Despite having done a fair bit of the touristy stuff already from previous trips to Paris, I’d never managed to get to Versailles, and it took me more than a few months of living here to finally get round to it, shortly after lifting of restrictions meant that it opened up again. It’s a well-known day trip from Paris, and even though it’s a touristy one, it’s definitely worth a visit, because it gives you such a rich insight into French history, and a sense of scale which you just don’t get from reading about the old monarchy. It’s also just a beautiful place to be, and makes for a lovely day out.
The impetus to go came from a combination of a friend from high school/uni who was visiting, and a subsidised trip organised by Parismus, the society for international students at Sorbonne. It was perfectly timed, and at €5 to see palace and gardens, we had to make the most of the opportunity. The train there is only about 30 minutes and leaves from a variety of central stations on the south bank - it’s on one of the commuter (RER) routes so is covered by the Navigo pass, or about €7,50 for a return.
Our castle visit wasn’t until 3pm so we spent the morning wandering round the gardens, which are really quite a spectacle. Perhaps not quite as elaborate as somewhere like Luxembourg but on a much bigger scale and with various extravagant installations from singing fountains to mazes and marble statues, it makes for quite an adventure.
After a picnic lunch we explored the lake and the canal (yes, there’s enough space there for a canal, which Louis used to boat down to visit his mistress), and the old Queen’s quarters, which were used to house international diplomats in the 20th century.
We finished up with the castle itself, which is absolutely magnificent, if a little over the top for modern tastes, and home to the (in)famous hall of mirrors, where the Versailles treaty was signed. You can also find the door via which Marie Antoinette escaped from oncoming revolutionaries, alongside an impressive collection of paintings and historical artefacts.
It ended up being a full day but with time to relax in between the various points, it was more leisurely than exhausting, and we were back in Paris for the early evening. The sun was on our side, which seems fitting for a visit to the palace of the Roi Soleil. We kept up the grand vibes with a walk home from drinks in the 15th via Invalides and the Pont Alexandre III, and somehow my 10m squared felt a little pokey once I got home.
