800 hectares of perfect geometry, 55 fountains, and a baroque soundtrack on show days. Here is how and when to see them.
André Le Nôtre spent forty years shaping the Gardens of Versailles for Louis XIV, moving entire forests and rerouting rivers to feed the fountains. The result is the most famous formal garden in the world, and for many visitors it outshines the palace interior.
Garden access is free on most days from November to March, and ticketed on Musical Fountains Show and Musical Gardens days from April to October. The Passport ticket includes the gardens whatever the day.
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Book NowOn show days the fountains run to baroque music through the groves, usually Tuesdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from April to late October. Garden tickets cost around 11 euros, and the finale at the Neptune Fountain draws the biggest crowd of the day.
Fountains do not run continuously. They play in scheduled sequences, typically 11:00 to 12:00 and 15:30 to 17:00, with the Mirror Fountain running more often. Grab the day's schedule at the garden entrance and plan your loop around it.
Start at the Parterre d'Eau terrace for the classic view down the Grand Perspective, then descend past the Latona Fountain, restored to its full gilded glory, toward the Grand Canal. The Apollo Fountain marks the halfway point, with the canal stretching a full kilometer beyond it.
The groves are the hidden treasure: outdoor ballrooms and colonnades concealed behind trimmed hedges, open mainly on show days. Do not miss the Colonnade Grove, the Ballroom Grove with its shell covered cascades, and the Orangerie with over 1,000 trees in boxes, some older than the palace itself.
The estate is enormous. Walking from the palace to the far end of the Grand Canal and back is over 4 kilometers. Rent a rowing boat on the canal from about 13 euros per half hour, a bike near the Grand Canal, or a golf cart by the terrace if you want the alleys without the legwork.
The little train links the Palace, the Grand Trianon, the Petit Trianon and the canal. A day pass lets you hop on and off, which pairs well with a Passport ticket on a full day visit.
On summer Saturday evenings the gardens host the Night Fountains Show: illuminated fountains, torch lit groves and fireworks over the Grand Canal. Tickets sell separately from daytime entry, from about 33 euros, and regularly sell out weeks ahead for July dates.
The show ends around 23:00, after the last RER C trains reach Paris comfortably. Check the return schedule anyway, or book a tour with transport, because a taxi back to Paris costs 60 euros or more.
From November to March, yes, every day. From April to October the gardens are ticketed on Musical Fountains Show and Musical Gardens days, which cover most of the week. On free days, garden access costs nothing even without a palace ticket.
Musical Fountains Shows run Saturdays, Sundays and most Tuesdays and Fridays from April to late October, plus extra dates in summer. Fountains play in timed sequences rather than all day, so check the daily schedule when you arrive.
No. The Passport includes garden access, including on show days if you bought the Passport with show option. Palace only tickets do not include the gardens on show days.
Two hours covers the main axis from the terrace to the Apollo Fountain with a few groves. A relaxed loop including the Grand Canal banks and the Orangerie takes three to four hours. Add the Trianon estate and you have a full day.
Tickets sell out fast in high season. Book your timed entry today and enjoy free cancellation on most options.
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