Château de Versailles: Read before you go
If you're planning to visit the Château de Versailles, I'ld like to share with you some lifehacks so that you could feel better there, especially during la haute saison.
1. WC
There are two entries, A and B. Most people enter via the A, the groups via the B. After the security and the audioguides the visitors head from A to B across the court-yeard, where the visit starts. So imagine how many people are in the restrooms of the B in the beginning of the day. My advice is to visit first the WC of the A and then discover the Château, if you come shortly after the opening. They're situated on the -1 floor (EXIT from the Château to the Gardens).
If you come in the afternoon, it's better to visit the toilets of the ENTRY (building B), as the crowds are now concentrated in the area of the EXIT (building A, -1 floor) making a looong line to the restroom.
2. To snack
There's nothing INSIDE the palace except of the restaurant Angelina which is expensive. You may find smth to eat (like sandwiches) OUTSIDE - in the gardens. I recommend you to visit the site of the château to see what they've got.
As for me, the best thing is to have smth brought with you. In the palace, it is not even possible to buy a bottle of water! This is the awful politics of capitalism. What is worse, I am not sure that you're allowed to have food in your backpacks that you take with you during your visit of the palace. So have some water with you, and an apple, nuts or chocolate in your pockets. You'll get your food back at the exit from the palace, and in the Gardens - they are huge - find a nice quiet place to picknick.
3. Kids and toddlers
Just after you enter you must drop the strollers and even the baby carriers looking like backpacks and then carry your toddlers in your hands all the way long until you leave the palace. Think twice about a sling.
4. Maps and Appartments
Do not leave the entry A without asking all the questions at the information desk. And take a map of the domaine. It's silly, but this is the only point where you can find it.
5. Entry, exit
Pay attention to this obstacle: once you come into the palace, you're nearly obliged to visit it first. See everything possible inside, and only after that go outside. Once you leave the palace and head for the gardens, practically, it is not possible to return to the palace. You are deprived of the luxury to stroll here and there in the domaine. You can return only if you're strong enough to stay once again in a long line in front of the A. I saw: some people are that strong. But also that angry.
6. Don't disturb
The team that distributes the audioguides is not instructed to give you any information. They are really charged, you won't believe it but their job is as hard as the one of the waiters and flight attendants, so they would be really, sincerely greateful if you do not ask them anything beyond the area of the audioguides. Again: ask all your questions at the information desk (entry A). Because the questions you ask are asked by thousands of people every day. And because while you ask your "little question", you distract him/her from her work so that people exit from the château without returning the guides, the guides start screaming with an awful sound, and the guide distributor runs after it trying to find the "thief" amidst douzens of tourists.
7. If you wish the Orphéo guides in the Château supported a particular language, it is recommended to write a message on the site of the Château de Versailles about your wish. At the moment, there are: French, French for kids, Langue signe, English, German, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Polish, Russian, Mandarin, Japanese, Corean languages. It is the Château that orders languages to the Orphéo group. So the public opinion would be taken into consideration.
8. Off-season
This tip is good for any place. Escape the crowds, chose another season for your journey. Winter instead of summer, working days instead of holidays.
1. WC
There are two entries, A and B. Most people enter via the A, the groups via the B. After the security and the audioguides the visitors head from A to B across the court-yeard, where the visit starts. So imagine how many people are in the restrooms of the B in the beginning of the day. My advice is to visit first the WC of the A and then discover the Château, if you come shortly after the opening. They're situated on the -1 floor (EXIT from the Château to the Gardens).
If you come in the afternoon, it's better to visit the toilets of the ENTRY (building B), as the crowds are now concentrated in the area of the EXIT (building A, -1 floor) making a looong line to the restroom.
2. To snack
There's nothing INSIDE the palace except of the restaurant Angelina which is expensive. You may find smth to eat (like sandwiches) OUTSIDE - in the gardens. I recommend you to visit the site of the château to see what they've got.
As for me, the best thing is to have smth brought with you. In the palace, it is not even possible to buy a bottle of water! This is the awful politics of capitalism. What is worse, I am not sure that you're allowed to have food in your backpacks that you take with you during your visit of the palace. So have some water with you, and an apple, nuts or chocolate in your pockets. You'll get your food back at the exit from the palace, and in the Gardens - they are huge - find a nice quiet place to picknick.
3. Kids and toddlers
Just after you enter you must drop the strollers and even the baby carriers looking like backpacks and then carry your toddlers in your hands all the way long until you leave the palace. Think twice about a sling.
4. Maps and Appartments
Do not leave the entry A without asking all the questions at the information desk. And take a map of the domaine. It's silly, but this is the only point where you can find it.
5. Entry, exit
Pay attention to this obstacle: once you come into the palace, you're nearly obliged to visit it first. See everything possible inside, and only after that go outside. Once you leave the palace and head for the gardens, practically, it is not possible to return to the palace. You are deprived of the luxury to stroll here and there in the domaine. You can return only if you're strong enough to stay once again in a long line in front of the A. I saw: some people are that strong. But also that angry.
6. Don't disturb
The team that distributes the audioguides is not instructed to give you any information. They are really charged, you won't believe it but their job is as hard as the one of the waiters and flight attendants, so they would be really, sincerely greateful if you do not ask them anything beyond the area of the audioguides. Again: ask all your questions at the information desk (entry A). Because the questions you ask are asked by thousands of people every day. And because while you ask your "little question", you distract him/her from her work so that people exit from the château without returning the guides, the guides start screaming with an awful sound, and the guide distributor runs after it trying to find the "thief" amidst douzens of tourists.
7. If you wish the Orphéo guides in the Château supported a particular language, it is recommended to write a message on the site of the Château de Versailles about your wish. At the moment, there are: French, French for kids, Langue signe, English, German, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Polish, Russian, Mandarin, Japanese, Corean languages. It is the Château that orders languages to the Orphéo group. So the public opinion would be taken into consideration.
8. Off-season
This tip is good for any place. Escape the crowds, chose another season for your journey. Winter instead of summer, working days instead of holidays.
Comments
Post a Comment