On Thursday, we woke up a bit later than planned but not too bad, and after breakfast drove out to Versailles. This wasn’t so bad, as we were able to completely go around Paris, and it was much faster than taking the train. I was so excited to finally be visiting Versailles. 25 years earlier I had written my AP European History exam essay on Versailles and the Sun King, and now I was actually going to be able to see all the stuff I had been learning about. It did not disappoint.
I knew the day was going to be good just by our experience at the parking lot. When we pulled up, there was a line of about 5 cars waiting to get in. The lot was full, and we were about to drive away and try to find street parking when the attendant started talking to each car in the line. We waited to see what he had to say. He assured us that if we just waited a bit, cars would leave and we would be able to get a spot, no problem. Wouldn’t take more than a few minutes, he said. I didn’t think that was possible, since we were there just an hour after opening time. Who would already be leaving so soon? But sure enough, about 5 minutes later, car after car started leaving, and we were soon in the lot and able to find a spot. Turns out lots of locals drive to Versailles early in the morning to run through the gardens, which are free and open to the public ,and when their work out is over, they leave, freeing up lots of parking spaces. Thank you, awesome parking attendant for the tip!
Hmm, even from this far back that looks like an awfully long line. But I am so excited to be here, I just don’t care!
The lines were very long, someone was saying it would be at least 1.5 hours before we got in to the castle. No one was very happy about that, but you do what you gotta do, right. Chris even told the kids, “Look, Mama has wanted to come here for almost her whole life. So we’re just going to be patient and happy for her and let her enjoy it.” ah, so sweet. But still, not so fun standing in the sun for so long. But about 10 minutes into it I remembered a tip from the website. So we left the long line, went around the corner and entered the gorgeous gardens with absolutely no wait at all!
Just past the entrance we saw some golf carts that you could rent for 40 Euro for the day. Chris was very tempted, but we would have needed two for all of us, and that was a bit too much money. But if you are ever at Versailles with a group of 4 or less, do it! There were many more grounds we didn’t get around to seeing because it is just so huge. The golf cart would have been perfect for that.
The kids’ favorite thing was all the statutes lining the walkways. They stopped and gazed at every single one, making some commentary or other, and trying to mimic them as best they could.
Most of the walkways were paved with small rocks. And halfway through the day, Alexandra’s pockets were absolutely bulging with them. We had her empty them on to the ground and just choose a few to remember her trip by. She left the rest at Versailles, thankfully. 
More statues to entertain the children. I guess it’s a good thing they take the time to admire them, rather than just walk on past. We may not see everything, but what we do see we truly enjoy. 🙂
These beautiful, incredibly straight rows of trees were lining the path that led to the Petit Trianon. You know, where the king stashed his mistress. Oh and Marie Antoinette liked to escape all the hubbub of the big palace out here as well. The girls pretended we were dressed in big fancy dresses, carrying parasols as we walked along the path. And for some reason, there is this creepy carving/mold of Medusa’s head once you get inside the building. Maybe to ward off unwanted visitors?
I cannot stress how lovely it was to walk the grounds and visit this and the other outlying buildings. There were so few people around, we could just take our time and look at whatever we wanted without worrying about being in anyone else’s way. Thanks again for the tip, official Versailles website!
Hee! Chris took this shot just to prove he really was there! 🙂
Seriously, look how empty it is. If we had stood all morning in that big line, we never would have had the time or the energy to walk all the way out here and see this, but it was gorgeous. And the gardens here were even more colorful than the ones by the big palace.
This is actually the Grand Trianon, where Napoleon and his family lived. I liked this palace very much. It felt more like an actual family home, although a very grand one to be sure. There was a giant black and white marble floor between the two wings, and the kids immediately said it would be so fun to play chess on it.
Chris likes to dance with me in the kitchen. This room wouldn’t be so bad, either. 😉
We had walked quite a ways, and decided that we would hop on the train that picks you up from the Grand Trianon and drops you off at the Grand Canal. Very good decision. And also extremely cheap, as we only had to pay for the two adults. woohoo!
After we got off the train, we walked a tiny ways towards the palace and got some lunch at a small restaurant hidden among the trees. It was beautiful, and had bathrooms with flushing toilets nearby. But it was also popular, and so most of the things the kids wanted to eat were already sold out. Apparently, they truck in a certain amount every day, and when it’s gone, it’s gone. Still, everyone found something to fill their tummies with and well-rested we headed up to the palace.
Of course, we had to stop and look at every single statue on the OTHER side of the walkway. 🙂 When we finally did get to the palace, we pretty much walked right in. There were more people, but as long as we stayed ahead of the tour groups, and didn’t get stuck in between them, we were fine.
Reading up on the art, so you know what in the world you are looking at. They did a great job with the displays. Our kids were very interested and occupied the entire time.
This is one HUGE painting. I loved it. I wonder if they hung the canvas in the frame first, and then had the artist paint it, or if it was already done, and they built the room especially to frame it?
It’s the French Sistine Chapel. (I have never been to the Sistine Chapel, I just know the whole ceiling is painted, much like this enormous room. What I really wanted to do was lie down on the floor and just gaze up at the whole thing for about 20 minutes. But my family would have died of embarrassment if I had, so I just craned my neck and spun in circles for a while.
I keep saying how the crowds weren’t that bad. And they weren’t. Really. Until we got to the Hall of Mirrors. 
That place was packed. So packed, you can’t get the full effect of the mirrors. Which, by the way, are kind of warped, very tarnished and really don’t give off that great of a reflection. I wonder if that is the age affecting them, or if mirror making has greatly improved in the last 150 years. Probably both.
This picture just says it all, doesn’t it? It’s late afternoon, they have been on their feet for two solid days, and they are just DONE. But then we left the residential part of the palace, and entered the art museum part, and they got a tiny second wind. 
Each painting had a number by it, and you could punch it in to your audio guide and it will tell you all about it. Some of the kids wanted to learn about every painting, others wanted to leave right then. So we compromised and told them to pick 5, and then we would go. It seemed to pacify most of the group. I love the natural light in this room. I kind of wish this had been at the beginning of the tour, rather than the end. We would have all enjoyed it more without sore feet.
Thank you family for letting me fulfill one of my dreams. It meant even more that I was able to share it with you. Goodbye Versailles, you totally lived up to all the hype and then some!