Visit the Petit Appartement of the King
What is the Petit Appartement du Roi of Versailles?
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This is a secluded area, made up of many small, intimate rooms. The apartment was commissioned by Louis XIV to create a private escape from the pressures of court life. He came here to bathe, dress, and sleep, among other activities.
This has been almost entirely shuttered from the public until 2023, where we can now go in and walk in the same rooms that once were only open to the King of France — as long as you have the right tour guide.
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Be aware : Many local guides who give grouped or semi-private tours of Versailles can claim to take you behind closed doors, but this is often inaccurate. Typically, they are taking you to places such as the Kings Chambers which are already included in the general tour of Versailles for the general public. But with a special reservation from the Versailles management, that costs 600 euros, the accredited Versailles mediator brings you exclusively into the actual living quarters of the kings — called the Petit Appartement du Roi in French — to see the centerpiece attraction of our Advanced tour of the palace of Versailles. It’s important to remember exactly what this means: going to places other visitors cannot go, seeing rooms almost no one gets to see. Away from the crowds, we will be able to go in-depth into the details of the royal lives that passed through here. What’s more, we will be able to really get a close-up look at their world. While other tour guides have to bring their groups up to the locked door of the King’s Apartment and lecture them outside, we will go inside.
The Rooms of the Petit Apartment du Roi
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1. The bedroom shows the highest comfort that the 18th century had to offer. Everything glitters with artistry and fine materials, inviting you in with its calming elegance.
2. The bathroom is like an entire palace unto itself. It is a temple of personal hygiene, which makes sense as the King was expected to be immaculate at all times.
3. The guard room is where the private security force for the king would stay and make sure the monarch was safe at all times.
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4. There is also a hunting room — a specific area to lounge after a vigorous day spent hunting on the lands surrounding this pleasure palace. A certain ritual takes place in there.
5. Waiting rooms, or antechambers, fill out the space. Here, the people closest to the king would sit until he was ready to give them an audience.
But that’s not all! Flora will also take you into the secret office and safe rooms that the king wanted only a very few people to know about.
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Dive into the intimate lives of Kings and Queens
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In this royal retreat, you will hear the details of the larger-than-life personalities of all the men who called this palace their home.
You will also learn about the queens and mistresses who made their stamp on the history of Versailles.
As Louis XIV handed it off to his son, who handed it off to his son, these rooms changed. And you will learn how these kings each changed the rooms to fit their lifestyle.
Hear about their obsessions, like science, religion, hunting, art, and absolutism. And hear about their favorite elements of the apartment — like the famous desk complete with secret drawers.
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Limited license and exclusive training provided yearly by the Musée de Versailles to the guide:
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Being nationally licensed tour guide isn't enough for this tour to happen. Flora and few members of her team has also dedicated themselves to a special training with Versailles.
This training has given her expert knowledge in the secret rooms of the palace. Only a small percentage of the tour guides who take this course actually receive a permit from Versailles to take visitors into these hidden spaces, but Flora, and few members of her team, have obtained it.
The Ministry of Culture puts great pride in its selection of tour guides, because this ensures that spectacular myths are not given as “facts.” But of course, many of the facts are truly spectacular.
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Booking the Petit Apartment du Roi:
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Such an exclusive experience isn’t always available and you need a Versailles accredited & licensed guide to make this special reservation.
Because of her elite accreditation, Versailles allows Flora and few trained members of her small team to take tours to these rooms that are kept away from the public — as long as we get the reservation and the permission from Versailles to open these doors. Together, we will access these private rooms using the same keys as in the days of French royalty. This is an authentic experience of history!
Why does Versailles only let a few people into these rooms?
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Simply, because the decor is so extremely precious.
Remember, everything from the furniture to the paintings on the walls were created by artists, artisans, and craftspeople working at the top of their field. In our modern world, many of these skills for hand making things have been lost forever. And yet here at Versailles, they are everywhere. That makes these rooms so special, but it is also why large crowds cannot be allowed to pass through.
This wonderland of precious materials and beautiful artwork opens up to you on our Versailles VIP tour. And because you have a tour guide, you will learn the remarkable stories that played out in each of these rooms, now quiet with mystery and the passage of time.
