Can visitors tour the Congress hall at Versailles?

No, it is reserved for Parliament and is not included in the public visiting route of the palace.

Why does the French Congress meet at Versailles?

Since the constitutional laws of 1875, the Midi wing has hosted joint sessions of both chambers, a tradition continued under the Fifth Republic.

When was the last Congress held at Versailles?

On 4 March 2024, to adopt a constitutional revision enshrining the freedom to have an abortion.

How many seats does the chamber have?

890 seats for members of parliament, following an 1905 expansion, plus 600 seats in the galleries.

Salle du Congrès du Château de Versailles

Versailles

Visit

Hours to be confirmed

Book a visit

You are leaving for the château’s own website

See guided tours and skip-the-line tickets tooTickets via our partner GetYourGuide, affiliate link

Where: Versailles

Hours and prices not verified at the source yet.Check on the official website

To make a day of it

Open within 20 km

Sleep nearby

This week in the agenda

Raconte-moi un moutonMon, Oct 26 · château de Champs-sur-Marne36 km
Statues, rocaille et mignonnetteMon, Oct 26 · château de Champs-sur-Marne36 km
Exposition : Une histoire du cinéma français : héritages maghrébins au Palais de la Porte DoréeFri, Oct 30 · palais de la Porte Dorée22 km

Salle du Congrès stands in Versailles (Yvelines), in the Île-de-France region of France. Its opening hours and prices have not been verified at the source yet.

Located in the Midi wing of the Palace of Versailles, the Congress hall is the semicircular chamber where members of the National Assembly and the Senate have gathered since 1875 to amend the Constitution or hear an address from the President of the Republic. It consists of a large amphitheatre with dark red seats, surrounded by allegorical paintings representing war, agriculture, trade, industry and peace. Before 1958, this same chamber was also used to elect the presidents of the Third and Fourth Republics.

Written from Histoire du Parlement à Versailles

What to know

The Congress hall is part of the areas of the Palace of Versailles reserved for Parliament and is not part of the regular tourist visit.
Congress sessions are most often held on a Monday, the day the palace is closed to the public.
The former Museum of the Great Hours of Parliament, which once allowed access to these rooms, closed in 2006.
The chamber now seats 890 members of parliament, with 600 additional seats in the galleries.

Where this château is

Versailles · Yvelines · Île-de-France

Loading the map…

This châteauChâteaux within 40 km

Address

10 Rue de la Chancellerie, 78000 Versailles

Directions open from wherever you are, by car or public transport.

Get directions View on a map

Château phone number

+33 1 30 97 89 00

Call

The safest check before setting off: today’s hours, guided-tour availability, where to park.

4.6 / 5from 951 Google reviews

Heritage status: Protection status unknown

Itineraries

In pictures

Frequently asked

Can visitors tour the Congress hall at Versailles?: No, it is reserved for Parliament and is not included in the public visiting route of the palace.
Why does the French Congress meet at Versailles?: Since the constitutional laws of 1875, the Midi wing has hosted joint sessions of both chambers, a tradition continued under the Fifth Republic.
When was the last Congress held at Versailles?: On 4 March 2024, to adopt a constitutional revision enshrining the freedom to have an abortion.
How many seats does the chamber have?: 890 seats for members of parliament, following an 1905 expansion, plus 600 seats in the galleries.