Palace of Versailles
On Gingerguide's self-guided Versailles audio tour, Palace of Versailles is a stop worth about ~120 min. Stand in front of it, press play for a short narrated story, and put any follow-up question to the built-in AI guide.
- Type palace
- Suggested visit ~120 min
- Versailles Versailles guide
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About Palace of Versailles
Beneath a palace of some 2,300 rooms hides a stubborn secret: the small hunting château Louis XIV's father built, which the Sun King wrapped up rather than tear down.
The Palace of Versailles grew from a brick-and-stone hunting lodge built for Louis XIII, enlarged into a small château between 1631 and 1634 by Philibert Le Roy. Its footprint survives as the Marble Court, which Louis XIV insisted on preserving and encasing rather than demolishing. From 1661 he transformed it in successive campaigns: Louis Le Vau built the garden-side envelope, Jules Hardouin-Mansart added the wings and Hall of Mirrors, André Le Nôtre designed the gardens, and Charles Le Brun directed the interiors.
The king and government moved here permanently on 6 May 1682, and Versailles served as the seat of French government until October 1789, though Paris remained the legal capital. The palace covers around 63,000 square metres and contains roughly 2,300 rooms, with a garden facade some 402 metres long, over 2,000 windows and 67 staircases, set within an estate of about 815 hectares.
Did you know? It all started as a place to shoot deer. In 1623 Louis XIII put up a modest hunting lodge here; only later did his son turn the family's rural bolt-hole into the seat of a kingdom.
How much time do you need at Palace of Versailles?
Around ~120 min works well for Palace of Versailles — time to look properly and listen to its story on the spot. Linger if you like; nothing on a self-guided walk is on a clock.
Should you stop at Palace of Versailles?
Yes — Palace of Versailles made the cut as one of 15 places the Gingerguide team researched and narrated across Versailles. The story tells you why it is worth the stop, and the AI guide fills in anything you still wonder.
Nearby stops in Versailles
Sources and further reading
Where to check the facts about Palace of Versailles and read more:
Day 2 of the Versailles in 2 days itinerary →
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Hear the story of Palace of Versailles
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