virtual visit to versailles

The Palace of Versailles Opens Its Digital Doors, A Free Tour of Everything

“It’s not a palace, it’s an entire city. Superb in its size, superb in its matter.” — Charles Perrault, 1687

Here’s my guide to taking a virtual tour of the Palace of Versailles. Versailles is the most ornate and famous royal chateau in France. Once hidden away behind closed doors, the palace is now yours for digital viewing at home from your couch or computer screen.

Versailles is honestly one of my least favorite places in France to visit in real life. The lines are spectacularly long. The palace spectacularly crowded. It’s hard to really admire the royal handiwork with the crush of people.

READ : Tourist Traps To Skip in Paris

But in this time of global uncertainly and angst — a time of canceled vacations and missed travel opportunities — the Palace of Versailles has generously opened its digital doors, at least temporarily.

The palace is offering an unprecedented free virtual tour to experience from home. Everything can be seen; nothing is omitted.

Short History of the Palace of Versailles

The UNESCO-listed Palace of Versailles was once the center and cultural heartbeat of Europe, until the French Revolution. The Sun King Louis XIV transformed his father’s hunting lodge into a monumental palace in the mid 17th century.

The palace was France’s political capital and royal seat from 1682 to 1789. The royal court had 3,000 residents.

The Palace of Versailles is ornately decorated, to say the least. It’s massive, flashy, and very, very gold. The opulence is overwhelming. Even the bathrooms are gold plated.

As exemplifies the Baroque style, the palace was decorated with gilding, stucco, arabesques, frescoed vaulted ceilings, mirrors, and tromp l’oeil effects. The king’s apartments were in the center, because the world revolved around him.

But the palace itself wasn’t enough for the king who ruled by divine right. In 1687, Louis XIV built the Grand Trianon. This swishy pad is where Louis XIV escaped the viper pit of court life and pursued his affair with Madame de Montespan.

The architect, Jules Hardouin-Mansart, described the refined structure as “a little palace of pink marble and porphyry, with marvelous gardens.”

Aside from Louis XIV, Versailles’ most famous occupant was Marie Antoinette . The queen made major changes to the palace’s decor in the 18th century. With the exception of the Hall of Mirrors, the interior is more Louis XVI style than Louis XIV style.

Marie Antoinette also adored the Petit Trianon, a little Neo-Classical palace on the grounds. When Louis XVI inherited it, he gifted it to his queen, saying “This pleasure house is yours.”

The Petit Trianon bears her distinctive decor and ornamentation — ornate floral motifs run amok in cornflower blue, lilac, and green, without the glitz of the main palace.

Not content with just the Petit Trianon, Marie Antoinette hired two architects to create a pastoral fantasy for her, the Hameau de la Reine.

On the surface, the Queen’s Hamlet appeared as a rural village of crackled tumbledown cottages and wisteria vines. (The countryside was fashionable at the time.) But inside, the cottages were decked out.

READ : Guide To the Marie Antoinette Trail in Paris

Designed by Andre Le Notre, the gardens of the Palace of Versailles are also a vast showstopper. Louis XIV wanted a verdant display to demonstrate his power and to entertain VIPs.

It’s one of the most influential landscape designs in French history — with a series of geometric gardens, groves, fountains, and parks.

Virtual Tour of the Palace of Versailles

The palace has partnered with Google Arts & Culture to present its virtual exhibits online. Google takes users on a journey of the palace’s rich decor and art collection of over 22,000 pieces.

You can also take an amazing virtual tour on the Palace of Versailles’ website . Nothing is left out! For example, you can stroll through:

1. The famed Hall of Mirrors (one of the most famous rooms in the world). You

have a 360 view of the Hall of Mirrors here .

2. The King’s Apartments

3. The Queen’s Apartment s

4. The Royal Chapel

5. The Grand Trianon

6. The Petit Trianon

7. The Queen’s Hamlet

8. The amazing fountains in the garden

9. The lavish Le Notre gardens

10. The art galleries

11. The Napoleon Rooms

12. Marie Antoinette’s private chambers

13. The Coronation Room

And there are plenty of online virtual exhibitions and stories to whet your appetite or feed your soul. This is the perfect opportunity to discover the secrets behind the fashions of Versailles , how Louis XIV honed his political image , the jewelry worn at Versailles, or the gossip about Louis XIV’s long reigning mistress Madame de Montespan .

Versailles 3D , created by Google, also gives you an impressive 3D tour of Versailles. For the latest photos and stories, you can check out the Palace of Versailles’ Facebook page .

If you’ve watched the BBC’s Versailles TV series, you visit the filming locations via my guide .

READ : 3 Day itinerary for Paris

I hope you’ve enjoyed my virtual Versailles guide. You may enjoy these other virtual tours of France attractions:

French landmarks

Paris landmarks

Paris museums

French chateaux

Virtual Musee d’Orsay

Virtual Louvre

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Last Updated on November 9, 2021 by Leslie Livingston

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The Palace of Versailles is offering a free virtual tour

By Manon Garrigues

From The Hall of Mirrors to The Grand Trianon via the beautiful fountains, The Palace of Versailles is opening its digital doors for a virtual tour to be experienced from your own home.

