Four Ways to Enjoy the Gardens

There are four ways to enjoy Versailles' vast gardens: on foot, by little train, by bicycle, or by golf cart.

Walking costs nothing, though it is physically demanding. It takes about thirty minutes on foot to reach the Grand Trianon, and seeing the Petit Trianon and the Queen's Hamlet as well adds roughly two more hours of walking. For anyone with the stamina, it's a free way to take in the gardens at a leisurely pace.

The most recommended option is to combine walking with the little train. Tickets are sold at the green kiosk near the palace, and the train stops at the Apollo Fountain, the Grand Trianon, and the Petit Trianon. Two ticket types are available: an all-day hop-on, hop-off pass, and a one-way "return" ticket good only for the trip back from the estates. With a return ticket, visitors typically walk out toward the Grand Canal first, taking in the gardens and fountains along the way (there's a restaurant there too), get a close look at the Apollo Fountain, then walk on to the first estate and, five minutes further, the second, before finally boarding the train back to the starting point. It's also possible to buy a one-way ticket directly from the conductor at the estate stop, though passengers with the all-day pass tend to be given priority boarding.

The third option, bicycles, work well for exploring the gardens themselves but are not recommended as transportation to the estates, since the rental clock keeps running the whole time you're inside touring. Finally, golf carts can only be rented by those aged 24 or older with a valid driver's license; like bicycles, they suit leisurely garden touring better than point-to-point travel. A driver's license is required to rent a cart, and a passport is required to rent a bicycle.