Meet your guide in central Paris and board your train for the 20-minute ride to the Palace of Versailles. Stroll through the gorgeous Royal Gardens with their labyrinthine hedges, graceful sculptures and famous musical fountains that do regular shows in spring and summer.

For lunch, follow your guide to nearby Monument Cafe, where you can admire a large-scale model of Versailles. Feast on a lunch made with fresh ingredients, including produce from Louis XIV's vegetable garden, next to the restaurant. Sample appetizers including salads, cured meats and escargots; enjoy a selection of seasonal French meat and fish dishes for main course; and finish off with scrumptious treats such as macaroons or chocolates. Your meal also includes your choice of wine, soft drink or coffee.

After your rich meal, it’s time to enter the illustrious palace itself. Skip the long lines at the Palace of Versailles by entering through a special side entrance. Witness the opulent Hall of Mirrors and other popular parts of the palace before delving into the Royal Quarters, which few tourists get to see. Enjoy a guided tour of the Private Apartments where you can imagine how the kings and queens of yesteryear lived their daily lives. See Louis XVI's library, the royal dining hall, the opera house or the chapel, as well as the games room where Marie Antoinette played cards with her guests.

Throughout your tour, your expert guide will share historical facts and anecdotes about the magnificent palace and the French royalty who lived there.

Relax on your return train trip to Paris and conclude your 8-hour behind-the-scenes look at the Palace of Versailles in central Paris, near the Eiffel Tower.