Versailles is one of the most prestigious world heritage sites and attracts thousands of tourists every year.
A former hunting lodge built by King Louis XIII, it was transformed and enlarged by his son Louis XIV, the Sun King, who transferred his court and his government there. Successive monarchs Louis XV and the ill-fated Louis XVI continued to embellish and enlarge the palace making it the splendid work of art we see today. During the French Revolution, the royal family was forced to leave the palace and return to Paris. Less than a century later, in 1837, Louis-Philippe transformed it into a museum of French history.
A tour around the palace of Versailles takes you past the immense chapel, through the magnificent Hall of Mirrors, in which the Treaty of Versailles was signed in 1919, to the royal bedchambers. Other chambers and galleries display a wealth of artistic treasures, including the famous paintings of Napoleon by the artist David, and the portrait of Marie Antoinette and her family by Elisabeth-Louise Vigee-Le Brun.
Apart from the palace itself, Versailles includes the immense gardens that were designed by André Le Nôtre between 1661 and 1700. The gardens are adorned by more than 400 statues and its 90 hectares of land are more extensive than the town itself. It is a good 3km (almost 2 miles) from the palace to the end of the gardens. There are mazes each side of the main pathway that lead into charming secluded groves which make for ideal places to sit and chill during your visit.
During spring and summer, a highlight event in the gardens are the Eaux Musicaux or the musical water displays. All the fountains in the garden are switched on during specific hours, while, at night, there is a light and water show at the Neptune fountain.
Beyond the gardens is the park which corresponds to the old limits of the former gardens of Versailles. This area, whose highlight is Petite Venise (Little Venice), is nowadays very popular with ramblers and the Grand Canal is equipped with rowing boats for hire.
The good news for tourists is that, while the palace and the gardens, with their fountains and mazes, can be accessed only by purchasing tickets, the park and Petite Venise are open to the public free of charge.
Although very extensive, the park can be toured easily on the petit train that departs from the Northern Terrace every ten minutes. The petit train makes the round of the Grand Trianon and of Marie Antoinette’s estates which include the Petit Trianon. The tour takes approximately 45 minutes and visitors are free to alight at any stop and then take the next train to continue their itinerary.
I would urge anyone who wants to visit Versailles to plan a whole day for this visit. The palace and the gardens are so immense that it would be exhausting to try to rush through them in a few hours. It’s also a good idea to take or buy a sandwich and relax in the garden, while watching the fountain displays and letting the atmospheric baroque music work its spell on you.
One thing to remember is that the château is closed on Mondays and on public holidays, or when official ceremonies are held.
How to get to Versailles from Paris
Getting to Versailles from Paris is very straightforward. The RER Line C5 stops at Rive Gauche which is just a 5-10 minute walk from the palace. Return tickets (aller-retour) can be purchased from any metro station. Line C5 can be accessed from the Gare St. Lazare and Gare Montparnasse, and the trip to Versailles takes 20-30 minutes.
Tips when you visit Versailles
• You can avoid the queues at the ticket office and at every other Paris museum ticket office by purchasing a Paris Pass online or at Tourism Offices that includes entrance into most Paris attractions (see the link below)
• Get to Versailles early to avoid the crowds, especially if you still have to buy your ticket. The Palace opens at 9am, and lines at the ticket office soon get to be extremely long, taking 2 to 3 hours to get inside.
• Wear sturdy, non-slip shoes. The cobblestones are not easy to walk on, and the grounds are so immense that uncomfortable shoes can ruin a memorable day and the rest of your holiday.
• Pushchairs (strollers), food and drinks, etc. are not allowed inside the château. There is a free checkroom at the entrance where you can deposit bulky bags, etc. which can be retrieved at the end of the visit.
• If you’re visiting in summer, stock up on water. Prices of refreshments onsite are steep. You can fill up your bottles at the fountain in the courtyard just as enter through the main gate, before the ticket office.
• You can hire a cart to drive through the gardens. It’s fun and saves you walking through miles of estates.
• Don’t forget to visit the town of Versailles itself. It is one of the wealthiest areas near Paris, full of history and charm. The cuisine is first class and the little cafésvery picturesque. There is also a flea market and many shops worth visiting. For a quick tour of the town, there is a petit train ride that departs from the tourism office on the main road just outside Versailles.
Useful Links:
Official Versailles Site: http://www.chateauversailles.fr/
Paris Museum Pass: http://www.parismuseumpass.com/en/home.php
Tours and Tickets to Attractions: http://mundoideal.traverustravel.com/index.asp
Book your trip at competitive prices: http://mundoideal.traverustravel.com
0 comments:
Post a Comment