Special treat: The town’s luxury option is the Trianon Palace (trianonpalace.fr), a whimsical, creamy wedding cake of a hotel featuring Gordon Ramsay’s only restaurant in France. Doubles from £157.
Mid-range: Once home to Marquis Colbert de Villacerf, Hôtel de France (hoteldefranceversailles.com) still has a grand siècle aura, with its panelled reception and imposing staircase. Doubles from £112
Budget: On a quiet street near the château, Hôtel d’Angleterre (hotel-angleterre-versailles.fr) is simple but welcoming. The 18 colourful, redecorated rooms are all different. Doubles from £82.
Day one: 9am - Start early to get inside the Château de Versailles, a fascinating insight into royalty as spectacle, from the magnificent Galerie des Glaces to the Salon de Guerre.
12.30pm: Back across place d’Armes, visit the Cour des Senteurs, a recently planted garden of olfactive plants. Drop in for lunch at deli-pâtisserie Lenôtre or return to rue de Satory.
8pm: The Brasserie du Théâtre (brasserietheatre.com), next to the elegant Théâtre Montansier, has shellfish or sole meunière, or go next door for excellent burgers at Sisters’ Café (0033 1 30 212 122)
