Today was a day filled with opulence and history. We took a day trip on a bus tour to Versailles and it was all and more we imagined it to be. Although it’s only 15 or so miles from the heart of Paris, with morning commute traffic it took almost an hour (felt like home). Once we got there, with hundreds of other tourists, we were on our own to explore the palace, gardens and beyond…
We started in the palace itself, going through the different rooms with the highlight being the Hall of Mirrors. Once we saw the grandeur of the rooms inside we headed to the gardens which were acres upon acres of well manicured lawns and trees, fountains and sculptures. They had a small tram which took you beyond to the Queen’s Hamlet and the original palace Louis XIV lived in and which Louis XVI gifted to his wife Marie Antoinette. She decided to create a small village because she did not want to be in court and had farmhouses built, animals brought in and she was able to go there and escape her royal life for a bit. It was like visiting a storybook land with so many pathways we got lost several times throughout the day.
After several hours meandering the pathways running into people from Thailand, Italy and Spain who Ravi asked to take pictures of us and then he was able to practice his goodbyes in the many languages. We went back to the Grand Canal in the gardens. Where everyone was relaxing by the waterside watching people in boats and enjoying their afternoon. The grounds were so massive that we were unable to see every corner there but what we did see was beyond extraordinary and the vision the king had to build this was mind blowing.
Once we got back on the bus we headed back to Paris and decided to go to the Eiffel Tower. We got there right at sunset to enjoyed the lights. Another majestic work of art and design. And an absolute icon of this beautiful city. We ended our day with another amazing dinner and memories to last us a lifetime.