22,000 pieces of art to experience online

In this time of uncertainty with many cultural spaces closed, museums are offering an alternative to allow fans to make the most of their treasures and pieces: the virtual tour. After the MET , the Louvre and the Musée d'Orsay , it's now the Palace of Versailles 's turn to open its galleries for an interactive stroll through the sages. Including the Hall of Mirrors , the Grand Trianon, the royal apartments, a peaceful work of art created for Marie Antoinette along with numerous gardens and fountains, not a single corner has been missed. Access to the virtual exhibitions is free is comes in partnership with Google Arts & Culture and takes users on a journey throughout the rich collections of the Palace and its art collection of over 22,000 pieces, which have all been detailed thoroughly on the site. This is the perfect opportunity to discover the secrets behind the famous Sacre de Napoléon , the stunning Marie Leszczynska furniture and other souvenirs from a fabulous era.

Head to the Palace of Versailles website for the virtual tour

Translated by Oliver Russell

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5 museum exhibitions to visit from home

Inspiration

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Reading time: 0 min Published on 21 June 2023, updated on 15 April 2024

For fans of culture, there's no need to wait for your next trip to France to visit some of these museums' amazing exhibitions. Free and immersive, these virtual exhibitions hosted by some French museums will take you on a journey through the ages. We've selected five exhibitions, monuments and national treasures of France to visit from your living room!

1. Versailles in its glory

Prepare for a total immersion into the era of the Sun King through 16 chronological stories illustrated by digital paintings. Choose between "Science at Versailles," "Fashion at Versailles" or "Marie-Antoinette: Mother and Queen" to see Versailles in its glory days. And if you're seeking a bit of fresh air, slip out from the exhibitions into the celebrated gardes, captured thanks to Google Maps. Take the chance to explore this amazing palace, just outside of Paris!

Visit the Château de Versailles

2. Underground journey in the Lascaux Caves

While comfy and cozy at home, you can still plunge to the depths of the Lascaux Caves, a UNESCO World Heritage site nestled deep below the Dordogne Valley . The caves, discovered in 1940, have become an important element in the study of prehistoric art. While it's incredible to see while in Dordogne in person, the digital archeological site is an incredible timeline to understand the history of this treasure.

Visit the Lascaux Caves

3. Night at the Musée d’Orsay

Come along and explore this fantastic Parisian landmark, originally created for the 1900 Exposition Universelle. Google Arts & Culture has created a exhibition entitled "From Station to the Renovated Musée d’Orsay," featuring many digital paintings from Van Gogh to Cézanne. Discover the works by artistic movement (Impressionism, Postimpressionism, etc.) along a timeline and click on the ones you'd like to learn more about! Get some inspiration for your next visit to the museum.

Visit the Musée d’Orsay

4. Impressionist Planet in Normandy

Immediate takeoff for the Impressionist Galaxy! Get your head in the clouds for the Musées des Impressionnismes in Giverny, and explore this exhibition featuring works from over 70 artists of the Impressionist movement. If every canvas creates its own planet, these works together combine to form a solar system detailing the movements that are linked to Impressionism, from "Italian Light" to "Netherlands and Belgium" or "Spanish Revival." Jet off with us to Normandy!

Visit the Impressionist Galaxy

5. Fashion and lace in Northern France

The capital of French lace, the city of Calais in Northern France cordially invites you to explore its artisinan savoir-faire in its online exhibitions. La Cité de la Dentelle et de la Mode de Calais (Museum of Fashion and Lace of Calais) is yours to discover on Google Arts and Culture over four stories. To discover the cultural heritage of the city, begin with the story "Lace, a European fabric art" then head over to the Balenciaga portion "The Lace Magician." Take in the wonder of the dresses, masters and fabrics on display in the museum and soak up the secrets of this classic French product.

Visit la Cité de la dentelle et de la mode

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Look Inside the French Palace of Versailles

Tour of the palace of versailles.

The Palace of Versailles stands as a testament to the power and wealth that the French royal family had before its demise. It was originally constructed in 1682 under the order of King Louis XIV, the Sun King, and served as the royal residence until his grandson, Louis XVI, was removed during the French Revolution in 1789.

A total of 700 rooms are found within the 720,000-square-foot palace that rests on more than 2,000 acres just outside of Paris. Yes, that makes it one of the largest palaces in the world.

Have you ever wanted to see inside? While it is impossible to see all of the rooms in this massive palace, tours are available that showcase the first floor, where the kings and queens lived out their days surrounded by courtiers. But you don't need to visit France to get a peek at the bougie chateaux. Follow along on our tour!

Map of Versailles' Ground Floor

To enter Versailles meant entering the King's State Apartment in the northwestern wing of the first floor, as you can see on this map you can follow as we take you through more than two dozen rooms.

The King's State Apartment consisted of seven grand rooms designed to be imposing and lavish — just the king's way of letting the world know who he was.

