Booking choice: The train tour with the fountains option, from $101 per person. Check dates Compare the options below
On show days the Gardens of Versailles stop being free and become a ticketed show. There are two kinds. At weekends the Musical Fountains Show sets the fountains of the Great Perspective and the groves running to music. From Tuesday to Friday the Musical Gardens play music in the groves, but the official page is plain that there are “no water displays of fountains”, only at the Neptune Fountain and the Mirror pool.
This guide sets out the 2026 dates, the water display times, the prices and combined tickets, the fountains worth waiting for, which tours include a show, and what happens when the season ends. For the gardens on ordinary days, see the gardens tickets guide.
The quick answer
The Musical Fountains Show runs every Saturday and Sunday from 4 April to 1 November 2026 (and ran on Tuesdays from 5 May to 30 June). The Musical Gardens run every Tuesday to Friday from 1 April to 30 October 2026. Both cost €15, or €12 reduced, children under 6 free, and the Passport includes them. The Latona and Apollo fountains run from 10:30 to 12:00 and again on weekend afternoons. After 1 November the gardens are free every day.
What is the difference between the Musical Fountains Show and the Musical Gardens?
The Musical Fountains Show runs the fountains to music at weekends; the Musical Gardens, Tuesday to Friday, play music in the groves with water only at Neptune and the Mirror pool.
Both make the gardens paid for the day, at the same price, and both play music from 10:00 to 19:00. The difference is the water. If seeing the Latona and Apollo fountains running is the reason for your visit, plan for a Saturday or Sunday.
| Musical Fountains Show | Musical Gardens | |
|---|---|---|
| Days in 2026 | Saturday and Sunday, 4 April to 1 November (also Tuesdays, 5 May to 30 June) | Tuesday to Friday, 1 April to 30 October |
| Music | 10:00 to 19:00 | 10:00 to 19:00 |
| Fountains running | Great Perspective, groves, Neptune, Mirror pool | Neptune Fountain and Mirror pool only |
| Price | €15 (reduced €12) | €15 (reduced €12) |
| Included in the Passport | Yes | Yes |
When is the Musical Fountains Show in 2026?
Every Saturday and Sunday from 4 April to 1 November 2026. The Musical Gardens run every Tuesday to Friday until 30 October.
In 2026 the Musical Fountains Show also ran every Tuesday from 5 May to 30 June. From now until the end of the season, that leaves the weekends for the fountains and the weekdays for the Musical Gardens. A few days close early, at 17:30:
- Fountains Show: 25 October, 31 October and 1 November 2026.
- Musical Gardens: 27 to 30 October 2026.
Mondays have no show, so the gardens are free that day, but the Palace is closed and so is the Trianon.
Time your visit to the fountains with a guide and an escorted ride from central Paris; the show is included if you select the option.
Check dates for the train tour with the fountains optionWhat time do the fountains run at Versailles?
The Great Perspective, with Latona and Apollo, runs from 10:30 to 12:00, then in short sessions on weekend afternoons; the last display is Neptune's historical jets at 17:20.
The official schedule is detailed, and it rewards a plan. These are the 2026 times on show days:
| What runs | When |
|---|---|
| Groves open | 9:00 to 19:00 |
| Music | 10:00 to 19:00 |
| Great Perspective (Latona and Apollo) | 10:30 to 12:00 |
| Great Perspective, weekend afternoons | 14:00 to 14:30, 15:00 to 16:15, 16:45 to 17:00 |
| Groves, weekend afternoons | 14:30 to 15:15 and 16:00 to 16:45 |
| Neptune Fountain | 5 minutes every 15 minutes |
| Mirror pool | 7 minutes every 10 minutes |
| Neptune final, historical jets | 17:20 (weekends) |
How much is the Musical Fountains Show?
€15, or €12 reduced. Children under 6 go in free, and the Passport includes the show.
The same price applies to the Musical Gardens. The usual free admission for under-18s and EEA residents under 26 does not include the shows: they pay the reduced €12. Two combined tickets are worth knowing about:
- Musical Fountains Show + Royal Serenade of the Hall of Mirrors: €35, reduced €31.
- Musical Gardens + Estate of Trianon: €20, EEA €17.
