Versailles

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Even though I've been to France many times -- I've never made it to Versailles (it's a 40-minute train ride from Paris).  So for this trip, I decided to fly into Charles de Gaulle airport and then spend my first night in Versailles at the Waldorf-Astoria.

One note of caution about the drive from CDG to Versailles -- if you take the A86, you'll go through the longest urban motorway tunnel (6.2 miles / 10 km).  The tunnel is for cars only -- and it's not very high (6'7" / 2m).  The tunnel made me super claustrophobic -- I couldn't wait to get through it!

The hotel I stayed at is in a great location --- it's within the Versailles gardens -- equidistant between the Palace and Marie Antoinette's domain.  My room wasn't large, but very nicely done up.  I had a quick dinner at La Veranda in the hotel (well actually out on the veranda ☺) -- quite nice!  Breakfast the next morning was included --- and it was fantastic!  And the service at the hotel was really delightful.

The next morning I was out the door pretty early to get in line for the palace (be there 30 minutes before the doors open -- solid advice from the concierge!) -- and nice that it was just a 10-minute walk through the gardens (which are free).

I spent the morning exploring the palace -- in the early afternoon I walked back to the hotel and picked up my rental car and took off for my next location (Chambord:  110 miles SSW/ about a 2 hour drive).  I would like to go back again in the Spring -- and spend the whole weekend in Versailles.  Note:  there was something going on at the Palace on the day I visited -- it was only open until 2pm -- and for some reason none of the fountains were running (upon further research -- it looks like they are turned off most weekdays -- strange!).

Some tidbits about Versailles:
  • Although it's called Château de Versailles -- it's really a palace (more on that in a later post).
  • Dripping with gild and marble, the colossal palace was the singular vision of Louis XIV, the almighty Sun King, whose lavish, lust lifestyle mirrored his global ambitions for France in the 17th century.  The monarch recruited the finest craftsmen of the day for his Pharaonic project:  transforming his father's simple hunting lodge into a party pad to house the 6,000-person royal court.  The numbers are dizzying:  700 rooms, 27 acres of roof, 67 staircases!
  • Landscape architect André Le Nôtre literally moved mountains to create the endless perspective of gardens.  Dotted with sculptures, the groves were designed as open-air drawing rooms -- an extension of the palace.  
  • It took 30,000 workers some 50 years to complete the palace, which was the seat of royal power until it was overrun by mobs during the French Revolution.
  • In 1783, the palace was the site of the signing of the Peace of Paris, in which the UK recognized the independence of the United States.
  • The Hall of Mirrors is the most famous room in the Palace.  The room was built to replace a large terrace which opened onto the garden.  Work started in 1678 and ended in 1684.
    • The whole length of the Hall of Mirrors pays tribute to the political, economic, and artistic success of France.  Political successes are illustrated through the 30 painted compositions on the vaulted ceiling by Charles Le Brun.
    • Military and diplomatic victories and reforms with a view to reorganizing the kingdom are illustrated through allegories from Antiquity.
    • Economic prosperity is revealed in the number and size of the 357 mirrors bedecking the 17 arches opposite the windows, demonstrating that France could rival the Venetian monopoly on mirror manufacturing.
    • Artistic success is shown by the Rouge de Rance pilasters topped with capitals of gilded bronzed based on a new design created by Le Brun.  The design incorporates the national emblems, with a fleur-de-lis topped by a royal soon between two Gallic roosters.

Location: 1 Boulevard de la Reine, 78000 Versailles, France

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