Hi, all-
My husband and I are spending three nights in Paris (8/27 - 8/30). We want to spend one day at Versailles, and we%26#39;re completely lost as to how to get there. Can anyone offer some advice? We%26#39;re staying at the Louvre Montana Hotel in Paris.
I guess we kind of need a little tutorial on the Paris train system. Thanks!
-Patti
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You can get a lot of information on the website:
http://www.chateauversailles.fr/en/
also about transports.
And buy a good guidebook before you leave - that will answer many of your questions too. I always recommend the Eyewitness Paris Guide by Allan Tillier - it is full of beautiful photos and is so easy to use. it really gives you a good overview of what to do and how to get there.
amazon.com/gp/…
Amazon has many fine books about Paris.
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Go to the St. Michel metro station right at Place St. Michel.
Take RER train C (stops at St. Michel, Invalides, Musee d%26#39;Orsay and others along the river) and follow signs to RER C.
Buy a ticket %26quot;aller-retour%26quot; to Versailles Rive Gauche. PUt your ticket in the machine and take it out of the other end. Keep it, you need it to exit the RER.
Get on any train that starts with a V...you can see the list of stops on the board overhead, which changes with every train that pulls in. Usually the train VICK comes pretty often and goes to Versailles.
Get off after about 30 - 45 minutes at Versailles Rive Gauche.
Leave metro station, putting your ticket into the machine. It will eat your ticket.
Leave train station by walking right. Follow crowd (usually you%26#39;re not alone) to the main intersection just past the McDonalds. Go left and you will see the chateau right ahead.
Les
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Just be careful that on the RER, your destination is Versailles-RIVE GAUCHE, shared by trains going to Saint Quentin en Yvelines/Pontoise, and not Versailles CHANTIERS : that one is reached after a longish turn in the suburbs (a look at the map on www.transilien.com will be more descriptive than any words!)
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Rive Gauche, _on the platform_ shared by the trains etc...
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THank you for the info!
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PattiS1211
The first thing to know is that it%26#39;s really quite simple even if you%26#39;re a novice. The people at the St Michel RER ticket office are helpful. Les 68%26#39;s decription of the process is pretty good. Except that I also followed other TA Posters%26#39; advice and rather than just buying the train ticket I bought the One Day Pass which give you a return train ticket AND the entrance ticket to Versailles for a combined fee of 21,15 euros. On the little ticket cover it%26#39;s called a Forfait Loisir Chateau de Versailles, but I just asked for the %26quot;One Day Pass for Versailles%26quot; and the lady smiled and knew exactly what I meant. This was great because once I%26#39;d bought it, I didn%26#39;t have to line up again. Rick Steve%26#39;s guide book gives a good explanation as to how/what to use it for (I%26#39;m sure other guide books do too).
The other thing I would add is to go early. I made the mistake of going later in the afternoon and on a Saturday (just a couple of weeks ago) and the crowds were particularly bad. It really compromises the enjoyment of this amazing place.
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Definitely follow the directions given above and buy the one-day pass. It is great. It lets you skip lines and you get free audio guides and discounts for the tram. In the St. Michael metro station look upwards when you are on the train platform for the signs that are lit up telling you when the trains arrive and you will see the V train listed and when it arrives.
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