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VIP Versailles Bike Tour

Ride All Around Versailles with this VIP Bike Tour

This is the ultimate way to see everything that Versailles has to offer! Many people venture to this 16th century palace to marvel at the ornate gold furnishings, or the plush, velvet-lined walls of the corridors.  But Versailles has hidden secrets throughout it’s 2,000 acres, and we’ll see it all on this tour!

You’ll meet your guide near a train station in Paris for this short 23 minute journey to Versailles. Located just 17km/10 miles from Paris, this journey will give you the opportunity to get to know your guide, relax and take in the scenery of the suburbs. Your bikes will be ready and waiting for you once you reach the town of Versailles, and it’s just a short ride away to the open-air market where we’ll collect a picnic lunch. 

The market is another great opportunity to partake in French culture. This market has repeatedly been voted the most beautiful in the Parisian region, and for good reason. Amid flower stalls and local crafts you’ll find the crux of our agenda; delicious bread, produce, cheese and meat, and wine!  Your guide will give you helpful hints to navigate the market, and you’ll have some time to collect all of the trappings of a picnic fit for a King, or Queen! With our picnics in hand, or in the baskets of our comfortable bikes, we’ll make our way onto the grounds of Versailles. We will stop near the tapis vert and walk into the formal gardens where you can marvel at the historic fountains accompanied by classical French music. Then it’s back to the bikes for a leisurely ride around the Grand Canal, a man-made aquatic cross lined by perfectly manicured trees; the perfect setting for our picnic. 

Once we find a suitable spot, we will stop for a leisurely picnic in the grass. Your guide will provide you will all of the picnic accessories that you need, and continue to give you information on the park and history of Versailles as you enjoy the local delicacies that you’ve procured. It’s always difficult to leave such a perfect setting, but we’ll still have a lot of ground to cover after lunch, so it’s off to the Trianons and the Hameau; the playland of Marie-Antoinette. As you walk around this area, known as the Domaine of Marie Antoinette, you’ll have a chance to see where the Kings and Queens of France went to relax from all the hustle and bustle of the palace. These smaller, still highly decorated buildings, offer a view into the world of the French royals.  

After visiting every corner of the grounds, we’ll make our way to the chateau for a behind-the-scenes entry into the private apartments of King Louis XV. Away form the crowds, led by a licensed palace guide, you’ll have exclusive access to the palace whilst learning about royal life in the 17th & 18th centuries. Afterwards, you can continue on to the famed Hall of Mirrors, see all of the royal bedrooms on display, and revisit the formal gardens before venturing back to Paris.

If you require children's bikes (24", 20", baby seats, trailers, or tandems) and they are not available at the time of check-out, please let us know in the 'comments' section of your booking so that we can contact you to ensure your reservation. There is no additional charge for these.

Summer Versailles Bike Tour Pricing (May 22nd - July 31st 2020)

 Mon.Tues.Wed.Thu.Fri.Sat.Sun.
Versailles Bike Tour X €109 €99 €99 €109 €109 €109
VIP Versailles Bike Tour X €149 X X €149 €149 €149
Sunset Versailles Bike Tour X X X X X €129 X

Tour Highlights

  • Versailles Open-Air Market
  • Entrance into Marie Antoinette's Hameau
  • Entrance into the Grand & Petit Trianons
  • Picnic Lunch along the Grand Canal
  • Guided Tour of King Louis XVI's Private Apartments
  • Skip-the-Line Access to Château de Versailles 
  • Audio Guide inside the Château
  • Hall of Mirrors
  • Musical Fountain Show
  • View Calendar
    • Bike
    • Helmet (provided but optional)
    • Roundtrip transportation from Paris to Versailles
    • Live Guide
    • Visit to Versailles open-air market
    • Picnic lunch along the Grand Canal
    • Entrance into Marie Antoinette's Hameau, the Grand & Petit Trianons, and Formal Gardens
    • Guided tour of King Louis XV and XVI's private apartments
    • Skip-the-line access to Château de Versailles with audio-guide
    • Cost of items purchased for picnic lunch

  • This tour meets in Paris, in a small park/clearing on Avenue Emile Zola opposite a café named "Café Regalia".

    The closest métro station is Javel-André Citroën (line 10). Use exit 1 (sortie 1, right side).

    The easiest taxi address: 1 Avenue Emile Zola, 75015 Paris. Your guide will be wearing a Fat Tire Tours t-shirt and holding a sign.

