Since March 13, 2020, the Château de Versailles has been as if plunged into a deep sleep. One of France's most visited monuments had to close its doors due to thecoronavirus epidemic that struck the country. 55 days of confinement later, the country is entering its deconfinement phase, and on May 28, Edouard Philippe announced the long-awaited dates: France'smuseums and monuments are authorized to reopen as of June 2, 2020, provided they comply with a sanitary protocol.
This authorization also applies to cultural sites located in the orange zone in the Île-de-France region. With this announcement, all eyes are on the famous residence of the Sun King, which has announced that it will reopen on Saturday June 6 at its usual opening hours. The château, its museum, its park and the famous Domaine de Trianon, with its famous Hameau de la Reine (Queen's Hamlet ) in the heart of the magnificent green park of the Domaine de Trianon. Guided tours of the Petit Trianon are also available.
Guided tours are also available of the Petits Appartements du Roi, the Opéra Royal, the Chapelle Royale, the apartments of Louis XV's daughters and the Petit Trianon, from June 16, for groups of up to 10 people.
The Grandes Eaux Musicales return on June 6 and the Sérénade Royale on June 13, while the Grandes Eaux Nocturnes return in July.
For the occasion, Alain Baraton, head gardener of the Château de Versailles park, declares that everything is ready for this long-awaited reopening . He tells FranceInfo: "Everything has been mowed and maintained"..."Flowers need to be replanted and equipment put away too. But on June 6, everything will be impeccable to welcome visitors". In any case, make the most of the opportunity to discover the Admirable Trees trail , which unveils the estate's 30 exceptional trees.
In order to comply with the new health recommendations and to ensure the safety of its visitors, the Château de Versailles is introducing a ticketing system with compulsory hourly reservations, which will help to regulate the flow of visitors. The purchase of tickets online, in advance of the visit, is strongly encouraged and even compulsory for access to the château. Ticketing opens this Thursday, June 4.
All visitors aged 11 and over are required to wear a mask inside the museum. The tour route will follow a single direction of circulation, with no traffic crossing. All visitors must wash their hands on entering the museum, using the hydroalcoholic gel provided. An information point on sanitary measures is available to all visitors at the Château reception desk.
It is also advisable to download the free visitor application. A Covid 19 information and assistance point is available in the South Ministers' wing.
Other châteaux in the Île-de-France region have already announced their reopening, including Château de Breteuil, Chantilly and Vaux le Vicomte.
Dates and Opening Time
Starts June 6, 2020
Location
Palace of Versailles
Place d'Armes
78000 Versailles
Official website
www.chateauversailles.fr
Booking
www.chateauversailles.fr
More information
Ticket office opens on June 4 For guided tours, ticket office opens on June 6, 2020 Openings: The château: daily from 9 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., except Mondays The park: daily from 7 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. The gardens: daily from 8 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. The Trianon estate: daily from 12 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., except Mondays The Marly estate: daily from 7 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.
