Versailles, overview and other Paris, France Off The Beaten Path Tips

Versailles, 30 years old postcard

The first time I visited Paris at my own, I stayed at the campsite in Versailles. Actually the visit to the Chateau de Versailles and especially its gardens were my priority.

I was a student landscape-architecture and had learned allready every detail of the gardens of Versailles during the lessons of history of gardenarchitecture.

Finally to see the enormous complex with my own eyes was an overwhelming experience. I walked around for a full day to get a overview and I realised it was not enough to see all the details.

I came back 30 years later and was surprised about the crowds visiting Versailles nowadays.

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Phone: 01 30837800
Website: http://www.chateauversailles.fr/

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Versailles: Versailles, chateau

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Updated by sachara

on Apr 4, 2005

Chateau de Versailles

Though I came to Versailles in the first place for its gardens, I visited af course also the Chateau de Versailles. In the 17th century Louis XIV decided to turn the hunting lodge of his father in Versailles into a palace. This palace had to be big enough for the around 600 peopel of the court.

One of the highlights of the palace is the spectacular 70M long Galerie de Glaces, Hall of mirrors. This hall, where in 1919 the Treaty of Versailles was signed, meaning the end of World War I, has 17 huge mirrors at one side and 17 windows at the other side looking to the gardens.

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Phone: 01 837800
Website: http://www.chateauversailles.fr/

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Versailles: Versailles, park and gardens

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Updated by sachara

on Apr 4, 2005

Versailles, gardens

The Park of Versailles is designed in the formal French style with geometrical forms. From the palace to the west you have a great view at the 1,6KM long Gran Canal. This canal is oriented to the west to reflect the sunset. In the mainly geometrical gardens you find colourful flowerbeds, ponds and a lot of fountains and many statues of marble and bronze.

Within its borders the Park of Versailles has also an English style garden, the ''Jardins de Petit Trianon'' with bending paths and a more pastoral character. These gardens are situated nort of the Grand Canal around the two smaller palaces the Grand and Petit Trianon.

I liked to see the contrasts in those two different styles of garden design.

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Phone: 01 30837800
Website: http://www.chateauversailles.fr/

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Versailles: Versailles, Place d'Armes

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Updated by sachara

on Apr 4, 2005

Versailles, Place d'Armes

by sachara , 2 more photos

Entering the Chateau de Versailles palace area is very imposing. After you crossed first
the huge Place d'Armes, you enter three innercourts, the Cour des Ministres, de Cour Royale and the Cour d Marbre with the statue of Louis XIV in its centre.

Going back to town after your visit you have a great view from the Place d' Armes into the Avenue de Paris in the towncentre of Versailles. Around the huge Place d' Armes are the twin buildings the Grande and Petit Ecuries, the Grand and Lesser Stables. These former stables had to house the 600 horses of the king. Nowadays the Grand Stables houses the Coach Museum.

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Phone: 01 30837800
Website: http://www.chateauversailles.fr/

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Off The Beaten Path: New towns: la Grande Borne, Grigny

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Updated by sachara

on Apr 7, 2005

la Grande Borne

The suburb La Grande Borne is built at the end of the 60s between Grigny and Viry-Châtillon 25 KM south of the city of Paris. La Grande Borne is designed by the architect Emile Aillaud. His original designs had to break with the monotony of the architecture in living areas in those days.

Grigny was originally a rural village with 3000 inhabitants. The area grew to 27.000 inhabitants with the building of this new suburb. In La grande Borne the children got a central place by the large pedestrian streets, playing areas and green areas.

I visited this suburb at the end of the 70s, when I just started as a townplanner myself. To see these huge newtowns was an interesting experience and caused a lot of discussions with my colleagues, for example about human scale and respect.

For more pictures have a look at my travelogue 'La Grande Borne'.

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Off The Beaten Path: New towns: Evry

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Updated by sachara

on May 24, 2006

New town: Evry