Day Tour

Paris - Half Day Driving Tour - Versailles (4 Hours)

Chocolatine - France

Paris, France

Valid for Travel Now Through: 11 Oct 2018

Paris - Half Day Driving Tour - Versailles (4 Hours )

Paris, France

Tour Features

Experience(s)

  • Culture, History & Arts
  • Sightseeing

Meals

None

Recommended Ages

All Ages

Activity Level

Easy • Wheelchair Accessible

Description

This afternoon your private guide and chauffeur will meet you at your hotel and you will drive to Versailles to discover the infamous Chateau de Versailles.

Louis XIV spared no expense in renovating this once modest hunting lodge and, in 1682 the Chateau became the official residence of the king and his court. In the palace itself hundreds of rooms, glittering with gold, crystal, and mirrors, beg exploration and you can discover the State Apartments of the king and queen at your own pace. A fascinating tour of the King’s Chamber lends intriguing insight, and the Hall of Mirrors reflects an unrivaled era of opulence.

The formal Le Notre gardens are reason enough to come here—acres of meticulous landscaping, dazzling fountains embellished with mythical creatures, and a tram encircles the park showcasing off the vast grounds.

PLEASE NOTE: On January 5, 2016 most of the Queen's Apartments that are accessible for the regular public touring were closed for restoration until sometime in 2018. To make up for this, three other spaces in this part of the palace were opened for view. These include:

• The Antechamber of the Grand Couvert, where the Kings and Queens (from Louis XIV to Louis XVI) ate their dinner “in public,” watched by numerous other royal family members

• The Queens’ Guard Room, once the chamber where guards came and went throughout their 24 watch

• The Mesdames Apartments, built in the mid-1700s for Louis XV’s five daughters.

Note: We recommend an afternoon visit to avoid much of the crowds and tour groups that are there in the morning.

About Us

Chocolatine creates distinctive, personalized vacations & services throughout France while providing our clientele with the highest level of personalized service, integrity & flexibility. With over fifteen years of expert travel experience, French-born Florent Maillet & his very dedicated staff provide a wide range of tailor-made touring arrangements for couples, families, friends & small groups. Whether on holiday, celebrating a special occasion, enjoying a honeymoon, a business trip, or simply relaxing in your favorite city or town - Chocolatine will take care of all the details – impeccably.

Insider Tip

Bonjour! A simple Hello can go a long way. Learning a few key French phrases will absolutely help you get started off right and the more fond memories you will make.

Terms & Conditions

QUOTES/RESERVATIONS: All FIT reservations are sold as complete packages and no price breakdown will be given to protect our contract rates. Certain requests will require an up-front deposit of $250.00 (to quote and hold space) before a valid quote can be given. Deposit will be applied to final payment. 

DEPOSITS: Due to high demand and limited space in the type of hotels Chocolatine offers, in some instances confirmation of space will not be requested until a deposit is received by Chocolatine.  Alternate properties will be offered in the event the primary hotel choice is not available, and price is not guaranteed until trip is confirmed. 

FINAL PAYMENT: Final payments are due no later than 30 days prior to the client’s departure. Failure to abide by any stated conditions could result in booking being automatically cancelled or changed. All checks should be made payable to Chocolatine.

CANCELLATION AND PENALTIES:

All cancellations must be received in writing.  Cancellation policy:

  • More than 30 days: 15% of the tour amount
  • 29 days to 15 days: 50% of the tour amount
  • Less than 15 days: 100 % of the tour amount

INSURANCE: Health, accident, baggage and trip cancellation & interruption insurance is strongly recommended. Please ask your travel agent. 

PRICE CHANGE: Any prices quoted in U.S. dollars are subject to change due to currency fluctuations. We will be happy to adjust the price in case the dollar gets stronger. 

FORM OF PAYMENT: Checks, Visa, MasterCard or AmericanExpress. 

PASSPORTS: All clients must be in possession of a valid passport. Up to 90 days no visa is required. 

ITINERARY CHANGES: Chocolatine reserves the right to vary itineraries due to operational reasons beyond our control.



The trademarks VIRTUOSO, the Globe Swirl Logo and SPECIALISTS IN THE ART OF TRAVEL are registered trademarks of Virtuoso, Ltd. Virtuoso, Ltd. has a U.S. copyright registration for the Globe Swirl Logo, ©2000. All rights reserved. Virtuoso CST#2069091-50. California CST# 2069091; TA# 808 - Registered Iowa Travel Agency; Washington UBI # 601 554 183. Registration as a seller of travel does not constitute approval by the State of California.

