DAY 6 - VERSAILLES
SYNOPSIS: A touristy day spent at nearly all sunny Versailles. A few tips for travelers. Nothing much else.
What can I say? Versailles is a must once you are here, so I did it; all day long. I avoided the first hour of standing in line buying my ticket to the palace and grounds at the tourist information rather than at the palace. This is a tip for all of you who ever plan on going. I avoided two more hours of standing in line by first visiting the grounds, the Trianons, grand and petit, and the Hamlet; Marie Antoinette’s rural play ground. The last tickets to the palace are sold at 3:30 PM. Go after that, there are no more lines. But make sure you are in by 4:30 PM. I got in by 5 PM and was cut short by 3 rooms – they mean business here when it comes to the closing time.
Various impressive restoration projects were finished between the last time I was here and now. The palace itself is glistening in the sun (when it came through) due to gilded window frames in the mansard level. The gates and fences of the main court all shine with a new layer of gold. But the most impressive project was the completion of the Apollo Grotto. I was lucky enough to be able to be on the grounds while all fountains were going! That is a first for me. This only happens at scheduled hours and it’s worth waiting for. On top of that, Baroque music is played via loudspeakers throughout the gardens and it’s quite an experience. Yes, you pay extra for that. You pay for everything and it’s not cheap.
What else is there to say? This is well trodden ground and you can read more about it on line by people who know much more than I do. Many of my pictures will give you the illusion that there is nobody there – don’t be fooled. That is the result of long waits and long zoom lenses. It was crowded.
Perhaps now you understand why I much rather travel to Mali than to Versailles… ;-)
Enjoy the photos, they speak for themselves.
Good night.
