Versailles: Food & Palace Bike Tour

3000+ Reviews

★★★★★ 5/5

Escape the Hustle & Bustle of the City

On our Versailles Bike Tour join us to ride, taste & explore on this truly memorable day trip. Escape the crowds, skip the line, explore the Château, Royal Gardens, Hamlet & discover secret places seen by few tourists and even unknown to Parisians.

If you are looking for a unique experience, out of the city, away from hoards of tourists, and want to make the most of your time in Versailles – look no further than this day trip.

What's Included

Roundtrip Transportation from Paris to Versailles
Classy Bike & Optional Helmet
Skip the Line Entry to the Château via a Side Entrance Reserved for Licensed Guides
Guided Tour Inside the Château de Versailles with a Licensed Guide
Guided Tour of the Royal Inner Gardens & Fountains
Visit to Versailles' Award Winning Open Air Food Market for Picnic Supplies (*picnic at guest's cost)
Guided Bike Tour of the Royal Grounds
Guided Tour of Marie Antoinette's Private Hamlet

Duration: Full Day
Intermediate Cycling
Central Paris Meeting Point
Travel to Versailles by Train
Group Size: Up to 12
Skip the Line Access
Hosted in English
Guaranteed Departure

Adult: €145
Under 18: €99
Petit 2-4yrs: €37

Book with Confidence: Any experience can be cancelled up to 24hrs before the experience starts.

What to Expect

Why walk with the crowds & stand in line when you can ride a bike & skip the line?

We take the fast train to Versailles, hop on bikes to explore our beautiful town, award-winning food market & shop like a local for a French picnic lunch. We ride through the breath-taking Royal Grounds, admire Louis’ Royal Gardens & Fountains, ride past the Trianons & visit Marie Antoinette’s Hamlet, all whilst hearing the gossip & scandalous tales of the French Royal Family.

Having worked up an appetite we lay out our authentic French picnic lunch by the Grand Canal. There is no better place to picnic & relax in the sun!

Our Versailles Bike Tour includes a skip the line guided tour inside the Château. Versailles was home to the most powerful family in the world for over a century, if there is one Château to see, this is the one!

Good to Know

All adult guests must be able to ride a bike. Leisurely riding on this tour – far from the Tour de France!

Meet in Central Paris & travel with your guide to Versailles.
Bikes based in Versailles (no need to carry them on the train).
Bikes available for all ages: including childseats & tag alongs.
Fountains are turned on: Saturdays & Sundays in summer.
Full Versailles Access Included, Picnic at guest’s cost.
Return to Paris around 6pm

Prefer A Private Tour?

All of our tours are available as private experiences which are tailored just for you – Versailles at your pace with only your favourite people.

Our Guided Tour of the Château

We enter via a side entrance reserved for licensed guides & guide you inside the Château through the Grand Apartments, State Rooms, King’s Apartments, Hall of Mirrors & Queens Apartments.

Your guide will skilfully lead you through the Château and bring it to life with stories & anecdotes – crafting a meaningful, entertaining & engaging experience.

We are proud to be one of the few tours licensed to guide inside the Palace & mic up so you that you won’t miss a thing!

This experience was awesome! The best tour we did during our stay in Paris. Our guide Niko was super friendly, funny and knowledgeable. It was pouring rain at the beginning of our tour but we still had a great time. From the market in Versailles, to the picnic, to riding bikes and of course to visiting the palace, this was an amazing time. Niki and Stu were also really nice and attentive. They realized we (a young couple) would be a better fit with a different group in the beginning of the day and switched us to another group to make sure we had a great experience. They really care that you have a nice time.
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Heather
8/18/2019

This is a fabulous experience for anyone that wishes to see Versailles. Nico was our guide, and he did a fantastic job coordinating the entire day and making sure everything went smoothly. He is very knowledgeable in French history and entertains you with stories of kings and queens. We thoroughly enjoyed this unique experience. Make sure you are comfortable with riding bikes, because you will be riding all around.
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Elizabeth
7/06/2019