As you made your way through the apartments, you were part of a parade to reach the King's private rooms. Ready to see inside?

Room of Abundance

Entering the Palace, the first sight for a courtier or guest would be the intimate Salon d'Abondance, or Drawing Room of Plenty.

Here, coats would be taken and one could catch their breath before being led through the parade of halls to follow. The room was filled with refreshments, with coffee and wine available to begin or end your evening.

Officially the main entrance of the King's State Apartment, the Venus Room is located at the top of the Ambassador's Staircase, or Grand Degre, which was destroyed in 1752.

This room begins the theme of mythology in the rooms, as Louis XIV himself was called the Sun King. Venus, the goddess of Love, is painted on the ceiling of the room.

During evening events, this room was filled with fresh fruit and flowers.

The goddess of the hunt and sister to the sun god, Apollo, received recognition in this room named for her. Hunting scenes are found on the walls and in paintings.

Louis XIV used this room to play billiards, and the room had tiered seating for guests to watch him compete. But you're not in the "real" State Apartments yet. The space is considered yet one more entrance before the State Apartments truly begin.

Each of the three main State Apartment rooms features walls of a bold red, symbolizing courage, war, vigor and love.

As the god of war, Mars was appropriate for this room that was mainly used as a guard room during the day and transformed into a ballroom during evening events.

Mercury Room

Often called the bedroom, the Mercury Room was originally the King's bedchamber before he relocated it to a much smaller space behind the walls of the Hall of Mirrors.

The king then used this room, instead, for game tables. However, the museum added the bed to the room to showcase it in its original state.

Apollo Room

The Sun King saved the best room for last, dedicating this room to the god of the sun and of war.The king used it as his throne room, which featured his "silver" throne — an armchair bedecked in sculptures and plaques of silver.

Hanging above the fireplace is a copy of the famous portrait of the king, painted by Hyacinthe Rigaud. The original hangs in the Louvre, but during the king's reign, it called the Apollo Room home.

War Drawing Room

At the end of the parade that covered the northwestern wing of the palace comes the corner drawing room known as the War Room, which was completed in 1686.

This marble-filled room features gilded trophies and weapons celebrating war victories of the French. The bas-relief in the faux-fireplace, for example, depicts Clio, the muse of history, recording the kings' victories, while the relief above it features Louis XIV trampling his enemies on horseback.

Hall of Mirrors

As you leave the War Drawing Room behind, you enter the room most famous for bringing peace: the Hall of Mirrors. This room was actually supposed to be a large terrace but became ornately decorated in a Baroque style with 357 mirrors displayed. The Venetian mirrors, during the time of the kings, illustrated wealth, so it was just one more extravagance of the king.

More importantly, however, this is the very hall where the Treaty of Versailles was signed, creating peace between the Allies and Germany following World War I.

Peace Drawing Room

After war and a treaty comes peace, and this corner room on the opposite end of the western wing is so called. It's not one of the King's State Apartments, though. This is the last room of the Queen's Grand Apartments.

Found in the southwestern wing, the apartments mirrored the king's on the opposite side of the palace and were made for Louis XIV's wife, Queen Maria Theresa.

Queen's Bedchamber

The Queen's bedchamber was open to court as it was common for the queen's toileting and childbirth to be on display. The queens did give birth in this room, although, thankfully, they were allowed a screen to give them some privacy.

Maria Theresa died in this bedroom shortly after these rooms were ready for her. The king then turned her collection of apartments into his personal apartments.

Noble Salon

When Queen Marie Leszcznska, the wife of King Louis XV, lived in these apartments, she used this room to hold her formal audiences with the ladies of the court, sitting in a circle.

The decor of this room, however, is credited to Marie Antoinette, who didn't like the original look.

Grand Couvert

An odd tradition during the era of French royalty was to watch the king and queen eat dinner. Called the Grand Couvert, this is the room where the public could come watch the couple dine.

Louis XIV had dinner here almost every night, but his son Louis XV liked dinners in private, and Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette only dined here once a week. The young queen added a platform for musicians and had music played during the event.

As the official entrance into the Queen's Apartments and located at the top of the Marble Staircase, this is where 12 guards were stationed night and day.

As such, the queens never used this room, and its decor is the original of the palace — one of the few!

Coronation Room

Although it is called the Coronation Room, this room was the guardhouse until the French Revolution and the rise of the First Emperor of France, Napoleon Bonaparte.

He was crowned in 1804 but not here. He was crowned in Paris, so this is actually where the greatest paintings of his reign were on display, including one celebrating his crowning.

The Queen's Library

The queen did have some privacy, especially in this library that overlooks the Dauphin's Courtyard.

This room was given to Marie Antoinette while she was Dauphine and has remained intact since she used the space.

King's Bedchamber

Within the center of the palace, overlooking the Marble Courtyard, was the king's private rooms.

Louis XV relocated his bedchamber to this small south-facing location because it was easier to keep heated. He died in the room in 1774, and the room became the bedchamber to King XVI, the last King of France.

