We arrived at the palace around one in the afternoon, and it took another forty-five minutes to get tickets. The line wasn't too bad, though - it moved quite quickly and we got to the ticket counter right before the novelty of the amazing scenery wore off.
After receiving our tickets, we tried to check in our bags, but because they contained laptops, the folks at the counter wouldn't let us. No worries, though, we'd just have to deal with carrying them along with us. We received our English tour guide thingies, which resembled cell phones, and headed into the exhibit. Fortunately, the guides also had headphone jacks, which Dana and I both utilized in order to not look like tools holding phones up to our heads.
The tour began with a section devoted to paintings done by Baron Louis-Francois Lejeune, a general and painting during the Napoleonic era. The audioguide explained the subject and significance of each piece and did a pretty good job at presenting everything. One of Lejeune's most well known paintings is known as The Battle of the Pyramids and depicts a battle which took place for Cairo in 1798 between local forces and Napoleon's army.
The next portion of the tour took us through the various rooms that Louis XIV, Louis XV, and Louis XVI used to entertain guests, consult with his advisers, and even eat and sleep. Though the palace dates back to the eleventh century of before, Louis XIV is known for expanding its bounds during the 17th century. His heirs, the next two kings, resided in and continued work on the construction of the palace. After the reign of Louis XVI and subsequent French Revolution, the palace was designated a museum.
Many of the rooms were named and designed for several Roman deities. Included were the Venus Room, the Jupiter Room, the Mars Room, the Diana Room, and the most important to Louis XIV, the Apollo Room. Also featured was the Hall of Mirrors, a huge hall filled with chandeliers and mirrors (a luxury object at the time) that once served as a throne room.
Ceiling painting
Artemis/Diana, Goddess of the Hunt
The Hall of Mirrors
After walking through room after room of absolutely stunning architecture and artwork, we were ready to sit down for awhile and escape the crowds lumbering through each room. Fortunately, there was a small cafe within the grounds of the palace called Angelina's, which had been highly recommended by a friend of Dana's. We grabbed some rather expensive hot chocolates before moving on to the outdoor area, the gardens of Versailles.
The moment we first saw the gardens, it was clear how expansive they were. We had been carrying around our backpacks all day and didn't really feel like continuing to walk around on our sore feet. Fortunately, the entrepreneurs of Versailles offered a solution: little electric golf carts that could be driven around the grounds, for the low low price of thirty euro. I paid up and they gave us some ground rules and took my license for collateral, and off we went!
ACTION SHOT
Unfortunately, due to the season, most of the statues were covered to prevent wear and tear, but as can be seen above, some of them were on display. The little cart was our for about an hour, so we raced back to return it before the five o'clock deadline. It worked out perfectly! By the time we returned it, the sun was setting and I got some good shots of the palace's back side.
We boarded the train and headed back to the Eiffel Tower to bid a farewell to Paris, for this trip anyway. We got to the Champ de Mars station just in time to take a few nice pictures of the tower before it got dark. Sadly, we elected not to go to the top, as the line for the lift would have taken more time than we had, and the idea of hiking to the top was not appealing after such a tiring day at Versailles. We elected instead to grab some dinner near the Trocadero before we hopped our train back to London.
The Eiffel Tower while the sun sets
View of the tower from the Trocadero
Dinner was quite good. We decided on a little cafe adjacent to the tower, obviously well-trafficked by tourists. I ordered the famous croque-monsieur, very similar to a grilled cheese and ham sandwich, and Dana elected for the steak and fries. I asked what the waiter recommended for a red wine and ordered what he suggested. Did I mention that I didn't have a single bad piece of food in France?
After buying a couple last minute souvenirs and taking one last glance at the illuminated Eiffel Tower before riding the train back to Gare du Nord station. It took quite a while to board our train, and after slogging through the line, we were finally off about fifteen minutes late. Fortunately, the train served a rather substantial meal of spinach/goat cheese, chicken, and chocolate mousse for dessert. After an episode of Hoarders, we were beat, so we took naps while the train raced across Europe and through the channel tunnel back to London.
After our diversion to Paris, there's so much left to do in London! Coming up this week:
- The Doctor Who Experience
- A trip to the House of Commons and surrounding landmarks
- A drive out to Stone Henge and the Salisbury Cathedral
- The British Museum
For the weeks, I think I'll consolidate them to once big post, since they'll be markedly less action-packed than the weekends. Stay tuned!
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