Reviews and Recommendations for Chocolatine - France

93%

of 32
guests
recommend


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All reviews are from confirmed guests sharing exclusive insights

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Recommended

Highly Recommend

By: SandyZ


Reviewed on: 13 Aug 2013

We used Chocolatine for a tour to Normandy. The guide they provided for us was extremely knowledgable and was able to handle the multiple questions asked by the various members of our group without a problem.
Travel Advisor:  Birgit Navarre
Recommended

An Exceptional Experience

By: Traveler8844


Reviewed on: 13 Oct 2013

Our guide was exceptional, on time, very knowledgeable, and inspiring in all phases of our tours. Our guide and driver were interested in our needs, goals, comforts, and provided unmatched attention to make our visit a memorable one. His thoughtfulness in describing the artists or architects details made you think about the piece itself. We eliminated the typical tourist’s traps and long lines. This company has their act together, it was everything we’d hoped for.
Travel Advisor:  Sandra Staples
Recommended

highly recommend

By: monkey24


Reviewed on: 11 Oct 2013

they were excellent. the guides wonderful and all the arrangements super
Travel Advisor:  Loni Truitt
Recommended

Knowledge

By: Chuck the Hawk


Reviewed on: 12 Sep 2014

While they subcontract all the services, the people were knowledgeable, timely and friendly. They tailored the trips for us on the fly and were able to get us to see a lot in a relatively shot period of time.
Travel Advisor:  Monica Varri
Recommended

Paris Tour

By: Terry


Reviewed on: 09 Sep 2014

We extended our stay in Paris to have a small group (8 people) tour of the City, Versailles, and a Seine River / Dinner Cruise. Everything went very well. We decided to stay in the "Avalon Hotel", over the strong recommendation of Mrs. Singer to stay in St. Germaine. It was a nice hotel, but the area of the St. Germaine would have been more convenient to stores and dining. The last day touring Versailles and the evening dinner cruise on the Seine were highlights of the trip.
Travel Advisor:  Helene Singer
Recommended

Friendly, fun service

By: NKawaguchi27


Reviewed on: 15 Oct 2014

Chocolatine Tour was the best decision we made in order to get the most out of the 3 days we were in Paris. Gwen, our tour guide was knowledgeable and friendly. She made the tour amazing! Sandy organized our vacation so we just had to show up and enjoy. Much appreciated for all of your hard work.
Travel Advisor:  Sandra Staples
Recommended

Two great guides

By: jkw


Reviewed on: 29 Sep 2014

We had the wonderful experience of two excellent guides on a recent France trip, in Normandy and the Loire Valley. Not only were we able to benefit from their history lessons as we toured, I cannot calculate how much time we saved and how much more we were able to see by having these guides to expedite our tours. I am convinced that in certain situations, such as theses two, having a guide is well worth it.
Travel Advisor:  Beth Jenkins
Recommended

Enjoyed tour guide but....

By: kcreech


Reviewed on: 06 Nov 2014

Enjoyed our tour guide but wished we would have had a more mature person on our Normandy tour. Would have been easier for them to communicate with my husband. For Mont St. Michele she was perfect. You could tell she loved the place and the history.
Travel Advisor:  Trish Gastineau
Recommended

Excellent tours

By: djve


Reviewed on: 01 Apr 2015

Well done tours. Guides were knowledgeable and presented the information is a way that was interesting. Francois and Raymond were both consummate professionals. they worked hard to see that our needs were met and provided those extra insights that create a memorable experience.
Travel Advisor:  Monica Varri
Recommended

Dale Moody

By: Dale and Theresa


Reviewed on: 12 Jul 2015

We really enjoyed our guide, Gaelle and our tour of Aix en Provence and Marseilles. Gaelle was so knowledgeable and friendly and we really enjoyed spending the day with her. She was also flexible in that I booked a tour for Aix, and then changed my mind about spending all day there. We left with enough time for a driving tour through Marseilles and a stop at Notre Dame. It was wonderful.
Not Recommended

paris

By: John


Reviewed on: 15 Oct 2015

Chocolatine disappointed on numerous fronts, coordination, content and exectution were poor, I would never use this service again. I feel we paid a premium price and received well below average product, in fact, I almost considered disputing the charge with my credit card company given the huge disparity in product described and product delivered!
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Recommended

Some tours good, others OK, guides great!

By: MApples


Reviewed on: 20 Sep 2016

If Chocolatine planned the tours then I think some were great, some OK. The guide we had was great, but boy can he move. He made sure that we got into certain places and was quite passionate about his work. If Chocolatine planned Montmarte. It was fine. Not many artists left. The church at the top was neat, but the guide didn't want us waiting to go to the top. The tour of Eiffel tower at dusk was not revealing. The guide was great, it was very scenic, but we didn't lear that much while on the tour. IThe dinner on the Eiffel tower. Neat experience, but overpriced. Kid's don't want faux grois or squab. Versailles was incredible and the guide was great (you better keep up). Wish we saw more of the gardens then the inside. I think he wanted to get back before the crowds. Notre Dame, like the football team was overrated. Old, but not much history.
Travel Advisor:  Alfred Volden
Recommended

Great

By: pgj


Reviewed on: 20 Oct 2016

They provided a truly great, carefree experience for these travelers. We had a great time through them. The guides they provided were exceptional. What more can I say?
Travel Advisor:  Geraldine Hasting
Recommended