  • English
    • Please arrive 15 minutes prior to tour departure.
    • We highly recommend using public transportation to get to the meeting point as car traffic is quite dense in this area.
    • All of our tours operate rain or shine, and we have rain ponchos for sale in our office.
    • All participants over 12 years of age must be able to ride a bike.
    • All participants under 18 must be accompanied by an adult and carry proof of age documentation.
    • This includes roundtrip RER transportation to and from Versailles from central Paris. Your guide will provide you with your RER ticket to return back to Paris at your own pace. Guests typically finish touring the chateau around 4:30/5pm.
    • If possible, please bring a small backpack or tote bag to carry your food for our picnic. Be sure to bring cash in euros for picnic supplies as well!

    Booking for children? Review our bike options here to help you reserve the correct equipment. All participants under 18 must be accompanied by an adult and carry proof of age documentation.

    • Tandems must be reserved and are for children less than 70lbs/32kg
    • Trailers must be reserved and have a 2 child capacity with a combined maximum weight limit of 88lbs/40kg.
    • Babyseats must be reserved and have a maximum weight limit of 48lbs/22kg.
    • All participants over 12 years of age must be able to ride a bike.
    • Bike
    • Helmet (provided but optional)
    • Roundtrip transportation from Paris to Versailles
    • Live Guide
    • Visit to Versailles open-air market
    • Picnic lunch along the Grand Canal
    • Entrance into Marie Antoinette's Hameau, the Grand & Petit Trianons, and Formal Gardens
    • Guided tour of King Louis XV and XVI's private apartments
    • Skip-the-line access to Château de Versailles with audio-guide
    • Cost of items purchased for picnic lunch

  • This tour meets in Paris, in a small park/clearing on Avenue Emile Zola opposite a café named "Café Regalia".

    The closest métro station is Javel-André Citroën (line 10). Use exit 1 (sortie 1, right side).

    The easiest taxi address: 1 Avenue Emile Zola, 75015 Paris. Your guide will be wearing a Fat Tire Tours t-shirt and holding a sign.

  • English
    • Please arrive 15 minutes prior to tour departure.
    • We highly recommend using public transportation to get to the meeting point as car traffic is quite dense in this area.
    • All of our tours operate rain or shine, and we have rain ponchos for sale in our office.
    • All participants over 12 years of age must be able to ride a bike.
    • All participants under 18 must be accompanied by an adult and carry proof of age documentation.
    • This includes roundtrip RER transportation to and from Versailles from central Paris. Your guide will provide you with your RER ticket to return back to Paris at your own pace. Guests typically finish touring the chateau around 4:30/5pm.
    • If possible, please bring a small backpack or tote bag to carry your food for our picnic. Be sure to bring cash in euros for picnic supplies as well!

    Booking for children? Review our bike options here to help you reserve the correct equipment. All participants under 18 must be accompanied by an adult and carry proof of age documentation.

    • Tandems must be reserved and are for children less than 70lbs/32kg
    • Trailers must be reserved and have a 2 child capacity with a combined maximum weight limit of 88lbs/40kg.
    • Babyseats must be reserved and have a maximum weight limit of 48lbs/22kg.
    • All participants over 12 years of age must be able to ride a bike.

FAQ

  • Expand/Collapse Where is the meeting point?

    This tour meets in Paris, in a small park/clearing on Avenue Emile Zola opposite a café named "Café Regalia".

    The closest métro station is Javel-André Citroën (line 10). Use exit 1 (sortie 1, right side).

    The easiest taxi address: 1 Avenue Emile Zola, 75015 Paris. Your guide will be wearing a Fat Tire Tours t-shirt and holding a sign.

  • Expand/Collapse I'm staying in Versailles, can I meet the tour here?

    Absolutely! Please meet us at our Versailles office, located at 10 Avenue du Général de Gaulle, 78000 Versailles

    Please make sure we can reach you by the phone provided at checkout.

    When making your reservation, be sure to leave us a note in the comments section to indicate that you will meet us directly in Versailles. Your guide will pick you up when they arrive in Versailles with the rest of the group. Please aim to be there between 9am-9:15am and know that you may have to wait up to 30-45min for your group to arrive.

  • Expand/Collapse What cycling skill level do I need for this tour?

    While all of our tours maintain a leisurely pace, we want our guests to have fun and be safe, so being able to ride a bike is paramount.

    Our VIP Versailles Bike Tour is perfect for intermediate-athletic bike riders. We have children join us on this tour all the time so it completely depends on your confidence with a bicycle!

    You should have good balance, be able to start and stop comfortably, and be familiar with hand brakes. Although most of this tour takes place in a park there are city riding portions and a few hills. In an effort to see everything that Versailles has to offer, riders should be prepared to keep pace with the group as it covers more ground than many of our other tours. Safety is our number one priority but confidence in yourself is the first step to overall group safety.