Mistresses' Apartment

The French kings were known for keeping mistresses, especially Louis XV, who is said to have cried when his love, Madame de Pompadour, died. 

Just a short — and private — walk to the king's private apartments, the space is actually found on the second floor and was an attic above the Mars, Mercury and Apollo rooms.

Dauphine's Chamber

The upper floors of the palace housed the royal family and courtiers and is where the Dauphine's chambers were located. Dauphines were the wives of the Dauphins, heirs to the throne — the French versions of princess and prince.

Before Marie Antoinette became queen, she used this collection of rooms that included a bedchamber and a sitting room.

The Gilded Room

Belonging to Madame Adelaide, the daughter of King XV, this private chamber served as a school for the princess.

The king also used the room for privacy and having his coffee.

King's Dining Room

One of the two rooms that had been Adelaide's apartments, this dining room overlooks the courtyard and was transformed by the king for his post-hunt dinners. (Remember, he liked his dinners private.)

When Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette ruled, this was one of their favorite rooms, where they would have dinner with their closest friends.

Louis XVI's Games Rooms

Connected to the dining room, this room became a game room for Louis XVI.

After dining, the dinner party could continue in this room well into the night.

Louis XVI's Library

The first room in the palace commissioned by Louis XVI when he became a young king was a new library.

As the younger family members lived on the upper floors, he had libraries but built this to be his largest and on the same floor with his apartments.

Royal Opera

In the South Wing, the stunning Royal Opera was the largest concert hall in Europe when it was first used in 1770 by Louis XV. The theater and ballroom were first used for the wedding of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette.

Now, the museum continues the tradition and features performances and concerts open to the public.

Hercules Room

In the North Wing, the Hercules Room was the last room Louis XIV was working on before his death. Formerly a chapel, the space was being converted following the completion of the grander chapel to which it is connected.

Louis XV finished the room, and it is an entrance to both the chapel and the Room of Abundance.

Royal Gallery

The last space Louis XIV saw to completion was this gothic chapel, which was dedicated to Saint Louis, of the family's ancestry and the kings' namesake.

The two-story chapel was used daily for the king's mass at 10 a.m.

Louis XIV enjoyed life away from the royal court, so he had the Grand Trianon constructed as a space with gardens to retreat. He also used it to entertain his mistress, who later lived here during the summer months.

This area on the Versailles' estate includes the first grand palace, a second smaller palace and gardens. Its name comes from the former village that occupied the land.

The Grand Trianon

The Grand Trianon is rather two palaces connected by a sheltered colonnade called the Peristyle.

Housing a North Wing, for State Apartments, and a South Wing, for residential use, the pink marble building was a favorite of Louis XIV.

The Round Room

This round room was the entrance to the first of Louis XIV's State Apartments, found in the North wing.

Mirror Room

Louis XIV's suite of apartments in the Grand Trianon included this Mirror Room, which was used as a council chamber.

Chapel Room

This room was originally used as a private chapel with an altar in the back and doors that could be closed to convert the room into a gathering space.

Louis XIV turned it into an antechamber during his reign.

Louis-Philippe's Family Room

In this palace that acted more like home, this was the family room to Louis-Philippe and was a relaxing place.

The tables were meant for card games.

Garden Room

Cards were also played in the Garden Room, which overlooks the Chestnut Grove and the Grand Canal.

Private Chamber

This room had a number of uses during its different rulers. A bedroom, a "resting room" and an office.

The artwork adorning the green damask walls are paintings of Apollo.

Breakfast Room

Preferring to eat his meals privately, Louis XIV enjoyed his supper in this room, where there was also an elevated platform for musicians.

Louis XV made the space a private office, but Napoleon turned it back into a dining room for breakfast.

Empress' Bedroom

Originally the bedroom of Louis XIV and where Louis XVIII died, this royal bedroom became the Empress' bedroom during Napoleon's tenure.

Emperor's Bedroom

This bedroom was originally used by Louis XV, who decorated the space with wood paneling.

But Napoleon used this as his bedroom once he took over the palace.

Petit Trianon

On the same estate as the Trianon, Louis XV added this smaller palace. He died here, but when his son and Marie-Antoinette became King and Queen, Louis XVI gave it to the queen.

Napoleon III's wife, Empress Eugenie, turned it into a museum dedicated to Marie-Antoinette.

As the original chapel had been removed, Louis-Philippe created this private chapel out of Louis XIV's former billiard room.

Queen's Theater

Hidden in the gardens of the Grand Trianon is a theater commissioned by Marie-Antoinette.

Renowned for loving the arts, she wanted a class theater for performances. This one seats 250 with an orchestra pit that holds 20 musicians.

The Queen's Hamlet

Marie-Antoinette felt that even the Petit Trianon was still not enough of an escape from the royal court.

So, the King presented her with a rustic hamlet, the Hameau de la Reine, built even farther away as a retreat just for her.

The Queen's Stage

The Flemish-designed buildings created a neighborhood grotto around a lake and gave the young Queen a place to escape the glamor and glitz of Versailles as she entertained her closest friends in private.

