Following Mexico we had a brief 12 days in Calgary before flying WestJet non-stop from Calgary to Paris where we began a 16 day sightseeing journey down to the The Algarve in Portugal. When we landed in Paris we were taken aback how heavily it was snowing and we determined that Paris was under a heavy snowfall warning. After picking up our leased Renault car we made our way to Versailles, the drive taking longer than planned on slush and ice covered roads. We were relieved to park the car in the hotel’s underground lot for the duration of our stay here.
We came to Versailles specifically to tour the Palace of Versailles. When we were here at the end of May 2022, I was not very organized and hadn’t pre-purchased tickets for the palace, and there were none available to buy. This time I bought our tickets well in advance so we are all set! Despite not getting palace tickets when we were here in 2022, we visited the gardens and spent a few hours wandering around. It was a good thing we had already seen the gardens because this time they are closed and blanketed with a few inches of snow.
The Palace of Versailles is one of the most iconic and opulent royal residences in the world. Originally a hunting lodge built by Louis XIII in 1624, it was transformed and expanded by his son, Louis XIV, into the immense and extravagant palace we see today. Versailles became the center of political power in France for over a century, serving as the royal court’s residence from 1682 until 1789 when the royal family returned to Paris. The palace’s design is a blend of classical French Baroque architecture and the most famous room of all being the Hall of Mirrors. The Hall of Mirrors is a stunning gallery extending more than 230 ft lined with 17 arcaded mirrors opposite 17 windows that overlook the gardens below. Glittering chandeliers adorn the arched, ornately painted ceiling depicting a series of 30 scenes glorifying the early years of the reign of Louis IXV.
The palace itself is vast, with over 700 rooms, including the King’s and Queen’s State Apartments which we toured. They are luxuriously decorated with ornate furniture, grand tapestries and fine artworks. While touring the King’s bedroom it was interesting to read there was a public ceremony at night when he went to sleep and another when he arose the next morning, a bit odd but I guess you do odd things when you are King.
Another magnificent room is The Gallery of Battles. There are 33 monumental paintings of military battles from 496 to 1809 that shaped the history of France, as well as 80 busts of heroic officers killed in combat over the centuries.
The Palace of Versailles is a UNESCO World Heritage site that draws millions of visitors from around the world, offering a peek into a world of royal excess and an era that shaped the course of French history. We spent 2 hours wandering through the Palace and are glad we came back to see this magnificent site. Despite this being the off season, there were busloads of tourists and long lines to get in the palace. I must admit I was very surprised how busy it was at this time of year.
Our time was brief in Versailles, and we have been here before, so we did not do a lot of sightseeing. The streets were covered in a few inches of slush so our feet were wet all the time, dampening our desire to walk around very much. We did get out for a couple of wonderful French dinners at Le Limousin and Au Petit Marquis, two places worth trying if you are in Versailles. And check out our accommodation page for a link to the fabulous hotel we stayed at.
Off to Rocamadour…..