Travels and Other Mullings: Versailles part 1 of 2

Tuesday, June 4, 2013

Versailles part 1 of 2

Well I had been warned that there was a lot to see at Versailles. And boy is there ever.

I did not get there super early like several sites had suggested. My cold/allergy thing is difficult to deal with. I think I left the apartment around 9:30am. Stopped at Kaysers my local boulanger - pastry and bread shop for picnic lunch goodies.

I can catch the train to Versailles just two Metro stops away. The train was packed so that was not a good sign. Followed the crowd which lead to the entrance. The line to get it S-curved through the open entry way. I took the next tip which was to hit the gardens. The fountains were going. Music was going. It was lovely.

The fountains do not operate all day and some have very limited times so I focused on those. That brought me to the Petite Trianon and the other outlying areas of the vast Versailles grounds. I arrived just moments before the Petite Trianon opened (noon) and there were only a handful of people waiting. In we went and toured the Queen's private palace with very few people.

From the Petite Trianon I went to the Queen's Hamlet. This is a constructed English village. It was Marie Antoinette's idea. I can see where Disney came up with his theme park design. In addition to being a little created village it is a working farm with animals and vegetables.

From here I arrived at the Grand Trianon which was the King's residence. Beautiful and actually rather simple in design.

I had my picnic lunch before going to the Grand Trianon. A couple from Australia sat next to me on the bench. They are in Paris for a grandson's wedding. It was a lovely chat.

From the Grand Trianon I decided it was time to tackle the palace itself. I made it around to the entrance and there was no line. I got directly in lickety split. The real challenge came when I entered the actual palace building. It was very very crowded. Everyone was holding the cameras up taking pictures. A good deal of the crowd were Japanese or Chinese so I towered above them. But boy give 'em credit, they'll push and shove with the best of 'em.

There is a really good audio tour provided with your admission. I had my ear phones with me so it made it super easy and hands free.

There really is no way to take good pictures of such a vast place. The fountain pictures mostly look small and uneventful though that is far from the reality. Indoor pictures of the rooms are flat and rather meaningless.

In this part 1 of 2 I focus on the outdoor scenes that I think capture a little taste of the place. It is so so vast.