For a different perspective of the incredible Palace of Versailles and its extensive gardens, hop on a bicycle. Shop for a delicious picnic lunch that you enjoy alongside the picturesque Grand Canal before entering the palace and exploring its vast, opulent halls and apartments.

After a relaxing train ride from central Paris, stop at a traditional Versailles open-air market to stock up on delicious picnic ingredients. Start cycling through the gardens and forests of the palace grounds; pass through Marie Antoinette's own quiet hamlet as well as the 2 grandiose palaces of le Petit Trianon and le Grand Trianon. Settle down next to the Grand Canal to munch on the delicacies you picked up at the market earlier in the day.

Then skip past the long queues with priority entrance to explore the Palace of Versailles, where you can gain an insight into the lives of France's 18th- and 19th-century royalty. Wander the lavish Hall of Mirrors, where King Louis once greeted guests, and see the King and Queen's state apartments.