7. From Paris: Skip-the-Line Versailles Bike Tour & Guide
Meet your guide in Paris before traveling to Versailles by train where your bikes will be waiting upon arrival. The royal grounds are an expansive 2,000 acres. Your bikes are super comfortable and easy to ride which means you’ll really get to see it all, far more than you ever could by foot. Have a professional guide inside the château or have the option to explore at your own pace. French history is full of personalities, from the high heel wearing, ballet dancing Sun King, and Marie Antoinette, to the legend that was Napoleon. Your licensed guide’s lively commentary will be fun and interactive - this is no history lecture.
A day trip to Versailles can be a holiday highlight or a complete disaster and this tour is designed to keep you away from the crowds. It’s all about how you do it. The stress will be taken out of your day so that you can sit back in your bike saddle and enjoy your break. The tour will be structured according to you, but on a typical day, the morning will be spent exploring the local town and the market. Every stall of this quaint and quintessentially French market will tempt you with its fresh baked pastries, crêpe stands, organic produce, cheese and wines - the things that you all love the most about France. Practice your French, have a free wine tastings and crêpe making demonstration while also stocking up on picnic supplies.
The rest of the morning will be spent exploring the royal grounds, gardens, fountains, inside Marie Antoinette’s hamlet and the Trianons, with a few hidden secrets along the way. Having worked up an appetite, you will then lay out your picnic lunch by the Grand Canal overlooking the spectacular château, a fantastic place to sip wine and relax in the sun. You’ll be taken to a favorite and most hidden part of the royal gardens, where some of Louis’ fountains dance to music. You will then skip the infamous line at the château and be guided through its stunning state rooms, royal apartments, the Hall of Mirrors and even Louis' bedroom. At the end of the day, make the short trip back to Paris with plenty of travel tips and Parisian insider secrets to fuel the rest of your holiday. Et voilà, the most unforgettable tour of Versailles is complete. Versailles has a way of capturing the hearts of all who visit.