The Palace of Versailles guide

Courtiers once whiled away their days in the opulent central gallery of the palace – an intrigue-filled 73 metres from the King's apartments to the Queen's, overlooking the gardens. A high-vaulted painted ceiling boasts of France's military victories while 17 mirror-clad alcoves and dripping chandeliers flaunt the King's wealth.

Marie-Antoinette, and later Empress Marie-Louise (Napoleon's second wife), would escape to this model village on the Trianon Estate to play at rural living. Rustic buildings in Norman and Flemish styles (though grand inside) cluster around an artificial lake with a windmill and a small farm.

Within the theatrical Great Stables, where Louis XIV’s hunting steeds were once housed, this ostentatious display of travelling thrones, coaches and funeral hearses retraces the country’s dramatic history. Look for the sweet goat-drawn number that used to carry the young, ill-fated Dauphin Louis Charles around.

Exploring the whole 800-hectare estate can be a lot for little legs, but the Little Train (€8) gives you a full tour. It’s free for under-12s and takes you right out to the Trianon palaces and Grand Canal. Other fun ways to explore the estate are by bike or Segway; pack a picnic and make a day of it. On a balmy day, hire a rowing boat to see the park from a different angle.

The National Equestrian Academy performs in the Great Stables. Watch skills such as fencing, singing and kyudo as part of beautifully choreographed group dressage displays.

Indulge your inner Marie-Antoinette on 22 June at this baroque fancy-dress-party-cum-club-night, held in the Orangery. Don your wig and – it's compulsory – your mask, and prepare to dance till dawn.

Versailles's gardens are famed for their spectacular fountains, featuring allegorical carvings and elaborate water jets. On summer weekends they play to the sounds of Baroque music.