local experts with decades of experience serving travelers and delivering excellent tours. Our owners and management team are comprised of seasoned travel industry executives who leverage their considerable experience to deliver memorie ...
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