The building of this castle was said to have cost some 25 per cent of France’s income, between 13 and 300 billion dollars. Its formal gardens are the largest in the world, comprising 80 miles of rows of trees (including 150 varieties of apple and peach trees), 27 miles of trellises and 50 fountains. The palace and the grounds combine 2,000 acres, with the château itself housing 700 rooms. Even the smaller houses on the property are so luxurious that visitors have mistaken the horse stables for the palace.

Versailles was a result of King Louis XIV’s dream, or rather jealousy, to outdo his rival, and twenty-six-year-old finance minister, Nicolas Fouquet, who built the lavish Château Vaux-le-Vicomte for show. In fact, shortly after the Vaux-le-Vicomte's opening celebration, Louis XIV threw Fouquet in prison on trumped-up embezzlement charges. But as styles changed over time, Louis XV exchanged the heavy red-and-gilt of the château’s Baroque style for lighter, pastel-hued Rococo. At the same time, he converted the royal apartments into living quarters, rather than just for show.

The first floor of the château displays Louis XIV’s bedchamber. However, the prime attraction is the Galerie des Glaces (Hall of Mirrors). The Treaty of Versailles was signed here, in 1919. The elaborate Salon d'Apollon (Apollo Chamber), the former throne room, dedicated to the sun god Apollo, is showcased here as well (Louis XIV’s named himself the ‘Sun King’ after this god). The Grands Appartements (state apartments) decorated according to the original Baroque décor with gilt stucco, painted ceilings and sculptures. The Petits Appartements (private apartments) is where the king's family and close friends lived.

In the north part of the château, there is the1710 white-and-gold Chapelle (chapel), as well as the 1770 Opéra Royal (Opera House), with the characteristic and innovatory oval shape. The 17th-Century Galeries, which depict the château's history, connect the chapel and opera house. The Galerie des Batailles (Hall of Battles), lined with canvas showing French military victories is located in the southern wing. This wing also holds the former state rooms and Aile du Midi, a chamber where debates were held.

The 1687 Grand Trianon and 1762 Petit Trianon are also on the château’s premises. Many may not know that the greater stone and marble Trianon kept Louis XIV’s mistress, while the smaller Trianon house was home to Louis XV’s mistress.

The visitors at Versailles are so many, between six and ten million per year, that it is difficult to see everything. Being the world’s largest castle, it will take more than the typical two-hour château tour. You can also visit the free-of-charge forested park and Grand Canal, where you can ride rented bikes and boats and dine at the canal’s restaurant. The Potager du Roi (King's Kitchen Gardens) is another spot you can visit outside the château, as well as the Grande Ecurie stables, where horse shows are scheduled. Skipping long lines, one can even get a ‘Day Passport Ticket’ which gives you access to the less crowded Trianon apartments and gardens. There are guided tours in English, with more detailed hour-long tours to the opera house or Marie-Antoinette’s private chambers.