Versailles, the majestic royal estate.

This was my second time in Paris  but as my first trip was shorter, I didn’t have the time to visit the castle of Versailles. This is why, this time, a stop, better said, a whole day there, was at the top of my “must see” list. 

After a 25-30 minutes journey on the RER C train, direction Versailles Chateau-Rive Gauche, once outside the station, you will easily find your way to the castle as it’s well marked with touristic signs all along the way. Probably you will find yourself surrounded by lots of tourists like you, looking forward to get a glimpse of the building behind every corner. In a five minutes walk, there you are. You see it from far away, not realizing its real size at first, because the chateau reveals itself a bit at a time. You will notice first ist golden details, from the tips of the outer gate, to the whole main gate, to the decoration on the roof of the main building.

This is the exact moment when you will fall in love with Versailles. It’s not because I am a woman, and it’s well known that we love gold. It’s because you will appreciate all the details, all the small things that makes it a marvellous piece of art. You will realize how much work and effort has been put in creating the building and giving it this sense of royal, majesty, opulence, just as requested from the European courts at that time, that is still alive all around it. But it’s inside that your jaw will drop.

There is no one little space left blank. Green and burgundy marble walls, white and golden carved doors, windows with the view of the perfectly neat gardens. Life here must have been wonderful. Walking through the numerous rooms one just can still see Queen Marie Antoinette strolling in her huge gowns, the Sun King waking up in the morning in its bed, overlooking its realm, a grand ball with all the French nobles dancing on a beautiful music.

I’ve always wanted to see the Hall of Mirrors, a masterpiece of art and beauty, and I must say the only thing thay may disappoint is that there will be so many other tourist that you cannot see it in its whole beauty. The room is surrounded by mirrors framed in gold, filled with stunning chandeliers that comes down from a painted ceiling, and golden statues.

The other leading character in this story is the garden. Better said, the gardens. A huge infinite green and in bloom kingdom, where nature is the real queen. The eyes cannot see the end of french gardens embellished with white statues and stunning fountains. The only thing to do here is start walking and exploring around.

Versailles also includes Marie Antoinette’s estate, with the Petit Trianon and the Queen Village, where she lived and enjoyed a simpler life, and the Grand Trianon, a beloved escape for Napoleon, and King Louis XIV.