I was very excited about visiting the Palace of Versailles. My travel guidebooks list it as a must see when visiting Paris.
I watched the movie “A Little Chaos” that tells a story about a female landscape gardener who was awarded the honor of designing a section of the grand gardens of Versailles. While historically inaccurate, it definitely perks the interest of the audience in obtaining more information on the palace. I binged-watched the 2 seasons of the tv series “Versailles” on Netflix. The series relates the life of King Louis XIV and his court while in residence at Versailles.
Influenced by guidebooks, a movie, and the tv series, I absolutely had to see Chateau de Versailles. When my husband and I with my sister-in-law got there, I realized that my research on visiting the famous palace was not thorough enough. The only way to skip the lines in visiting Versailles is to book a guided tour on its official website. Even with timed entry tickets, visitors still line up to enter the palace.
My mistake was thinking that since we had the Museum Pass, entering the palace would be a breeze. Especially that it was not peak season. Wrong! With the Museum Pass, we did not need to line up at the ticket booth, but we did need to line up at the entrance. The line to get inside Versailles was ridiculously long. It took us at least an hour and a half to get in. Standing in line was not fun, and my husband entertained the idea of leaving, but we stayed. I was in Versailles, and I must see the palace!
Once inside, I forgot all about the hour and a half I spent in line as we walked from room to room. It is always an incredible experience walking through grand historic edifices. Versailles offers a glimpse of the grandness and magnificence of the life of French loyalty.
Before it was a palace, Chateau de Versailles was a hunting lodge built by Louis XIII, Louis XIV’s father. The Sun King enlarged it, and made it the seat of his government. He brought his court and courtiers to Versailles.
The room I was most excited to see was the Hall of Mirrors, Versailles’ most famous room. The hall is lined with mirrors designed to reflect the windows that look out into the gardens. Chandeliers hang from painted ceilings framed in gold. It is a very beautiful gallery, and undoubtedly dazzled during Louis XIV’s time. There are, of course, other rooms that make Versailles a magnificent palace. Not to mention its vast gardens.
There is plenty to see and experience at the Palace of Versailles. It is no wonder that 7.7 million visitors went to see it in 2017. It is a historic monument and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Reason enough to land on everyone’s must see attractions in Paris.
Dee to the World 🌎 