The entire space was designed to look like a stage.

Marie Antoinette's Maison

The largest building of the Hamlet was, of course, the Queen's House, called Maison de la Reine. Designed like a stage that connected Antoinette's bedroom, boudoir, dining room, salon and billiards room, its construction was meant to be temporary.

The house was restored in 2018, and it is filled with pieces from Empress Marie-Louise's estate, as Antoinette's furnishings were destroyed and scattered during the French Revolution.

Yellow Salon

The largest salon in Marie-Antoinette's house was airy and sunny with walls hung in yellow silk.

This first-floor room welcomed only the closest of her friends.

The Boudoir

This intimate room featured wood floors, white marble and mirrors and was used by Marie-Antoinette for just a few guests.

Its name says it all.

The Guard House and Dovecote

The Dovecote was not only home to doves but hens, roosters and chicken that Marie-Antoinette chose herself.

Each building in the hamlet had a vegetable garden. The hamlet's agricultural buildings were actually used as such. Workers lived in these buildings, including the head gardener.

This honor went to Jean Bersy, who was also in charge of Marie-Antoinette's safety when she was in the hamlet.

Marlborough Tower and Working Dairy

The tower of the hamlet is a part of the fisherman's cottage and was used to store fishing equipment.

The dairy supplied the rich butter and creams Marie-Antoinette so famously loved to enjoy.

The Windmill

The windmill, however, wasn't actually a mill.

It was painted in trompe-l'oeil to look like a deteriorating French countryside building.

The Gardens of Versailles are considered to be the most beautiful in the world — so much so that other royal families have attempted to recreate their own versions of these grand gardens.

Designed by landscape architect Andre Le Notre, there are more than 350,000 trees throughout the 2,000 acres that feature a Grand Canal and an Orangerie.

The gardens are most famous for their fountains, of which there are 50 with various themes. Fifteen groves, like the one pictured here, were created as small gardens with fountains surrounded by walls of trees and greens to hide them away.

From outside the palace, follow the Water Walk that leads to the famous Neptune Fountain, constructed in 1682, and reach the Dragon Fountain, which tells the story of Apollo and has water jets that make this fountain the tallest of them all.

Long before refrigerators and freezers, to keep ice meant creating large buildings with thick stone walls. 

The first ice stores at Versailles were added during Louis XIV's reign.

1-hour guided virtual tour of the Palace of Versailles

• Remote visit
• Entry/Admission - Palace of Versailles
• Access to the remote visit is done from your home, using standard equipment (computer, tablet, smartphone) and a stable internet connection.
• Wheelchair accessible
• Stroller accessible
• Service animals allowed
• Near public transportation
• Transportation is wheelchair accessible
• Surfaces are wheelchair accessible
• Confirmation will be received at time of booking
• Most travelers can participate
• This experience requires a minimum number of travelers. If it’s canceled because the minimum isn’t met, you’ll be offered a different date/experience or a full refund
• This is a private tour/activity. Only your group will participate
• For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours in advance of the start date of the experience.

More to explore in Versailles

1-hour guided virtual tour of the Palace of Versailles provided by ReGuide

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interactive map of the palace of versailles

Where are the entrances? Where can I buy tickets? Where is the Hall of Mirrors? How do I get to Marie-Antoinette’s Estate? Where are the toilets? etc.

This interactive map will accompany you throughout your visit to the Palace and the Estate . With over 500 points of interest, " Bienvenue" also lets you explore the estate at your own pace and increase your knowledge of Versailles.

start the visit

• change the background
• Overview Explore
• Gardens Explore
• The Palace of Versailles Explore
• Park Explore
• Trianon Palaces and Marie-Antoinette’s Estate Explore

The Estate of Versailles is vast. Use this map to locate the services and the main places. Here are also our recommendations for coming by train, car, etc.

The gardens are open every day from 8 am to 8.30 pm during the high season (April to October) and from 8 am to 6 pm during the low season (November to March) except for exceptional events and when there are Fountains Night Show (closure at 5.30 pm). Plan for at least 2 hours for your visit.

Please note that from 29 March to 31 October, access to the gardens is subject to a charge from Tuesday to Sunday (days of the Fountains Shows and Musical Gardens). In this case, buy a "Passeport" ticket online (access to the entire estate) or a Grandes Eaux / Jardins musicaux ticket (available at the entrance of the gardens).

See the dates for Fountains shows, Musical Garden and Fountains Night Show.

The Palace of Versailles

The Palace is open every day, except Mondays, from 9 am to 6.30 pm during the high season (April to October) and from 9 am to 5.30 pm during the low season (November to March). Last admission 30 minutes before closing.

Plan for at least 1½ hours for your visit. Due to the large number of visitors, it is important to buy your ticket online, as only an online reservation guarantees you access to the Palace.

The Park is open free of charge every day from 7 am to 8.30 pm during the high season (April to October). Last admission: 5.50 pm for vehicles and 8.00 pm for pedestrians. The Park is open free of charge every day from 8 am to 6 pm during the low season (November to March). Last admission: 5.30 pm.

