The Solo Scale:

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The Palace of Versailles is a well-known destination for tourists heading to Paris. Dare I say it, it’s a bit overrated. These days, inside the palace, you spend most of your time trying to find space to stand. That said, while the Palace and upper part of the main gardens tend to be full of people, Grand Trianon and Petit Trianon are still something of a secret.

The garden tickets are separately purchased from the museum tickets. You can buy them from ticket kiosks on site at the gardens.

Second caveat? They’re not close. If you struggle with walking longer distances or if you’re at the end of your vacation and the idea of a long haul overwhelms you, you could always look into renting a bike, one of the golf carts, or simply make sure that you’re saving your energy for the walk. You’ll be going all the way down the gardens, then down an additional path, and then a little extra walking. The grounds are certainly no joke, but that’s not surprising given that it’s just another way to flex your wealth.

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Grand Trianon

The first stop you’ll make is Grand Trianon. As the French term Grand will imply, it’s the larger of the two. The request for this building was, “A little palace of pink marble and porphyry, with marvelous gardens,” according to the architect (Jules Hardouin-Mansart). While we may have different opinions on what constitutes ‘little’, the rest certainly lived up to expectations.

In essence, this was a bit of a “getaway” for the King, who wanted to get away from the hustle and bustle of palace life. It’s also where he would conduct one of his affairs. While it’s certainly not next door to the palace, it’s still only a stone’s throw away. However, it’s still an impressive building and would have certainly been romantic with all the pink marble, adorned in sunlight. Unfortunately, the day I went, it was a bit bleak and rainy.

In later years, this became a bit of a “guesthouse” for royal visitors. Today, tourists are able to tour the apartments, the grounds, and the gardens and imagine how they might have been used all those years ago.

If you’re visiting, you’ll want to give yourself at least an hour or so to explore the grounds. While the gardens don’t have anything particularly unique (unlike the little cottages nearby), it’s still a lovely place to venture. It also doesn’t have many crowds. That makes it a great respite if you’re feeling tired of being elbow-to-elbow in other areas of the palace.

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Petit Trianon

There’s a little chateau on the grounds of the Petit Trianon that’s more in line with the palace and Grand Trianon, but then, once you venture a little further, you’ll find the Queen’s Hamlet. Imagine the world’s largest dollhouse. In essence, this is partially what this area functions as. With rustic cottages dotting the landscape around the small pond, they all serve a function. You’ll feel a little like you’re a doll yourself, in this massive play set. In the ponds, there are massive koi, there are multiple places for incredible photos, and the houses (while not safe to venture inside), are the exact kind of quaint cottage-core that people seek out these days to relax.

On a sunny day, this whole hamlet is basically a photo shoot waiting to happen. In the spring, the flowers are blooming and given that it’s a larger area and not as crowded as the main gardens, it genuinely feels like a hidden escape that only you know about. It’s my absolute favourite place in Versailles, and in my top five overall for Paris.

Beyond that, there’s also the farm. This was reconstructed in the early 2000s and now boasts multiple animals — from sheep to proud peacocks to playful donkeys. Back in Marie Antoinette’s day, this was a genuinely fully functioning farm with milking cows, sheep, and more. It’s a nice idea to imagine that some of the sheep might be descendants from this period, but it’s unlikely. Here, you can pretend that you’re playing at being a farmer hundreds of years ago, even if you won’t be doing the hard work.

There’s plenty more to discover. In fact, going to the Grand & Petit Trianon should take a devoted day, if not more. If you’re going to the Versailles gardens on a day that the fountains are working, make sure you devote some time to that as well. Put plenty of time in your schedule. When you arrive, simply enjoy the feeling of stepping back into the palatial gardens of the Kings and Queens of France.

Remember, the tickets for the palace and the gardens are separate, and the fountain/music shows don’t always run, so do your research before you go. You can buy tickets on the website here.

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