Fun tour of Versailles! Our guide Joachim(?) was knowledgeable and enjoyable. The State Apartments are exquisite. The picnic was fun. Even with the freak rain storm during the bike ride around the lake, it was a blast.
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Travis
3/23/2023
If I could give Boutique Bike Tours 10 stars, I would! When I visited Paris in 2017, my mom and I took Niki & Stu's wonderful day-long tour of Versailles and the surrounding area. Stu basically held our hand from the moment we met at the cafe in the morning in Paris, to the Metro, through the streets of Versailles, the adorable market where we bought picnic supplies, through the gardens and the hamlets around the castle, and of course, at the end, through the castle itself. You know, one could easily just take the train to the castle, take one of the guided tours, and think, oh, this is a lovely place. But, Stu's tour was SO much more! We really got to experience the entirety of the property and town, we learned so much about the history of the people and places of the 17th and 18th centuries, and we got our exercise in!
I plan to go back to Paris this summer/fall with my boyfriend and I have already purchased a gift certificate as a gift to him for an evening tour of Paris, which I cannot wait to take! Stu and Niki's experiences are more than just a "tour"--it is obvious that they love what they do, they enjoy the company of others and are interested in their "guests", and their tour, for us, was really a highlight of our trip. I could not recommend them more!
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Sheri Crockett
4/22/2021

SO brilliant - loved this day with Niki and Stu - they really hosted the best tour of Versailles. Its incredible the knowledge and detail they impart with guests in a fun and interactive way. The palace was stunning and incredible. Stu is very passionate and incredibly knowledgable - he also appreciates getting in and out and away from tourists as quickly as possible so this is a great tour for those that want to get away from other tourists and have the best opportunity to see it all. The biking around and brunch is incredible and as much of the highlight as the palace, really unique and incredible experience! Will look out for Niki and Stu and what they do next - they are true professionals and really look after their guests. You have to do this tour if you go to the Palace - it is truly amazing!
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Jen
9/18/2019

This experience exceeded all of our expectations and then some! This was truly a great way to explore Versailles and makes your visit to Paris that much better.Would highly recommend to anyone visiting wanting to make it memorable.
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Connie
11/15/2022
We had such an extraordinary day in Versailles with Stu, Niki and our guide Pascal! Each of them were caring, knowledgeable and charming, lovely to spend a day with. We truly “skipped the lines” everywhere we went. They knew people all over town that just helped us get the most out of every experience. Absolutely loved going to the market! The palace and gardens were stunning. Super cute bikes. It was probably more biking than I expected, but they were more than willing to accommodate anyone that needed a break at any time. I am so glad we booked this tour, I wouldn’t have even known where to begin going to Versailles on our own - but they just made it all seamless and easy. Thanks so much Stu, Niki and Pascal!! - Love, Jordan & Melissa
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Melissa
10/13/2019

One of the best things I have ever done on a vacation. I do t normally do tours but booked this so we could get around Versailles easier and see more when using the bikes. Everything about the day was perfect. Our guide Fiona was amazing. Knowledagable, funny, well prepared, good communicator, positive, a true gem. I cannot recommend this experience enough. Wonderful
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Lynn
9/01/2022

This is the most magical experience!! We rode bikes all around the grounds of Versailles palace and we had a picnic and learned important history and inside knowledge we wouldn’t have learned anywhere else!! Our host was so lovely and friendly. I would highly recommend this adventure for anyone traveling to Paris.
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Kim
11/18/2022
I have been to Paris many times before and I have also been t Versailles before. Previously I took the train from Paris to Versailles and did my own tour then headed back to the City. I do not usually like group tours but this was amazing. WHat a great way to experience the palace, gardens and then also see the town and shop like a local and find a place to picnic. I would highly recommend this experience to anyone. It would be great to see a half day tour (or a shorter version of this) in the future if folks can't commit to an entire day. Either way, it was great.
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Sara
5/29/2022

Fantastic tour, you get so much from the chateau de Versailles and it’s parc! Best way to visit it!
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Beatrice
6/21/2022

If you are ever planning to visit Versailles, this THE experience you should go for. The host took care of every small detail, the transportation, the bikes, the picnic. Definitely recommended!
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Bhaumik
10/20/2022

You'll Love

Floating past the long lines, with your own guide to chaperone you skillfully through the Château, sharing stories at every turn.

