Versailles town

Versailles town is a relaxing place to stay if you want to see Versailles Palace and Gardens. It can be quite a good place to start your Europe trip, if you fly in to Paris. You can skip the bustle of Paris while you are still jet-lagged. We didn't explore the touristy streets where we saw hoards of people leave the palace, but the streets around Saint Anthony of Padua Church gave us a nice introduction to the charm of France. Cute rooftops and delicious bakeries abound. Make sure you go to Les Freres du Pain (brothers of bread) Bakery (closed Mon and Tues) first thing in the morning and savor their pain au chocolat (chocolate croissant) and chocolate viennoise (soft bread rolls with chocolate chips) hot out the oven! The brothers are friendly. Christophe Brosse Boulanger (closed weekends) is another good bakery, with buttery pain au chocolat, and it's in an adorable street. Pop into Saint Anthony of Padua Church to admire the stained glass, sculptures, chunky arches, and outside, the glorious tower. The streets in Versailles are lined with the leafy trees that Paris is so famous for. It's a wonderful place to stroll for miles and miles, including the free part of Versailles Palace called The Park (where the Grand Canal is located), and the Versailles Gardens, which are also free before 9am and on certain days. Everything is very spaced out in Versailles, so bring good walking shoes and a stroller for your child. I wish there were bike rentals around the town, by the hotels, because that would make it a lot easier to get around, and you could see more of the Versailles park and gardens if your feet weren't so tired!

Directions

Versailles town is a 45 minute metro ride from Paris, on RER C line. It is located southwest of Paris, a 45 minute car ride from Orly Airport (taxis take longer always) and an hour car ride from Charles de Gaulle airport. 

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