Exclusive tour of Versailles with Chef Ducasse Gourmet Lunch
This VIP guided tour grants access to the hidden side of royal life, visiting not only the stunning Hall of Mirrors and the impressive State Apartments, but also the more intimate luxury of the King’s Private Apartments. These are closed to the general public today, as they were under the old regime, but you’ll have the exclusive opportunity to see the refined decor and human proportion in these rooms where the royals relaxed with their closest friends. Once you’ve enjoyed this complete experience in the palace and the gardens, a final experience is included: a refined gourmet lunch within the palace, at the splendid Ore restaurant managed by famous master chef Alain Ducasse.
Your certified local guide will meet you in downtown Paris and accompany you to the royal city of Versailles by regional train. This in-depth, privileged visit guarantees not only skip-the-line access to the popular general visit, but also special entrance to the private apartments where group volume and frequency is carefully limited.
The kings and queens at Versailles felt compelled to enact most of their daily routines in the public eye, to monopolize the courtiers’ attention. In the busy State Apartments, you’ll hear about the complex sequence of dressing, eating, and bedroom ceremonies that the kings performed before hundreds of spectators. But you’ll also gain entry to the hidden rooms, behind the scenes, where palace residents could occasionally escape onlookers during the day for a bit of privacy, or even at night for a more comfortable bed! These smaller rooms are more intimate but also more refined, and they contain much of the original furniture of the Palace of Versailles that would not be properly protected in the more crowded salons.
You’ll pass through the famous room of the Golden Plate, where Mozart serenaded the royal family in 1763. The Astronomical Clock of Louis XV will astonish you as well; far more than a timepiece, it illustrates the daily position of the moon and the planets, and if regularly wound it will show the correct day and date for thousands of years to come! This deluxe tour will also feature either the Royal Opera or the Royal Chapel, both venues that featured prominently in Marie Antoinette’s wedding festivities in 1770. Thanks to the entertaining commentary by your expert guide, you’ll feel like you were there.
Your tour also includes a stroll through the famous gardens of Versailles, the setting for promenades, performances and pyrotechnics. Designed under the enthusiastic supervision of the Sun King himself, these gardens receive yearly restorations and remain as impressive as ever. On certain days, the fountains are active and the whole domain is set to music.
At the end of your visit, you’ll enjoy a delicious meal in an exclusive and refined setting. The brand new Ore restaurant, opened in 2016 in the 18th century royal apartments, features fine French cuisine by award-winning chef Alain Ducasse. Ducasse is known for his inventive cooking using fresh, local products to assemble classic and modern dishes. Your memorable Versailles experience will conclude in style with beautiful views and fine French flavors.