Feeling like a local as you explore the town of Versailles, and it’s award-winning market!

Riding away from the crowds to explore the very best of Versailles.

Highlights

Easy to find.

Our Versailles Bike Tour meets at a train station in central Paris:

Gare Montparnasse, 17 Boulevard de Vaugirard, 75015 Paris

Please meet us at the top level of the Montparnasse train station, under the Platform 20 & 21 sign.

We take the train to Versailles where bikes are ready & waiting. We recommend using the app City Mapper to navigate your way around.

Want to meet directly in Versailles? No problem, just let us know

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it safe to cycle in Versailles?

It is almost as if Versailles was designed with our bike tour in mind. The majority of our ride takes place within the Royal Gardens, where we can enjoy stress-free cycling, far from the traffic and crowds. Outside of the gardens, cycle paths weave their way throughout the town and are set on the footpaths, away from traffic.

Where in Paris do the Versailles bike tours meet & when does the cycling start?

Our Versailles Bike Tour meets at a train station in central Paris:

Gare Montparnasse, 17 Boulevard de Vaugirard, 75015 Paris

Please meet us at the top level of the Montparnasse train station, in Hall 1, under the Platform 20 & 21 sign.

Do feel free to come earlier for a coffee & croissant to kick start your day.

Once in Versailles we saddle up on bikes that are stored at our base in Versailles.

Is this tour appropriate for children?

We frequently have children join our tours, and have a fleet of children’s bikes, tandems, child-seats and helmets for them – we love sharing the day with families and take great pride in entertaining and ensuring the safety of all ages throughout the day.

*Whenever possible we try to group families together which can great when the children are of similar ages.

Do your tours of Versailles include a guided tour of the Château?

Of course. All our tours of Versailles include a guided tour of the Palace with a fully licensed member of our team. We do not abandon you with an audio guide. We use earpieces so you can hear your guide, can ask questions & don’t miss a thing! If there is one Palace in the world to visit, this is the one!

What happens if it rains?

All of our tours operate rain or shine and we provide free rain jackets. As we are licensed to guide inside the Château we do adapt & spend more time inside the Palace. We bring rain jackets, good humor & a sense of adventure!

How many riders per group on a Versailles bike tour?

We limit our group sizes to 12 riders per group in Versailles to keep you safe, cover more ground & offer a personalised experience.

Do I need to carry my bike onto the train?

Absolutely not, our bikes are located in Versailles.

We are staying in Versailles, can we start the tour there?

Yes, simply let us know in the notes section when you book and we will contact you with details of where and when to meet us in Versailles.

What should I bring?

We provide all the essentials for your day in Versailles; all you need to remember is to pack your camera and some euros for your picnic lunch.

Do your tours of Versailles include the Musical Fountains?

Yes, we include the inner gardens and fountain show as part of our tours. However, please note the fountains only turn on at set times, on set dates – every Saturday & Sunday in the summer.

We still visit the inner gardens on days the fountains do not run as Versailles “was a garden before a castle, a feast before a garden, a night before a thousand suns. If you want to understand Versailles, one must first walk through its gardens”.

Do I need to purchase any extra tickets on the day?

No. All tickets, travel (including train tickets to and from Versailles), access to Versailles, the gardens, the Hamlet and the fountains are all included.

What is the difference between 'Versailles: Food & Palace Bike Tour' and 'Bike & Brunch the Best of Versailles'?

Versailles: Food & Palace Bike Tour

This is our most comprehensive tour of Versailles. It is a full day but not structured like a normal tour with plenty of time to relax, drink wine, ride a bike and explore. On this tour we visit:

The town of Versailles
The award-winning farmers market
The Inner Gardens & Fountains (on set days)
Marie Antoinette’s Hamlet
Picnic by the Grand Canal
Guided Tour of the Château
Picnic lunch at guest’s cost, while exploring the local farmer’s market

Bike & Brunch: The Best of Versailles

This tour is designed for those travellers who wish to see as much of Versailles as possible in just half a day. On this tour we visit:

The town of Versailles
The Inner Gardens
Picnic by the Grand Canal
Guided Tour of the Château
Lunch provided