Alone in the Palace: Versailles Tour from Paris with King’s Private Apartment
About this activity
See a side of Versailles most never do—skip the crowds and explore private royal rooms with special access just for you and your small group.
Highlights
- Special Access to the Private Apartments – Step away from the crowds and behind closed doors into the King’s chambers with just you and your small group.
- Stroll Through the Gardens – Hear stories behind the statues, fountains, and greenery in the immaculate and vast gardens surrounding the palace from your expert guide.
- Expertly Guided Palace Tour – See the Hall of Mirrors, Queen’s Apartments, and more at a quieter time of day after the crowds have left, hearing stories from your guide that bring the palace to life.
- Round-Trip Train from Paris – Skip transit stress as your Walks coordinator accompanies you on the train from Paris to Versailles and provides return tickets for later.
- Private Entry to Royal Chapel or Opera House – Unlock rare access to one of Versailles’ most storied spaces for only you and your small group (varies depending on day of visit).
- Small Group Experience (15 max) – Enjoy a more personal connection with your guide and space to explore.
Full description
Most Versailles tours scratch the surface, but ours takes you deeper. This small-group journey starts in Paris and whisks you through centuries of royal intrigue. With an expert guide by your side, you’ll bypass navigating transportation from Paris and the chaos of crowds, stepping straight into the world of Louis XIV. Explore the vast gardens and wander the palace’s gilded halls. The highlight is special access to the King's Private Apartments—an area closed to the general public. It’s Versailles like few ever see it.
Seamless Travel from Paris to Versailles
Your VIP Versailles tour begins in Paris, where your Walks coordinator meets your small group and guides you onto the train—no confusion, no guesswork. As you make the journey together, your guide sets the stage for what’s ahead and hands you a return ticket, giving you the flexibility to head back to the city whenever you're ready. In about an hour, you’ll have left Paris behind and stepping foot into the world of Louis XIV.
A Garden Built to Impress
Arriving at the palace, you’ll meet your guide and begin your guided tour. The first stop of your Versailles tour from Paris is the gardens—designed to impress long before visitors ever entered the palace. Walk past the Grand Canal, built to reflect the heavens, and the Fountain of Apollo, where the Sun God emerges from the water. You’ll follow your guide on a relaxing stroll past more of the garden’s highlights.
Explore the King’s Private Apartments with Special Access
Next, go beyond the public façade of Versailles and step inside the King’s Private Apartments—an area hidden from nearly everyone in the monarch’s day. With your expert guide, explore the chambers that offered refuge from royal ceremony and court politics. Lavishly decorated and full of character, these rooms reveal the more personal side of Louis XIV, XV, and XVI.
Rare Entry into the Royal Chapel or Opera House
Depending on the day, you'll be granted access to one of Versailles’ impressive spaces: the soaring Royal Chapel or the opulent Royal Opera House. Like the King’s Private Apartments, these are areas of the palace few visitors ever see, but on this VIP Versailles tour, your group steps inside for a closer look at the artistry and grandeur.
Experience the Hall of Mirrors at Its Most Peaceful
Your Versailles tour from Paris continues through the palace’s most iconic spaces: the Queen’s Apartments, the War and Peace Salons, and more. By this point in the day, many of the crowds have thinned—allowing you to enjoy the Hall of Mirrors and other highlights in a more relaxed, unhurried atmosphere. With fewer people and your guide’s stories bringing the past vividly to life, this final chapter of the tour offers time to take in Versailles’ full scale and splendor before returning to Paris by train with your roundtrip ticket.
Included / Excluded
- Local English-speaking guide
- Expertly guided walking tour
- Skip-the-line ticket for Palace of Versailles
- Private tour of the King’s Private Apartments
- Private tour of the Opera House or Royal Chapel (depending on the day)
- Headsets
- Roundtrip train tickets
- Hotel Pick-up/Drop-off
- Gratuities
Cancellation policy
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the activity starts
Cancellations received greater than 24 hours prior to tour commencement are fully refundable. Cancellations received within 24 hours of tour commencement are nonrefundable. Amendment requests are subject to availability and price changes. Late arrivals and no-shows are non-refundable. This is applicable to any tour participant that fails to arrive or arrives after tour departure.
Additional information
Before you travel, please read the "Know Before You Go" section for essential information, requirements, and possible disruptions regarding your tour.