- Passport: €35 in the high season (EEA €32), with the Palace, the Trianon and the gardens on show days.
Official tickets are non-refundable. On GetYourGuide, the guided tour with a Passport includes the gardens tickets on show days, from $88.
A guided Palace tour plus the Passport, which covers the gardens on show days and the Trianon.
Explore the guided Palace tour with a PassportWhich fountains should you see on a show day?
Latona and Apollo on the Great Perspective, the Neptune Fountain, and the Mirror pool. The Water Theatre grove's water features are currently suspended.
The gardens hold 55 fountains and 620 water jets, fed by 35 km of piping. The Latona Fountain was built from 1668 to 1670 and the Apollo Fountain from 1668 to 1671; both run on the Great Perspective schedule, from 10:30 to 12:00 and in weekend afternoon sessions. The Mirror pool runs 7 minutes in every 10 and the Neptune Fountain 5 minutes in every 15, and Neptune closes the weekend with its historical jets at 17:20.
One grove to skip for now: the official page says the Water Theatre grove's water features are suspended because of a technical issue.
Which tours include the Musical Fountains Show?
A few, and each words it differently: some include the show, some on specific dates or as an option, and one charges extra.
No GetYourGuide listing sells the show on its own; the château sells the €15 gardens ticket itself. Read each listing's wording before you book. From-prices per person in USD; ratings are GetYourGuide's.
| Tour | Show days | Length | Rating | From |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Golf carts and bikes | Timed to the weekend fountains, April to October | 6 hours | 4.7 (127) | $185 |
| Train tour, fountains option | Musical Gardens or Fountains Show if option selected | 4.5 hours | 4.7 (1,021) | $101 |
| Guided tour + Passport | Gardens tickets on show days included | 1.5 hours | 4.6 (6,876) | $88 |
| Coach from Paris | Show tickets on specific dates | 5.5 to 9.5 hours | 4.6 (7,509) | $89 |
| Bike day | Gardens cost extra on show days | 8 hours | 4.9 (633) | $122 |
Cover the most ground: both Trianons and the Hamlet by golf cart and bike, timed to the weekend fountains. Only 127 reviews so far.
Check dates for the golf cart and bike tourWhat about the Night Fountains?
The Night Fountains are a separate evening show on summer Saturday evenings, with their own ticket. The 2026 season is over.
On those summer Saturday evenings the gardens close to day visitors at 17:30. If you are planning next summer, check the official fountains page for the new dates when they are published. For this year, the daytime Musical Fountains Show is what is left, at weekends until 1 November. The best time to visit guide lists every early closing.
What happens after the fountains season ends?
After the last show on 1 November, the gardens are free every day until the end of March. Some groves close for the low season.
From 1 November to 31 March the gardens open every day from 8:00 to 18:00, free of charge. The fountains do not run as a show, and some groves are closed. The Palace keeps its low season hours, 9:00 to 17:30, and the Passport drops to €25 (EEA €22). In 2026 the Musical Gardens began on 1 April and the Musical Fountains Show on 4 April; check the official page for next year's dates. For the Palace ticket itself, see Versailles tickets explained.
Frequently asked questions
Do the fountains run every day at Versailles?
No. They run on Musical Fountains Show days, at weekends until 1 November 2026. On Musical Gardens days only the Neptune Fountain and the Mirror pool run.
Do children pay for the Musical Fountains Show?
Children under 6 go in free. Under-18s pay the reduced €12: their free admission covers the Palace and the Trianon, not the shows.
Is the Musical Fountains Show included in the Passport?
Yes. The Passport includes the gardens on show days, the Musical Fountains Show and the Musical Gardens too.
Is the Water Theatre grove running?
Not at the moment: the official page says its water features are suspended because of a technical issue.
Ready to book
Choose your Versailles visit
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before on each option below. Prices are from-prices in USD and move with the season.
Palace Tour by Train, Fountains Option
Guided Palace and gardens, show by option
Golf Carts and Bikes, Hamlet and Fountains
Golf cart, bikes, Trianons and the Hamlet; few reviews
Guided Palace Tour and Passport
A guide, then the whole estate, show days included