It is the perfect place for a walk, renting a boat on the Grand Canal, going for a bike ride, etc.

Warning: only the Queen's Gate gives access to the estate park by car.

Trianon Palaces and Marie-Antoinette’s Estate

This estate includes the Petit Trianon, the Grand Trianon and the Queen's Hamlet. During the high season (April to October), the Trianon Palaces are open every day except Mondays from 12 pm to 6.30 pm. The Palaces are open from 12 pm to 5.30 pm during the low season (November to March). The visit will take at least 3 hours.

The Lady of the house

See where the queen let her hair down, inside the queen's bedchamber, take a tour of the queen's boudoir, where marie-antoinette kept her jewels, see the details of the queen's jewelry cabinet, in 3d, see a 3d model of the queen's bedroom, how can you miss the 7 stools guarding the queen's bed, mirror, mirror on the wall, the room with 357 mirrors, inside the hall of mirrors, take a virtual tour of the hall of mirrors, the hall of mirrors, have a solo wander around with street view, see a 3d model of the hall of mirrors, the hall of mirrors from a new angle: no crowds, no reflections, see the dogs on the porphyry vase, in 3d, up close and personal with the decor, see the twists on this yellow marble vase, in 3d, say a little prayer, explore where the court attended mass every day, inside the royal chapel, take a tour of the royal chapel, how music was made, see the chapel organ, in 3d, see a 3d model of the chapel, take a quiet stroll in the palace's chapel, sing your heart out, explore the the royal opera, inside the royal opera, take a tour of the royal opera, see a 3d model of the royal opera, there's more to this opera than just a stage – look up, crowning glory, see where kings and queens were made, inside the coronation chamber, take a tour of the coronation chamber, see a 3d model of the coronation chapter, can you count the paintings in the coronation chamber, green fingers, the fountains and gardens of versailles, virtual tour, take a tour of the gardens, history, remodelled, the palace's story told through 3d reconstructions, history of the palace of versailles, versailles wasn't built in a day, versailles after the french revolution, what happened when the king left the palace for good, the gardens and the trianon palaces, see the home of marie-antoinette, the making of 'versailles 3d with google', take a stroll in 360°, capturing versailles in street view, behind-the-scenes of street view, how to capture a 8.2 km² palace, the artworks of versailles up close, explore the palace's art and design, from royal portraits to iconic interiors, versailles: the palace is yours, a private virtual tour of the former home of french royalty.

(Virtual) Tour de France: 9 remarkable French destinations to explore from your armchair

From châteaux to caves, take a trip across France without leaving your home with these incredible virtual reality tours from Google Arts & Culture

1) Follow in the regal footsteps of France’s royal family at the Château de Versailles

A private tour of Versailles may sound like the privilege of millionaire tourists, but now we can all enjoy the experience with Versailles: The Palace is Yours. Wander freely around the king and queen’s bedchambers, admire priceless works of art up close and marvel at the ornate Hall of Mirrors.

Take a tour of Versailles

2) Immerse yourself in the fragrant lavender fields of Provence

On the famous Valensole Plateau, the distinctive purple flowers stretch as far as the eye can see. Google’s pioneering technology allows you to plant your feet among the lavender of Provence without needing to get on a flight. You can almost smell the flowers through your screen!

Take a tour of the Valensole Plateau

3) Tackle the dramatic slopes of Mont Blanc

Whether you’re a seasoned mountaineer or you’ve just got a head for heights, this one’s for you – hiking boots and pickaxes not necessary! Experience Europe’s White Lady from a brave climber’s perspective, with magnificent, 360-degree views of the Alps to enjoy.

Take a tour of Mont Blanc

4) Venture into the depths of the rarely-visited Chauvet Cave

Only a handful of lucky people a year are allowed inside this artistic time capsule, around 30,000 years old yet only rediscovered in 1994. Adorned with drawings of animals including mammoths and hyenas, it’s truly a sight to behold. English speakers can enjoy a guided tour with British Star Wars actress Daisy Ridley, while Cécile de France is the celebrity guide for Francophones.

Take a tour of the cave

5) Become a flâneur for an hour in picture-perfect Montmartre

Take a tour of one of Paris’ prettiest districts by Street View, strolling down the cobbled lanes and admiring the cute houses that line them. Time flies by as you explore the area’s appealing side streets, passing pavement cafes that you’ll definitely want to add to your to-visit list next time you’re in the City of Light.

Take a tour of Montmartre

6) Lose yourself in nature in the gardens of the Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild

A horticultural paradise on the French Riviera, these outstanding gardens revolve around nine different themes: French, Spanish, Japanese, Florentine, Provençal, exotic, a stone garden, a rose garden, and the Sèvres garden. Take your time along the paths exploring each of the distinct areas, flanked by palm trees that’ll make you feel like you’re on the sunny south coast.

