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Join an exclusive experience to discover two of the most iconic sites around Paris: Versailles in the footsteps of the Sun King, and Giverny with Claude Monet’s house and gardens.
On this small-group day trip from Paris, your guide meets you at your hotel in Paris. climb aboard a luxury vehicle for a one-hour ride to Versailles.
Palace of Versailles
The Palace of Versailles, or in french “Château de Versailles”, is one of the largest castles in the world. A World Heritage Site, the Palace of Versailles is one of the finest achievements of French art in the seventeenth century. The former hunting lodge of Louis XIII was transformed and expanded by his son Louis XIV, who installed his court and his government in 1682. Until the French Revolution, each succeeding king embellished the Castle. This royal jewel is definitely a must-see French landmark.
Venture in the Palace, discover its spectacular architecture, see its splendid rooms like the King and Queen’s apartments, many livings room with their stories, and the breathtaking Mirror Hall, designed to impress visitors with its 357 mirrors, its marble and bronze decorations and its gilded bronze sculptures. The visit ends with an introduction to Versailles Gardens.
Thanks to skip-the-line access, the guide invites you to discover the Royal Apartments.
Royal Apartments – King and Queen’s Royal Quarters
These parade apartments were used to accommodate the official acts of the sovereign. They are decorated with a sumptuous Italian-style decoration, composed of marble paneling and painted ceilings. Open to everyone, everyone could see the king and the royal family. Evenings were organized here under the reign of Louis XIV, several times a week.
Overlooking the Midi parterre, the Queen’s Grand Apartment is symmetrical to the King’s Royal Quarter. But unlike Louis XIV, who abandoned his Royal Apartments, the Queen continued to occupy it, which explains why the decor was changed several times in the eighteenth century.
The Hall of Mirrors
The Hall of Mirrors or Grande Galerie was designed in 1678 by Mansart: a monumental room of 8072 square feet, dedicated to the wealth and know-how of the Kingdom of France. Around 239.5 feet long, the Hall exalts the political, economic and artistic successes of France. The compositions painted by Le Brun illustrate the glorious history of Louis XIV: military victories, diplomatic and kingdom reforms. The 357 mirrors, symbols of great luxury and technological prowess, demonstrated the wealth of France.
Its design is a constantly changing show in which the lights and colors of the gardens are reflected. A magical moment.
The Gardens of Versailles
Our expert tour guide enables you to see the best part of the Gardens.
In 1661, Louis XIV charged André Le Nôtre to create the gardens of Versailles. The creation of gardens required a gigantic amount of work over about forty years: leveling spaces, landscaping garden beds, creation of ponds and the Canal. Louis XIV considered gardens as important as the castle.
André Le Nôtre created an ultimate French Style garden: a terrace with a global view of the gardens, a geometric organization of the axes, ponds, flowerbeds, and groves. The garden is designed like a building, a walk playing on the perspectives. Charles Le Brun drew a large number of statues and fountains. The 221 sculptures make Versailles as the world’s largest open-air museum of sculptures. Fountains and groves adorn the gardens. The groves regularly hosted the King’s walk and the entertainment of the court. Appreciate a stroll trough the Le Nôtre’s gardens.
Each summer, Versailles offers superb entertainment in the gardens to give visitors the experience of the magnificence of the celebrations in the garden at the time of Louis XIV.
Your guide offers you a visit to the musical gardens (Tuesday from June to October) and the musical fountains show (Saturdays and Sundays from April to October).
After, take a midday break for lunch and continue on to Giverny.
The House and Gardens of Claude Monet in Giverny
Uncover the secrets of one of the pillars of Impressionism, Claude Monet. Leader of the pictorial movement of the 19th century, he brought a wind of change to academic representative art, introducing heightened perception, emotions and light. The painter devoted more than forty years of his life to one of his finest masterpieces: his garden in Giverny.
The Clos Normand
The artist and gardener sought to transform a simple orchard into a magnificent, colorful garden: Japanese cherry trees, flowerbeds of nasturtiums, tulips and roses, an explosion of colors for each season.
The Water Garden
Wander through the romantic water garden, with its famous Japanese bridge, the wisterias, the water-lilies pond, the weeping willows and irises… Behold this living picture with its profusion of reflected light and colors.
The House
Visit the master’s charming pink house where a family atmosphere reigned. Discover the painter’s everyday life surrounded by eight children: the drawing room, the pantry, the bedroom, the study, the dining room and the beautiful kitchen… Admire his collection of Japanese prints, another source of inspiration.
The Studio
End your visit with the big studio where the famous water-lilies paintings saw the light of day. These paintings are exhibited at the Orangerie Museum in Paris. Enjoy the souvenir shop.
After the visit, transfer by minibus to Paris. Your guide drops you off at your accommodation in Paris.