A Travel Price Comparison for France Versailles vs. Honfleur for Attractions, Food, and Couples

Should you visit Versailles or Honfleur?

Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?

If you're trying to decide where to visit between Versailles or Honfleur, this travel comparison, which includes costs, can help. The overall cost of travel is usually a consideration when deciding where to go next, and the cost comparison down below can help you decide based on the average prices from other travelers along with your own travel budget.

Versailles

Versailles is a historic, extensive, and beautiful palace. It's considered by many to be an absolutely beautiful destination, too. Other reasons to visit include museums.

Honfleur

Honfleur is a historic, peaceful, and serene city. This is also a very beautiful destination which attracts plenty of visitors. Other reasons to visit include nightlife, food, and museums.

Versailles and Honfleur: Pros and Cons

Is there more to do in Versailles or Honfleur?

Tourists will generally find more to do in Honfleur. Although Versailles and Honfleur are both popular with visitors, Honfleur has more sights, activities, and attractions for travelers. Honfleur is more popular for its food, nightlife, beaches, and shopping, while Versailles is known for its museums and impressive beauty. Versailles is more touristy than Honfleur and is known for its long running history and its grand architecture. Honfleur is popular for its influence over Impressionist art, its stunning harbor, and its beautiful buildings. It is also home to St Catherine's Church.

How is Versailles different from Honfleur?

Which is Better for a Holiday?

Let's take a look at the differences and similarities between Honfleur and Versailles. Then, you can decide for yourself which place is better for your next trip.

Are the Museums and Historical Sights Better in Versailles or Honfleur?

Versailles is an unbeatable place for its museums and history. Also, Honfleur is not quite as popular, but is fairly good for its museums and landmarks.

Travelers visit Versailles from around the world to see its many world-famous attractions. The palace is filled with history and impressive items relating to the royal family. Within and near the palace you should make sure you see the Gardens of Versailles, Grand Trianon, the Hall of Mirrors, and the Royal Opera of Versailles.

Honfleur offers a variety of museums and landmarks to choose from. Some of the most notable sights around the town include Saint Catherine's Church, Le Vieux Bassin, Notre-Dame de Grace, and the Normandy Bridge.

Is the Food Better in Versailles or Honfleur? Which Destination has the Best Restaurants?

Honfleur is an amazing city to visit for its local flavors and cuisine. However, Versailles is not known for its local cuisine and restaurants.

Known for it's food and restaurant scene, Honfleur is always at the top of any foodie's travel list. Located on the coast of Normandy along the English Channel, seafood is a defining element for most dishes here. Foodies flock to this town for its Michelin starred restaurants as well as its local cafes and quaint eateries. For land-lovers, there's a popular local cider-braised pork that you must-try. And for dessert make sure you try the Tarte Tatin.

You'll find the standard options when it comes to food in Versailles. There are a couple of restaurants and cafes on the grounds.

Is Versailles or Honfleur Better for Nightlife?

Honfleur is a nice place to visit for nightlife. However, Versailles is not a destination with noteworthy nightlife.

If you're looking for night time activities Honfleur has a few options to choose from. Restaurants come to life at night when music flows out onto the streets. The town is not known for its partying, but that doesn't mean that it's a sleepy place that shuts down when the sun sets.

Versailles is not a destination with noteworthy nightlife.

Is Versailles or Honfleur Better for Beaches?

Honfleur is adequate for its beaches. However, Versailles is not a beach destination.

Honfleur is a good spot to see the beach. The town sits by the estuary of the Seine and there are two beaches not far from town. Butin Beach is the closest to town and the most popular, but Vasouy Beach is more relaxed and natural.

Versailles is not a beach destination.

Is the Shopping Better in Versailles or Honfleur?

Honfleur is adequate for shopping. However, Versailles is not a noteworthy shopping destination.

Honfleur is a good destination for shopping. It's a charming town with boutique shops, chocolate shops, and the standard tourist places that sell souvenirs and t-shirts.

Versailles is not a noteworthy shopping destination.

Is Versailles or Honfleur Better for Families?

Honfleur is a nice place to visit for its kid-friendly activities. However, Versailles is not known for its family-friendly activities.

Honfleur offers lots of family activities. Located on the coast of Normandy, the town has boat rides, quirky museums, and Vieux Bassin, which is a beautiful and lively harbor. For kids who need to stretch their legs, there are many parks and outdoor spaces to enjoy.

Versailles does not offer many kid-friendly activities. While there are those unicorn children who fall in love with the grand setting, for most kids, a visit to Versailles can make for make for a long and draining day.

Is Versailles or Honfleur Better for Couples?

Versailles and Honfleur are both excellent to visit as a couple.

Versailles is a great palace if you're traveling as a couple. It's opulence, grandeur, and history make this a wonderful place to explore as a couple. There are gardens and other unique settings that make Versailles very romantic.

