 sirgaw's Paris Travelogues | | | | Title [Click to view] | Travel Year | Pictures | | Chateau de Versailles - needs at least 2 day visit | May, 2007 |  8 |
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| Page Views: 80 Last Visit to Paris: May, 2007 | Chateau de Versailles - needs at least 2 day visit by sirgaw - last update: Feb 25, 2008 |
| The main entrance - note the cobblestones |
As stated in my Paris page Second time there just as good as the first the site we really wanted to visit was the Chateau de Versailles - the Chateau (Palace) that has witnessed so much of the worlds history, including the signing of the Versailles Treaty that ended World War 1 and some say, was instrumental in the conditions in Germany that brought about World War 2 and the devastation to so much of Europe.
---------------We arrived at the Montparnasse Rail station and with some difficulty finally found the correct ticket window to purchase a combined rail journey and entrance pass to the Chateau, including audio guide. Somehow we just missed the train in the huge station and had to wait another 45 minutes for the next. While we had second class tickets, the trains' interior was pure luxury and we had to make sure that we hadn't inadvertently got into a first class carriage. |
|  | It was around 30 minutes later we arrived at Chantiers rail station and walked past a row of shops and restaurants lining the main street of the suburb. We rounded a corner and were gob smacked by the ornateness of the Hotel de Ville and wondered just how much a room for a night cost - later we discovered that Hotel de Ville actually translates to City or Town Hall, so unless there was a prison located within the building, not much chance for wayward tourists to spend the night surrounded by splendour.
We could see the Chateau in the distance and just followed the crowd until we arrived at the main entrance and discovered just how the hard cobble stones of the 200 metre walk are on ankles - we hoped the courtiers of King Louis didn't have to endure the walk - maybe they had ornate carriages and plenty of servants. |
| | Our pass allowed us entrance into the group entrance of the Chateau and having seen the line up at the normal admission entrance, we were thankful to the Transilien company for the pass (link below). Once inside there was the formalities of baggage screening and then another line-up and we were supplied with audio guides. One didn't work, so we had to line up again and exchange.
The first stop on the self guided with audio commentary tour was the Royal chapel and we were in awe at the guided alter and ceiling, complete with murals befitting his and her Royal Highnesses, followed by a walk along a statue lined walkway. Obviously entertainment was a high priority for the Royal house-hold - the grandiose Opera House bared testimony to its importance. |
| | We followed the crowd into the Royal apartments, where it was room after room full of treasures from the past. We saw the Kings bedroom and noticed the lack of "on-suite" facilities where the King could complete his ablutions in peace. We heard how King Louis X1V was a man who perspired rather freely and needed to change his shirt several times a day - such world shattering revelations and shows that even Kings can be people too with the same sort of problems that others have.
The Queens bedroom was not quite as ornate as the Kings, but is still a masterpiece of splendour. More rooms to visit and at least one of the rooms had paintings so large that they would dwarf many homes in suburban Melbourne. The beautiful Hall of Mirrors where the Versailles Treaty was signed was undergoing restoration, but we could still see just how wonderful that room really is. We stood and watched in awe at a restorer going about her task - and it was a slow and laborious process. |
| The Chateau from the Grand Canal |
| | We exited the chateau and found a place to sit down in the shade and wolf down our picnic lunch of a half baguette each with cheese, followed by an apple and a good gulp of water - it was a beggars banquet while resting against perhaps the best and certainly the largest chateaux in the world - did we feel embarrassed - no.
There was a line up to take a mini train through the gardens and towards the Petit Trianon, so we joined the throng of multi-tongued visitors from all over the world and waited our turn. Finally we boarded a mini train (motorised and runs on road not rail) and passed some of the magnificent and ornate fountains that are a feature of the estate, which today is about 800 of the original 7,800 hectares, while enjoying a mixture of baroque music and a running taped commentary. |
| | Time was against us, however our first stop was at the Petit Trianon - the favourite of Queen Marie-Antoinette - and after a much needed loo visit we entered the hallowed building and saw a more people sized building rather than the grandiose chateau - again it was room after room of the best that could be provided for a queen. A short walk into the Queens Hamlet and a photo pose at the Queens "Temple of Love" - as our photo shows the statue needed a modesty adjustment for our grand children.
We re-boarded the mini train and while travelling through the estate saw a number of identical road signs. Apparently the traditional Champaign glasses were modelled on one of the breasts of Marie-Antoinette - perhaps road signs were too. (did they have cars in 'her' time - LOL) |
| Now keep that statue modest |
| | Our last stop was beside the Grand Canal of the estate and its from there that the size of the Chateaux de Versailles can be appreciated. We had a quick walk to the waters edge (far too cold for swimming - AND it was raining too) and then back to the mini train station for the trip back to the chateau. As it was nearing closing time we bad a sad farewell to one of the must-see attractions of Paris.
Hunger had overtaken us and so we dined in Indian splendour along the main street of Chantiers before heading back to the rail station and the 30 minute trip back. Sadly the train was more of a local train rather than the luxury of the earlier train and we felt that Queen Marie-Antoinette would not have approved. |
| | In reflection it is no wonder that the French revolution started; the peasants of Paris and France must have heard of the extravagant sums of money being spent on their royalty and it has been reported that about 25% of the income of the country was poured into creating the chateau and its estate.
C'est Vive la Republique !
A few useful web links for a visit to the UNESCO World Heritage Listed Chateaux de Versailles.
http://www.chateauversailles.fr
http://www.transilien.com/web/site/accueil/guide-du-voyageur/billets-abonnements/Versailles/lang/en
http://www.train-versailles.com/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chateau_de_Versailles |
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| sirgaw's Paris Travelogues | | | | Title [Click to view] | Travel Year | Pictures | | Chateau de Versailles - needs at least 2 day visit | May, 2007 | 8 |
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 Comments for sirgaw about Paris | | | | |
craic Fri Mar 14, 2008 20:02 UTC
lovely page - and i bet the van goths were barbaric | Nemorino Mon Sep 24, 2007 10:04 UTC
Glad to hear your second visit to Paris was just as good as the first. |
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