    If you're not sure how you'll fare, we invite you to try our Paris Night Bike tour first.

  • Expand/Collapse Is this tour appropriate for children?

    Yes! Our VIP Versailles Bike Tour is a wonderful way for kids comfortable on bikes to discover Versailles. We only ask that your children have been riding for a while, or, if they're under 12, you can reserve a tandem for them.

    You can use this bike chart to help you reserve the appropriate bicycles for your little ones. Please keep in mind that children under 16 years old must be accompanied by an adult on the tour. 

    • For children up to 10 years old or weighing under 32kg (70lbs), we have two-wheeled tag-along tandems. The child passenger sits on a seat and can pedal or coast. All riders weighing over 32kg (70lbs) must ride their own bicycle. This is not an option for adults or anyone over the weight or age limit.
    • We have various sized city bikes to accommodate just about every size of rider, from extra small 20 inch wheeled bikes for riders that are 3.3ft (100cm) to extra large for riders up to 6.5ft (198cm).
    • Unfortunately, we do not have adult tricycles, adult tandems, or bikes with training wheels for adults or children that may be less confident in their riding ability.
    • There is no additional charge for trailers, tandems or baby seats. Due to limited availability, please book baby seats, trailers, tandems, 20” and 24” wheeled bikes in advance. 
    • Please Note: All extra small 20 inch and small 24 inch bikes are equipped with both hand brakes and pedal brakes.
  • Expand/Collapse Is lunch included in the tour price?

    No, lunch is not included in the cost of this tour. You will have the chance to buy picnic supplies from numerous vendors at the market. Some vendors may accept credit cards, however we feel it is best to have cash in euros available as well.

     

     

  • Expand/Collapse Does the tour include transportation to Versailles?

    Yes! The tour price includes the RER train to Versailles and the return to Paris.

    Your tour will end in Versailles with your skip-the-line access into the chateau, at which point your guide will provide you with your train tickets and directions back to the train station, about a 10-minute walk from the chateau. This allows you the freedom to explore the palace and the formal gardens at your own pace and return to Paris whenever you'd like. Trains run until approximately 11pm.  

  • Expand/Collapse What are your bike options?

    You can view our bike options here.

  • Expand/Collapse How many minutes prior to tour time should I meet?

    We request that all guests arrive no later than 15 minutes before the scheduled start time. Due to the exclusive and timed nature of our entries and RER tickets, it's imperative that all guests arrive on time. We do not have the luxury of waiting for guests who are running late, or catching them up after the fact.

  • Expand/Collapse Do we have to take the bikes on the train?

    No! You will get the bikes when you arrive in Versailles.  We will then leave the bikes at our Versailles office at the end of the riding portion, giving you the freedom to choose exactly how long you would like to stay in Versailles.

  • Expand/Collapse Is a helmet included?

    Yes! Helmets are optional, but we have sizes for all ages available in our office.

  • Expand/Collapse Is this tour offered in any other languages, or only in English?

    All scheduled tours are in English, but private tours can be scheduled in other languages.

  • Expand/Collapse What is your cancellation policy?

    We're happy to offer free changes and 100% refund up to 24 hours before tour* Failure to cancel a reservation at least 24 hours prior to scheduled departure may result in forfeited travel funds. Fare difference may apply.

    *See restrictions here

  • Expand/Collapse What is your weather policy?

    Our tours run rain or shine, and we have rain ponchos available for purchase in our office for anyone that needs them. We will gladly buy the ponchos back if they are not used during your tour. We encourage all guests to consult the weather forecast and to dress accordingly.

  • Expand/Collapse How long is the ride?

    Our Versailles Bike Tour covers approximately 10.1 miles (16.25 km).

  • Expand/Collapse What is the number to call if I am lost and trying to find the meeting point?

    If you are having difficulty finding the meeting location for your tour, please call us at +33.1.85.08.19.76 and our staff will be happy to help you find your way.

  • Expand/Collapse Is there a reduced price for kids/students/infants/seniors?

    Unfortunately, because the entrance tickets we reserve are at an adult rate, we don't incur a discount to pass along to our guests. Infants (ages 0 - 3) are free of cost on all tours.

  • Expand/Collapse My group size is larger than the dropdown menu allows, how can I book?

    If you would like to book a larger group, please contact our Private Tours team at [email protected].

  • Expand/Collapse How big will my group be?

    This tour operates in groups of 20 people maximum.

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