Versailles Bike Tour

Highlights / General details

Allow us to bring you the most famous “house” in the world as few others have experienced it. After meeting at our Paris office, we’ll ride our bicycles to the nearest RER station for the quick train trip to Versailles.

Once at Versailles, we’ll first visit the village market to buy baguettes, cheese, ham, wine or whatever you desire for our picnic later in the Chateau’s gardens. We will then spend most of our day riding through the tree-lined gardens and near the Grand Canal. The average Versailles tourist doesn’t realize that they can only visit a small fraction of the gardens on foot. We’ll see it all!

Hall of Mirrors: Used by King Louis XIV as the place to welcome important guests (and also for opulent parties). Try to imagine walking the length of the Hall with servants lining both sides and King Louis himself sitting in a chair at the far end. Also the site of the signing of the Treaty of Versailles in 1919 that officially ended World War I.

Chateau Gardens: The world-famous gardens are alone worth the trip. We spend most of our day in the outer gardens and along the Grand Canal. These are only enjoyed on a bicycle and are virtually impossible to see on foot. Our guests typically enjoy the gardens even more than the Chateau itself.

The Chateau: Located some 20 kilometers southwest of Paris, it was originally the royal hunting lodge. King Louis XIV moved his court officially to Versailles in 1682 and it became the seat of the French government and monarchy. The Château housed the royal family until 1789 when Revolutionaries forced them to return to Paris.

Grand & Petit Trianons: Built by Kings Louis XIV and XV respectively, they offer a fantastic view into the original Versailles. Each is located in the exterior gardens, away from the Chateau. Charles de Gaulle had an office in the Grand Trianon after World War II.

Versailles Open Market: Our first stop at Versailles will be at the world-famous market to shop for our picnic supplies. Stock up on fruit, cheese, meats, wine and, of course, pastries. Be sure to bring your appetite and a corkscrew.

Picnic along the Grand Canal: We settle down at the far end of the Grand Canal for the best picnic of your life. Typically everyone buys a litttle too much of something and it becomes a feast for all.

Inclusion

Bicycle; Transportation to and from Versailles; Chateau entrance and audio guide.

Hours of operation

Available: Daily, except Monday (April-October); Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday (March and November). Departs: 9:00am - Please meet 15 minutes prior to tour departure.

Duration

Approximately 8 hours. The tour typically returns to Paris between 5:00pm & 6:00pm, but guests are welcome to stay in Versailles longer if they wish. Distance: 10.1 Miles or 16.25 km.

Location Our tour meets at our office located at 24, rue Edgar Faure, Paris 75015, but the La Motte Picquet-Grenelle Metro on line 8, direction Balard, is closed. There are two other stations nearby: the RER C line, Champ de Mars – Tour Eiffel station and the La Motte-Picquet / Grenelle station which is serviced by Metro lines 6 and 10. From the RER C line, Champ de Mars – Tour Eiffel station. Estimated walking time: 10 minutes. Follow the signs inside the station to exit Bd de Grenelle (“sortie Bd de Grenelle“). When you reach street-level, please cross the street to rue de la Federation and walk up it (it only flows away from the river) for about 8 minutes. The second street on your right will be rue Desaix. Turn right onto Desaix and after only a minute or two, you will turn left down the first street, rue Edgar Faure. Please follow this up and around the bend to the right; our office is number 24 and you will see a lot of bikes parked in front. From La Motte-Picquet / Grenelle, Metro line 10. Estimated walking time: 7 minutes. Follow the signs to exit 4 (“sortie 4”). When you reach street-level, turn directly to your right onto rue Pondichery. You will be walking between a restaurant called Le Bouquet de Grenelle on the left and a pink-windowed chocolate shop called La Petite Chocolatiere on the right. Follow Pondichery for about six minutes until you reach a small park. Follow the park around the corner to the right (there is a large Parisian public toilet on the corner). Our office is located on the first street on your left, rue Edgar Faure. Our office is number 24 and you will see a lot of bikes parked in front.

Additional Information If you are able, please bring a backpack to carry your food for our picnic lunch. We will visit the market upon arrival (price of picnic supplies not included in tour price) to the town of Versailles and then stop for lunch several hours later. Please bring Euro cash for market supplies as well.

Location

Our tour meets at our office located at 24, rue Edgar Faure, Paris 75015, but the La Motte Picquet-Grenelle Metro on line 8, direction Balard, is closed. There are two other stations nearby: the RER C line, Champ de Mars – Tour Eiffel station and the La Motte-Picquet / Grenelle station which is serviced by Metro lines 6 and 10. From the RER C line, Champ de Mars – Tour Eiffel station. Estimated walking time: 10 minutes. Follow the signs inside the station to exit Bd de Grenelle (“sortie Bd de Grenelle“). When you reach street-level, please cross the street to rue de la Federation and walk up it (it only flows away from the river) for about 8 minutes. The second street on your right will be rue Desaix. Turn right onto Desaix and after only a minute or two, you will turn left down the first street, rue Edgar Faure. Please follow this up and around the bend to the right; our office is number 24 and you will see a lot of bikes parked in front. From La Motte-Picquet / Grenelle, Metro line 10. Estimated walking time: 7 minutes. Follow the signs to exit 4 (“sortie 4”). When you reach street-level, turn directly to your right onto rue Pondichery. You will be walking between a restaurant called Le Bouquet de Grenelle on the left and a pink-windowed chocolate shop called La Petite Chocolatiere on the right. Follow Pondichery for about six minutes until you reach a small park. Follow the park around the corner to the right (there is a large Parisian public toilet on the corner). Our office is located on the first street on your left, rue Edgar Faure. Our office is number 24 and you will see a lot of bikes parked in front.

Additional Information If you are able, please bring a backpack to carry your food for our picnic lunch. We will visit the market upon arrival (price of picnic supplies not included in tour price) to the town of Versailles and then stop for lunch several hours later. Please bring Euro cash for market supplies as well.

Policies Reservations are required for the Versailles Tour. All of our tours operate rain or shine, and we have rain ponchos available in our shop for €1 (fully refunded if not used). We will make every effort to minimize disruption to our tours caused by striking train, museum or other third-party employees. We are not responsible for any loss associated with events out of our immediate control. Complete information, including local telephone numbers at your destination, will be included on your Confirmation Voucher.

All information requested must be supplied or booking is subject to automatic cancellation