Versailles and wine picnic??

What%26#39;s the best way to get to Versailles from the Left bank and can you have a picnic lunch with wine in the gardens??

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Take the RER Line C, direction Versailles Rive Gauche, as for which station to board it on in the Left Bank you would have to tell us which station you are closest too, where are you staying?

The back of most guide books have metro/RER maps, or go on your hotel website they usually list nearest metro and RER stations .

Yes you can picnic, with wine too, discreetly, and not on the cafe benches,,, the grounds are huge, we eat at far end of canals,, there are benches and an occasional table here and there, or just sit on grass( not the manicured grounds near Chateau of course.).

Years ago I saw the most civilized picnic there, there were two couples, with linen cloths, and glass champane flutes,, and a huge wicker basket,, I wanted to joing them!

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The Versailles website says %26quot;No cloakrooms but there is a checkroom for items not permitted (food, luggage, large umbrellas, tripods)%26quot;

Does this just mean for the Chateau? If we bring a picnic lunch would we have to tour the grounds first and eat our lunch then see the Chateau?

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That%26#39;s correct, Xeena, they won%26#39;t hold your picnic for you inside the chateau, so you%26#39;ll have to eat it first! I don%26#39;t think they balk at a water bottle or a half a sausage (wrapped and stored in a bag) -- but they%26#39;re just trying to not keep a full picnic in the baggage check.

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I have checked a picnic back pack with two bottles of wine and another time Monoprix bags of sandwiches and salads. I even got a tip on where to picnic from the checked bags employee. Straight out then down the stairs on the left to the lake.

I tour the chateau first but then I am an early arriver to avoid the bus tours.

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Do you pack your items in a cooler? If not are they fine to be unrefrigerated?

Also if my husband had a tripod in his backpack will they make him take it out and check it? He wouldn’t use it inside but might like to have it with him in the gardens.

Sunshine, it says they will check items that aren%26#39;t allowed. I was unclear how people picnic when it said food wasn%26#39;t allowed. But these must be items only not allowed in the Chateau?

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Yes, you only check things when you go into the chateau -- you can carry nearly anything through the gardens.

europe is far less twitchy about not refrigerating things than the US -- it%26#39;s quite easy to buy cheese, sausages, and lovely cured hams that have never been refrigerated. Add a bottle of wine, a fresh baguette, and some crisp apples, and you have a perfect pique-nique.

(Eggs are room temperature here, too...takes a while to get used to, but it%26#39;s amazing how long they keep when they%26#39;ve never been refrigerated.)

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