Take a tour of the gardens

7) Dive into the underground lake at the Opéra National de Paris

Did you know that there’s an eerie underground lake below the Palais Garnier that inspired the original Phantom of the Opera book? The yellow-tinged waters may not look very appealing, so Google’s intrepid creatives have done the hard work for us and captured it on film for everyone to explore.

Take a tour of the underground lake

8) Unleash your inner fairy tale princess or prince at the Château de Chambord

Beautiful castles aren’t in short supply in the Loire Valley, but the fairy-tale-esque twisting spires of Chambord surely make it one of the highlights of the region. Explore the estate in all its glory with the help of technology.
 Take a tour of Chambord’s castle

9) Get a breath-taking view of Paris atop the Eiffel Tower

You can’t visit Paris without visiting the Eiffel Tower, and the views you’ll get up there are out of this world. Enjoy a bird’s-eye view of Paris’ most famous landmarks and marvel at the meanders of the Seine from your lofty position. 
 Take a tour of the Eiffel Tower

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The Palace of Versailles or Château de Versailles, which has been on UNESCO's World Heritage List for 30 years, is one of the most beautiful achievements of 18th-century French art. One of the best known tourist attractions in France, few places better showcase the opulence and grandeur of the French monarchy better than the Palace of Versailles. The site began as Louis XIII's hunting lodge before his son Louis XIV transformed and expanded it, moving the court and government of France to Versailles in 1682. Each of the three French kings who lived there until the French Revolution added improvements to make it more beautiful. The Hall of Mirrors, the King's Grand Apartments, the Museum of the History of France. The Château de Versailles, the seat of power until 1789, has continued to unfurl its splendour over the course of centuries. At first it was just a humble hunting lodge built by Louis XIII. But Louis XIV chose the site to build the palace we know today, the symbol of royal absolutism and embodiment of classical French art.

Currently 12 panoramas in this collection

The Hall of Mirrors (La Grande Galerie) #1

The Hall of Mirrors (French:Grande Galerie or Galerie des Glaces) is the central gallery of the Palace of Versailles and is renowned as being one of the most famous rooms in the world. The principal feature of this famous hall is the seventeen mirror-clad arches that reflect the seventeen arcaded windows that overlook the gardens. Each arch contains twenty-one mirrors with a total complement of 357 used in the decoration of the galerie des glaces.

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The Hall of Mirrors (La Grande Galerie) #2

The Hercules Salon

The first salon of the King's Grand Apartment, the Hercules salon was created at the end of Louis XIV's reign. The works on the Hercules salon lasted until 1736, when Francois Lemoine completed the painting of the vault depicting the Apotheosis of Hercules, which was supposed to show that "Virtue raises man above himself". This vast allegorical composition with 142 figures aimed to rival the masterpieces of the Italian fresco painters but it was painted on primed canvases, i.e. glued onto the support. The work was so exhausting that the young painter, despite the success of his work, committed suicide shortly afterwards.

The Coronation Room

This large space adjoining the royal apartments first served as the palace's second chapel (1672-1682), and then the Great Guard's Room "for both the King and the Queen" (1682-1789). In 1833, it became a room devoted to the glory of Napoleon Bonaparte, First Consul and then Emperor of the French. The plan was to display the greatest paintings of his reign, which could not be placed anywhere else in the palace: the two immense paintings commissioned from Jacques-Louis David to commemorate the ceremonies celebrating Napoleon's crowning as Emperor of the French: The Coronation of 2 December 1804 (1805-1808), and The Distribution of the Eagle Standards on 5 December 1804 (1808-1810). The Palace of Versailles.

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The War Salon (Salon de la Guerre)

The decoration of the War Room (Salon de la Guerre) glorifies the military victories that led to the Peace of Nijmegen. The walls are covered with marble panels decorated with six trophies and gilded bronze carvings. The wall has an oval plasterwork bas-relief representing Louis XIV on horseback trampling over his enemies. It is surmounted by two gilded Renomm�es supported by two prisoners in chains. The ceiling represents France in the centre, armed and sitting on a cloud, surrounded by Victories. The ceiling panels portray the king�s three conquered enemies: Germany, kneeling, with an eagle; Spain, threatening, with a ro#229 lion and Holland, upside down on a lion. The fourth panel represents Bellone, Goddess of war, enraged between Rebellion and Discord.

The Peace Salon (Salon de la Paix)

The Peace Room (Salon de la Paix) features the same decoration of marble panel and trophies of gilded bronze and carved weapons as in the War Room, to which is symmetrical. However, Le Brun decorated the cupola and the ceiling panels with the benefits of the peace given to Europe by France.

The 1830 Room

The 1830 Room was the finishing touch on Louis-Philippe's galleries at Versailles when it was inaugurated in June 1837. The decor commemorates the accession to power of Louis-Philippe, Duc d'Orléans, following the July 1830 Revolution, the "Three Glorious Days": first as lieutenant-general of the kingdom and, a few days later, as king "elected" by the French under the name Louis-Philippe I. The Duc d'Orléans Arriving at the Hôtel de Ville in Paris" and "The Reading of the Proclamation of Deputies and the Proclamation of the Lieutenant-General of the Kingdom", "Louis-Philippe Taking the Oath before the Chambers to Uphold the Charter of 1830" and "The Flags of the National Guard Being Given to Paris" hang beneath the ceiling depicting "Truth Accompanying Justice and Wisdom, Protecting France from Hypocrisy, Fanaticism and Discord".