Excellent Customer Service

By: JJR


Reviewed on: 30 Nov 2016

Everything detail was perfect. After a long flight, it was so nice to be met on the jetway and then driven to Normandy. All of the tours were so enjoyable. A key advantage was access to busy tourist sites. In Normandy, Christophe was great and provided an informative tour of key WW II sites. Francoise was a joy. Her knowledge of Versailles and Chartres Cathedral was remarkable and her enthusiasm was contagious. In Paris, Raymond took us on wonderful epicurean tour. It was informative and delicious.
Travel Advisor:  Wayne Muhlstein
Recommended

France

By: Sandy


Reviewed on: 22 Apr 2017

Our guide, Andre, was very knowledgeable and did a great job engaging the children and keeping their interest.
Travel Advisor:  Birgit Navarre
Recommended

Chocolatine - France

By: MDS


Reviewed on: 24 Apr 2017

Very, very positive experience - Sophie and Geraldine guides were terrific, and Gerard the driver was as well. We used them five days - and one of them was a last minute trip to Normandy scheduled on-site. They are not cheap, but were extremely knowledgeable, professional and could adjust their approach for what we wanted to do at the time.
Travel Advisor:  Birgit Navarre
Recommended

Paris/London

By: AQ


Reviewed on: 07 May 2017

All of the experiences we had which were planned through Chocolate From our private guided tour of the Louvre, to the Eiffel Tower Skip the line tour and dinner Cruise on the Don Juan II were amazing. Everything was coordinated and paid in advance prior to our trip and we had absolutely no issues.
Recommended

John

By: John


Reviewed on: 15 May 2017

They provided superior guides and logistic support.
Travel Advisor:  Katie Rollins
Recommended

Paris

By: Emily


Reviewed on: 08 Jun 2017

Train tickets were efficiently booked and we were sitting together which was much appreciated. Enjoyed the guide, however he was a little eccentric and I am not sure I would recommend that specific guide to a friend. Overall we were satisfied with our trip
Travel Advisor:  Gay Johansen
Recommended

Eiffel Tower Tour

By: Linda Osterholt


Reviewed on: 11 Jun 2017

In one word. Awesome!!!! Our tour guide Sonya was fun and knowledgeable.
Travel Advisor:  Pam Anderson
Recommended

Great Local Guide

By: DaveC


Reviewed on: 23 Jun 2017

Local guide was very impressive. Very knowledgeable about her subject, plus art, culture, history, beyond the tour we were taking.
Travel Advisor:  Birgit Navarre
Not Recommended

Really not interesting.

By: Candy


Reviewed on: 23 Jun 2017

The pictures of there people at the factory making the chocolate had no sanitary gloves on!
Recommended

Chocolatine was efficient and friendly

By: Michael


Reviewed on: 29 Jun 2017

Chocolatine was efficient and friendly. All our drivers and tour guides were wonderful and would highly recommend their services
Travel Advisor:  Wayne Muhlstein
Recommended

So cool

By: Big Daddy


Reviewed on: 28 Jun 2017

We loved our tour on the 40' wooden launch. Our driver was excellent and our guide was awesome. He was very knowledgeable and the trip was beautiful. One of my favorite parts of our trip. Not to be missed.
Travel Advisor:  Brenda Tolson
Recommended

great tours!

By: DrD


Reviewed on: 07 Jul 2017

Everything was spectacular and top notch.
Travel Advisor:  Lindsey Prumers
Recommended

France 2017

By: tgprojectmgr@gmail.com


Reviewed on: 02 Oct 2017

Wonderful. Tours they arranged were fun and informative. High point of the whole vacation. Hotels and the rental car were handled perfectly. Would highly recommend Chocolatine!
Travel Advisor:  Tracy Hughes
Recommended

Nice Intimate Way to Tour

By: Kip


Reviewed on: 19 Oct 2017

It is nice to have a personal tour guide rather than follow someone with a sign held high. More personalized with an intimate knowledge of the area.
Travel Advisor:  Wayne Muhlstein
Recommended

Trip to France

By: Martha and John


Reviewed on: 13 May 2018

Everything went perfectly except our transfer from the Paris Airport to our hotel. Of course the train/raii strikes were an issue over which Chocolatine had no control.
Travel Advisor:  Mary Porter
Recommended

Vimy Experience

By: Traveller


Reviewed on: 03 Jun 2018

Tour guide was fabulous. Accommodation was first class. We loved staying in the small towns in local hotels ( not a chain).
Travel Advisor:  Diane Cook
Recommended

Burgandy - Oignt

By: lmf


Reviewed on: 09 Jun 2018

Our tour was fantastic. Our driver was funny, interesting and accommodating. He was knowledgeable, not just about landmarks, but about history and culture.
Travel Advisor:  Geraldine Hasting
Recommended

Chocolatine Fantasy

By: Anonymous


Reviewed on: 21 Jul 2018

I can’t recommend Chocolatine enough! My husband and I had a photo shoot in Colmar with Jean-Marc and couldn’t be more pleased with the experience. Jean-Marc and his translator/friend showed us parts of Colmar we never would’ve seen without their intimate knowledge of the city. They were kind, genuine and their attention to detail was impeccable. They arranged a private boat tour at the end of our time with them and it was magical. This experience is one my husband and I will never forget. We love Jean-Marc!
Travel Advisor:  Trish Mercer