The royal palace at Versailles is billed as a must see for any trip to Paris. As you approach the gates, past the statue of the ‘Sun King’, Louis XIV, you see that the place is covered in gold. It glimmers under the sun. The opulence is obvious from the outset and only gets more ridiculous when you get inside.
The Sun King, Louis XIV.
Speaking of getting inside, the line was so massive that we were in it for over an hour and a half, even with pre-paid tickets. When we went inside the palace the shuffling and lining up continued. Don’t get me wrong, I like people (this may or may not be true), but being around them in a space like this is frustrating to say the least. A place like Versailles, just like the Louvre or the Vatican brings out the worst in people, including me. We shuffled from room to room, views were disrupted with cameras and it was impossible to get to the signs to see what the rooms actually were. It was frustrating and unfortunately it took away from the experience. But even with the huge crowd you could not miss the fact that the items and rooms on display were opulent, beautiful and gold-plated. As you went from ‘salon’ to ‘salon’ the roof in most rooms was painted with an amazing scene and the cornices and ceiling roses were painted, of course, in gold. Several massive chandeliers hung in each room. Art and copies of famous works hung in every room, royal portraits, historical paintings, sculptures and busts adorn the walls, shelves and tables. The hall of mirrors was even more grand than I had imagined. It had all of these features and more. The scale of the wealth was ridiculous. No wonder the people rebelled. But possibly more interesting than that is the fact that it survived the revolution, I would have thought that something so powerful and symbolic of the regime would be lost, but I guess you should not underestimate greed.
Inside Versailles.
Once outside of the palace Versailles is more spacious, but still just as opulent. The large gardens can be enjoyed by many and it’s hedges, trees, statures, fountains and canal are breath-taking. It is vast and extremely well-maintained. Entrance to the gardens is free so many families spend the afternoon picnicking there. You can hire a bike, a golf buggy or take a ‘train’ if you don’t wish to brave the long walk from one side to the other. We walked down to Napoleon’s pink marble palace The Grand Trianon in the back of the gardens and to Marie Antoinette’s house and farm that she had built in the 1780s so she could play peasant. These areas were fascinating and because they were less crowded, much more enjoyable. The farm was my favourite part. The small houses were built by the same architect were for a fantasy so their structure and style was interesting. There are also a range of animals to pat and more cat fish than I have ever seen swimming in it’s lake. Marie Antoinette is the star of the show at Versailles. There are gift shops dedicated entirely to her and sell bags, fans and coffee mugs with her image on them all in pink, of course. Having studied the French revolution at school I found this hilariously ironic, considering how hated she was during her reign. Now she is an icon and people are more interested in her story, her farm and little house than anything else at Versailles.
The gardens.
There was lots of construction work going on, so some areas were not easily accessible or open. This was ok, as it didn’t take away from the visit. The people who run Versailles have set it out so that it is easy to navigate and have it so well maintained that barely a blade of grass is out of place.
Marie Antoinette’s ‘English Garden’ from her residence, the Petite Trianon.
Versaille was a must-see, but unfortunately for me it was too busy to be enjoyed properly. The over-the-top opulence was also difficult to swallow when you understand the symbolism of the palace. It was amazing to be in a place that I had read so much about, I just wish it was with about half of the people who had decided to go to Versailles on that Wednesday morning!
Ali's adventure 