The Hall of Battles

The Galerie des Batailles (Gallery of Battles) is a 120 metre long and 13 metre wide gallery occupying the first floor of the aile du midi of the Palace of Versailles, joining onto the grand and petit 'appartements de la reine'. It is an epigone of the Grande galerie of the Louvre and was intended to glorify French military history from the Battle of Tolbiac (traditionally dated 495) to the Battle of Wagram (5–6 July 1809).

The Abundance Salon

On evening soirees, the Abundance Salon was the place of refreshments, where a buffet served coffee, wine and liqueurs. It was also the antechamber of the Cabinet of Curiosities or the Rarities of Louis XIV (now occupied by the Games Salon of Louis XVI) which was accessed by the rear door. The king liked to show his distinguished guests the silverware vases, gems and medals which were kept here and which inspired the decor of the vault, where one can see in particular the great royal vessel depicted above the doorway.

The Diana Salon

Like the Venus Salon, the Diana Salon served as a vestibule to the Grand Apartment and in Louis XIV's day, on evening soirees, as a billiard room. In Greek Antiquity, Diana, the goddess of hunting, was associated with the moon due to her coldness. She was also the sister of Apollo, the Sun God. The mouldings are decorated with hunting scenes of heroes of the Antiquity. The central part of the ceiling represents Diana presiding over navigation and hunting. On the mantelpiece, the Sacrifice of Iphigenia and, opposite, over the console, Diana and Endymion.

The Mars Salon

Mars is a planet but also the God of War. The choice of this military theme which inspired all the decoration of the salon can be explained by the fact that this large room was originally meant to serve as the guard room for the parade apartment. It was later reserved, at evening soirees, for music and dancing, so that it was commonly known as the "ballroom". In the centre of the ceiling, Mars on a chariot drawn by wolves. The work is framed by two compositions; one, to the east: Victory supported by Hercules followed by Abundance and Felicity; the other, to the west: Terror, Fury and Fright taking over the powers of Earth.

The Venus Salon

This salon, as well as Diana�s Salon, formed the main access to the Grand Apartment, since the grand staircase, known as the "Ambassadors� Staircase" (destroyed in 1752) ended here. Like all the following rooms, this salon takes its name from a planet, the theme linked to the solar myth which inspired all the decor of Versailles in the 1670s. Here Venus is depicted on the ceiling with the features of the Goddess of Love who, in Greek Antiquity, was associated with this planet.

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Virtual Exhibitions Google Arts & Culture partnership

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These exhibitions developed specially for the web allow to tackle new themes. Thanks to the alliance of Google technologies and works chosen by the curators, the visitor plunges into interactive frescoes and discovers the paintings, sculptures and engravings in a new light.

Louis XIV / Nicolas Fouquet: a certain history of taste

This exhibition takes a new look at Louis XIV and Nicolas Fouquet, two men of power that history has all too often shown in conflict, forgetting what they had in common, notably their tastes and artistic influences.

Curators of the exhibition : Lynda Frenois, Manager of the Palace of Vaux-le-Vicomte and its collections, and Mathieu Da Vinha, Scientific Director of the Palace of Versailles Research Centre

Louis XIV, the construction of a political image

Discover the exhibition online

Over 200 painted portraits and 750 engravings depicting the Sun-King's omnipotence have survived. This exhibition presents a selection of the most significant of them and, through Louis XIV's different portraits, show that the monarch was able, like no one else, to render art into an instrument of power. Curator of the exhibition : Béatrice Sarrazin, curator in charge of the XVIIe century paintings.

Immortalising Versailles

Through photos of the domain, taken since the invention of photography at the XIXe century, discover the contemporary history of the Palace: official visits of foreign heads of state, views of the park following 1999's storm, restorations, and portfolios left by famous photographers.

Curator of the exhibition : Karine McGrath, responsible for the archives.

fashion at Versailles

Versailles fashion still inspires great designers today. It was in the 1780s, during Louis XVI’s reign, that trends in women's and men's fashion began to emerge. The two virtual exhibitions suggest to decipher these codes which have emerged around the iconic figure of Marie-Antoinette.

Curators of the exhibition: Géraldine Bidault, responsible for the digital photo library and for online collections, curator of the digital exhibition, and Vincent Bastien, doctor of art history, assistant of the curators and curator of the digital exhibition.

a place at the royal table

On the occasion of the European Year of Cultural Heritage (EYCH), many events are organized in Europe to celebrate the gastronomic heritage. The Association of European Royal Residences, including the palace of Versailles, offers the virtual exhibition: "A place at the Royal Table". Curators of the exhibition: Élisabeth Caude and Géraldine Bidault.

Sciences at Versailles