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Our main agenda for the day was to take the RER C train from La Defense Station to Versailles Rive Gauche Station. We bought the train+entrance combo tickets to the Chateau de Versailles from the SNCF booth at the La Defense station, to avoid the crowds at the gate. I was hungry and seeing Mac Donald’s next to the ticket counter, went to buy breakfast as we had a 20 minute wait for our train.
Mac Donald’s sucked! Being used to the quick service in US, I was irritated when they took their own sweet time to serve me. Every couple of minutes Rajesh would look at my watch and announce that we were going to miss the train. Exactly 15 minutes later, the cashier brought out our order and added a chocolate muffin for good measure. I snatched the food from her hand and ran like a maniac to our train. I put my hands in my pocket and realized that the train as well as entrance tickets to the Chateau had disappeared. Shocked, I ran back again through the same route and found the tickets scattered somewhere on the floor of the train station. Obviously, they had fallen
out when I ran. Picking up the tickets, I breathed a sigh of relief and boarded the train, mentally cursing Mac Donald’s for nearly screwing my day.
The train passed through Paris suburbs onto the countryside and brought us within blocks of the Chateau de Versailles. We walked along the grand boulevard leading to the Chateau. The Chateau became the official residence of King Louis the XIV of France in 1682, moving from the Louvre in Paris. The Royal family remained in residence here, constantly building additions and upgrades, until the French Revolution. In 1837, the Chateau became a museum dedicated to displaying French history.
We did not have to queue, as we had our tickets and walked right into the Chateau. The lady inside gave us audio guides in English and I was amazed as I heard details about this place of absolute wealth and luxury. The Chateau de Versailles is one of the largest palaces in the world. It has more than 700 rooms, 2000 windows, 1250 fireplaces, 67 staircases and more than 1800 acres of park. The paintings, tapestries, sculptures and furniture of this fabulous palace, have been executed by the best Italian and French
artists of the time.
As we entered through the marble courtyard into the main palace, we passed through the Royal apartments, Royal bedchambers of Louis the XVI and Marie Antoinette, the Chapel, the Hall of War, the Salon de Venus, and the Hall of Mirrors. In the Hall of Mirrors, the Treaty of Versailles was signed in 1919 after World War I. I was really struck with the beautiful Hall of Mirrors with the glitzy mirrors and beautiful chandeliers, where Mozart (as a boy) performed a recital for Marie Antoinette. As Rajesh clicked photographs, I listened to the audio guide telling me interesting little facts that the King's toilet habits could be witnessed by his subjects and that the Queen gave birth in public view.
Versailles' fabulous gardens were almost as spectacular as the Chateau. Le Notre designed the Versailles garden including fountains, jets, waterfalls, statues, water parterres, formal gardens, the Grand Perspective and the Grand Canal, to set off the Chateau's architecture. Three hundred years ago it was an honor to walk on the grounds of the Chateau's property, as Louis XIV put an excessive amount of money into building it to attract nobles from all over
Europe to France.
On any given day, over 20,000 people could be walking the grounds around the palace, and Louis XIV quickly realized that he needed a place to go to escape from the chateau. In 1687, the Grand Trianon was built for the king and his immediate family. Although it is much smaller than the palace, it is just as elegant. Then, in 1768, the Petit Trianon was added under Louis XV. It was meant to be a gift to the King’s mistress, Madame de Pompadour; however, she died before its completion and instead it was offered to Queen Marie Antoinette by her husband, Louis XVI. Marie Antoinette loved the "Queen's hamlet" which she designed and built in 1783. The hamlet was basically a small country village, complete with country houses and a farm.
As much as I liked visiting the Chateau de Versailles, I think I had an even better time walking around the gardens and visiting the other buildings spread throughout the park. It gets very crowded in the palace, so it's quite nice to escape to other parts of the estate. I guess I can understand Louis XIV's desire of leaving Versailles behind once
in a while! We took a mini-train from the Chateau that took us around the gardens and stopped at the Grand Trianon, Petite Trianon and the Grand Canal.
Drinking freshly squeezed orange juice in front of Marie Antoinette’s hamlet; I told Rajesh about the French Revolution and the unhappy peasants who complained to the royalty that they had no ‘bread’ to eat and Marie Antoinette’s famous words - “Let them eat ‘cake’ instead!” Rajesh was totally amused to hear that! Sadly, Marie Antoinette was rumored to have a flippant attitude toward the suffering French peasantry and she paid for her frivolity with her life. There were paddle boats in the canal and a few snack bars and restaurants in the gardens. But nothing beats lying down by the Grand Canal after walking throughout the lovely gardens.
We ate a late lunch at around 3 pm in a little clutter of bistros outside the Chateau. A middle aged American couple came over to the waiter and asked him to translate some of the menu. After the waiter’s attempt in broken English, they asked him where they could buy sandwiches. The waiter defeated, gave them directions to Mac Donald’s. I
had no problems with the French menu; 'Poulet' meant chicken, 'funghi' meant mushrooms and 'poulet rotisserie' meant roast chicken. I noticed 'duck foie gras' in all menus. Upon enquiring, learnt it is a French specialty and it is the liver of a fattened duck. Poor fat duck! Another American family sitting next to us ordered pizzas, coke and “tap water”. I looked at our mineral water that cost us E4.00 and learnt from them to order “tap water” henceforth. We ate delicious French custards and feeling lazy, but content, walked to the train station. Our visit to Versailles was totally worthy. We had had the best taste of French history, culture, country and cuisine.
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