You couldn’t spend a holiday in the Paris region without visiting the Château de Versailles! And luckily, we happened to visit on the day the château was hosting its grand night fountains show! So, we spent an entire day and evening at the estate.
The Interior of the Château de Versailles
We started our visit with the château’s interior. Make sure to book your time slot in advance, as you can’t visit whenever you want during the day. The tour of the interior takes about 3 hours, or even more if you take the time to read everything. This was impossible for us with the little ones; we had to move from room to room to keep them from getting bored!
Each room is more beautiful than the last, and they flow seamlessly from one floor to the next.
The French Gardens by André Le Nôtre at the Château de Versailles
Next up were the gardens! Plan for an entire afternoon because it’s vast! We first explored the French gardens with their countless fountains, which you can also view by taking a small train for an extra fee. After that, you can rent an electric cart to visit the Petit Trianon and the Queen’s Hamlet, or you can walk there in about half an hour.
This was our favorite spot, as well as the children’s. It’s a haven of peace and coolness. Since it’s quite a walk, not many people visit the entire area, so you’ll encounter fewer tourists here than in the French gardens.
In the evening, we attended the grand night fountains show. All the garden fountains are then turned on and illuminated with colorful light displays, unlike during the day when they are “off.” What a beautiful sight to see the château lit up like this, with open windows, giving the impression of stepping back in time. If you look closely, you might even spot a lady in an old-fashioned dress passing by in the gardens!
The Night Fountains Shows
Once night fell, a fireworks display was set off above the main basin, accompanied by jets of flames along the central path. A magnificent show to cap off a beautiful evening!
