In high school French class, I remember learning about France’s King Louis XIV—the “Sun King”—and his gloriously decadent palace with every amenity you could ever want. But when you’re a high school student in Midwestern America, that extravagance—and the revolution it eventually caused—means nothing more than a chapter in a history textbook.
Fast forward 12 years, and I’m walking through the golden, iron-wrought gates of the Palace of Versailles, blinded by its gilded outer walls. I’d seen Irish castles, royal English estates and the inside of the Vatican in Rome, and none of those compare to the size and status of Versailles. It's hard to describe in words—and I'm a writer and editor by profession. Let's just say that it's easy to see why Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette met the fate they did.
Fast forward 12 years, and I’m walking through the golden, iron-wrought gates of the Palace of Versailles, blinded by its gilded outer walls. I’d seen Irish castles, royal English estates and the inside of the Vatican in Rome, and none of those compare to the size and status of Versailles. It's hard to describe in words—and I'm a writer and editor by profession. Let's just say that it's easy to see why Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette met the fate they did.
Why yes, that is indeed a Woody figure from "Toy Story" (above, right) that a tourist was placing on the gilded gates for a photo op. (Perhaps there's a "Where in the world is Woody?" social media account somewhere?)
Some of the most striking artwork in the palace involved this beautiful, colorful style of sculpture. You'll see similar marbling throughout these photos in portrait frames, decorative moulding and other pieces.
Confession: There's so much to see inside the palace that we didn't actually see everything (a trend for most of the attractions we saw in Paris). If you're limited on time, at least make sure to see the royalty's apartments (one room pictured above) and the impressive Hall of Mirrors (below).
If you visit the Palace of Versailles, it's best to make it a full-day affair. (We spent more than 5 hours walking around the palace and gardens, and we still didn't see everything.) After touring the palace's chambers and hall, we needed to refuel before exploring a small portion of the 800 hectares (nearly 2,000 acres!) of gardens, so we stopped inside the palace at Angelina, known best for its African hot chocolate but also a pleasant stop for a quick lunch. It was the most expensive meal we had while in France--about $80 for onion soup, two drinks, a full-size salad and smoked salmon with herb mashed potatoes and a lemon/chive cream spread--but my husband insists that the salmon was well worth the price. Besides, why not eat like kings and queens while at Versailles? (If you're interested, here's the full menu. The smoked salmon dish is listed as "Cœur de saumon fumé sélection Astara.")
Best advice I can give for the gardens: Wear the comfiest shoes you own, and make sure to grab a map. The gardens sprawl a couple hundred acres, and while there is a shuttle cart you can rent to get to various popular points, you may have to waste precious time waiting for it, especially during peak seasons. Another reason to not take the shuttle cart: You'll miss some of the "smaller" statues, fountains and groves as you fly past, which are exquisite in their own right--as you can see from the relatively "tiny" side garden, the Orangerie Parterre, that I'm standing in front of. You can see it in comparison to the rest of the gardens using Versailles' interactive map of the grounds.
Traveling on a budget? Unlike the palace, the gardens of Versailles are free to visit year-round. On the sunny October day we visited, we leisurely walked the ornately designed paths alongside city residents jogging or walking their dogs. Just make sure to leave before the garden staff close the gates for the night! |
The focal point of the gardens is the Latona Fountain and Parterre, from where you can see exactly how far the grounds go. (Hint: It's further than the eye can see.) A group of English-speaking students was sitting on the steps leading to the fountain, sketching it per their teacher's instructions.
Beyond the hidden groves and fountains of the main gardens (a decent hike away) are the Trianon Palaces: the Grand Trianon, the Petit Trianon and the Queen's Hamlet, otherwise known as Marie-Antoinette's estate. Unlike the first two, Marie-Antoinette's estate is more humble; paths lead through a simple countryside of beautiful flowers and ponds, a Temple of Love (Le Temple de l'Amour) and a few cottages for groundskeepers.
Hello, Dior! (Or should I say "Bonjour?") See how Marie-Antoinette's estate influenced Dior's haute couture jewelry line for Paris Couture Week in 2016.