Blogs from Versailles, Île-de-France, France, Europe - page 4

The day has finally arrived, my 50th birthday. Paris is a long way from St. Helens Oregon. We slept in a little and had breakfast in our room so we could back and get ready to leave for Versailles. There was one stop in Paris before we boarded the RER to Versailles. We packed and checked out of our hotel, leaving our bags until we finished this first trip of the day. The Battle with the Eiffel Tower Before leaving for Paris, I had purchased tickets to the summit of the Eiffel Tower for all of us. The plan was to ride to the top and toast my birthday with a class of champagne from the champagne bar at the top of the tower. We got there in plenty of time before we were to go ... read more

Imagine the most lavishly decorated house you can. Now triple it, and you will have some idea of what Versailles Palace is like. Famous as the last residence of Marie Antoinette, Versailles Palace is overwhelming in it's oppulence. After only a few rooms, my eyes and mind could take in no more. The over-abundance of paintings, decorative molding, the gilt, the staues...The rooms went on and on. The hall of mirrors was impressive, but Marie Antoinette's room was the most impressive. Every surface was covered, the bed and it's hangings were fantastic, but, of course, its big draw was fact that it was Marie Antoinette's. They had the door that she escaped through the night Versailles was attacked open. In order to truly appreciate the splendor of Versailles, one would probably have to spend a few ... read more

After a bit of a slow start and a nice leisurely breakfast at Starbucks, we made our way to the train station and tok the train out to Versailles. The Palace of Versailles was the official residence of the Kings of France from 1682 until 1790. It was originally a hunting lodge, built in 1624, by Louis XIII. It  was expanded by Louis XIV beginning in 1669. He used it as a little lodge as a secret refuge for his amorous trysts and built a fairy tale park around it. The terrace that overlooked the gardens was removed to make way for the magnificent Hall of Mirrors, the Galarie de Glaces. It is here from which the king radiated his power and where the destiny of Europe was decided over a century. The French classical architecture ... read more

Left the hotel early to make our way to Versailles. The trip by the metro and RER lines should have been a simple one but made lengthy and rather difficult because of closure to line C. Finally got there and was blown away by the size of the landmark. Walked the gardens, went to the grand and petite trianons and finally the palace. We were fortunate enough to have the fountains working to a background of baroque music. A big day with lots of walking and lucky that the lines were moving and the day was not too warm. Note to self: Too many fresh crusty baguettes, camembert cheese and french pastries are fattening - no matter how much walking you do! Although we were very sore and tired, we decided to see the Eiffel Tower ... read more

I feel like I really got to know Paris today. Even though it sounded like a depressing way to start the day, I started with the Catacombs. The Catacombs of Paris were used when the government excavated a lot of cemeteries, because they were overfilled with the dead and started to spread disease to the living. They moved them all into a mass "grave" here in the Catacombs deep under Paris. Mass piles of dark clothes, bones, and corpses were carried through the streets of Paris to the Catacombs, with priests saying the prayer of the dead alongside. The way starts with stairs deep under ground and then about 15 minutes of walking through what seems to be a mine shaft. It was actually pretty creepy and I could've sworn I hear a scream once or ... read more