Honfleur is a very popular place to visit for couples. It has, arguably, one of the area's most beautiful harbors. There are also many great seafood restaurants, relaxing gardens, and spas that are perfect for couples.

Is Versailles or Honfleur Better for Public Transit? Which Is Easier to Get Around Without a Car?

Versailles is an excellent place to visit for times when you don't have a car. However, Honfleur is lacking in options for its public transit.

Visitors to Versailles can move around easily with public transportation. There are SNCF trains that travel from Gare Montparnasse to Versailles Chantiers train station and additional trains that travel between Gare Saint Lazare and Versailles Rive Droite.

Public transit is generally limited in Honfleur. HO Buses travel from the outskirts or town into the center and are used mainly by locals. If you plan to head into Normandy to see the countryside, you'll want to have a car.

Is Versailles or Honfleur a more walkable city?

Versailles and Honfleur are excellent when it comes to walkability.

Versailles is very walkable. It's approximately a 20 minute walk from the Versailles Chantiers train station to the entrance to the palace. Versailles Rive Droite is slightly closer.

Honfleur is a very walkable palace. The city center is compact and easy to explore on foot. There are also many coastal walks leading out of town.

For even more information, also check out Is Versailles Worth Visiting? and Is Honfleur Worth Visiting?.

Should I spend more time in Honfleur or Versailles?

How long in Versailles or Honfleur?

Visitors can find plenty of fun things to do in both Versailles and Honfleur. With generally more activities and things to do, visitors tend to spend more time in Honfleur than in Versailles. Usually, 1-2 days is a good amount of time for Versailles, and 1-3 days is enough time in Honfleur.

Families should spend more time in Honfleur than Versailles. Because of the many family-friendly attractions and fun things to do for kids in Honfleur, it's a great place to visit with the whole family.

Couples should spend more time in Honfleur than Versailles. You'll find plenty of romantic sights and fun activities in Honfleur that are perfect for a weekend getaway or a longer couple's trip.

Backpackers and budget travelers should spend more time in Honfleur than Versailles if your budget allows for it. With a larger number of budget-friendly sights, good nightlife, and active things to do, anyone traveling on a budget would have a good time in Honfleur.

One day in Versailles or Honfleur?

The beautiful palace of Versailles offers museums. With all of its activities, you can easily fill one day here. It will give you the chance to have new experiences.

With museums and nightlife around the peaceful city of Honfleur, there's plenty to do. Anyone can find something fun to do here. One of the main draws to the area is the food. While some people choose to spend more or less time in Honfleur, one day is sufficent for most.

A weekend in Versailles or Honfleur?

Versailles is a popular place that is full of things to see and experience. If you have a weekend, this palace makes for a great vacation. While some people choose to spend more or less time in Versailles, a weekend is sufficent for most. Take your pick from the many activities offered here.

With nightlife and food around the destination of Honfleur, there's plenty to do. It offers something for everyone. Many people spend a weekend here. One of the main draws to the area is the food. In a weekend, you should have a good grasp of this city.

Five days in Versailles or Honfleur?

Versailles is a popular choice for travelers. It's no surprise that museums is why people visit. Five days is usually plenty of time to spend here with extra days to spare. With this much time, visitors often visit nearby destinations or take day trips. The entire region has so many activities, and you'll want time to do everything.

Honfleur, a popular city, is full of activities for travelers. Most people find that five days is more than enough time to see everything. Your budget might influence how long you stay.

A week in Versailles or Honfleur?

Versailles is a great place to explore. It's no surprise that museums is why people visit. One week is more than enough time to enjoy everything. Take some day trips to nearby places to fill the extra days. This palace offers something for everyone.

Honfleur is a popular place that is full of things to see and experience. One of the main draws to the area is the food. One week is plenty of time to see everything, even with extra days to spare. It has many unique tourist attractions and fascinating things to do.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Sightseeing Tours in France, The Best Vineyard & Wine Tours in France, The Best Food and Culinary Tours in France, and The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in France.

When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Versailles and Honfleur, we can see that Versailles is more expensive. And not only is Honfleur much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Honfleur would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Honfleur and be able to afford a more luxurious travel style by staying in nicer hotels, eating at more expensive restaurants, taking tours, and experiencing more activities. The same level of travel in Versailles would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Versailles than you might in Honfleur.

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Versailles Expensive? and Is Honfleur Expensive?.

Which is Bigger, Versailles or Honfleur?

Versailles has a larger population, and is about 10 times larger than the population of Honfleur. When comparing the sizes of Versailles and Honfleur, keep in mind that a larger population does not always imply the destination has more attractions or better activities. So, always research the type of place that you want to visit along with the activities and attractions that interest you.