Palace of Versailles Paris France
Monday, November 20, 2017
#WalkwithChaMikeinParis
'From the seat of power to a museum of the history of France'
The Palace of Versailles remains to be one of the most important landmarks in Paris. Versailles was a former French royal residence from the reign of King Louis XIV to King Louis XVI from 1682 to 1789. The royal family was forced to return to the capital after the beginning of the French Revolution. From the 19th century until today, Versailles became and still is an important museum of France.
I have an inkling about this palace because of the movie Marie Antoinette. I became curious about how the royalties during the 17th century lived in extravagance and opulence so I wanted to get to see the actual palace myself.
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| King Louis XIV |
We visited it on our third day and we allotted the whole day for it because we knew that it is quite far from the center.
How to go:
RER | Line C, Versailles Chateau - Rive Gauche trains station
It is better that you ask the Metro information staff before buying your ticket because you might get confused on what option to choose. As for us, the information counter was very helpful that she recommended us to buy return tickets so we don't need to buy again when going back. It was fairly cheaper than what we intended to purchase.
It is better that you ask the Metro information staff before buying your ticket because you might get confused on what option to choose. As for us, the information counter was very helpful that she recommended us to buy return tickets so we don't need to buy again when going back. It was fairly cheaper than what we intended to purchase.
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| Waiting for our RER |
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| Inside of our RER |
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| The travel is around 50 minutes one way |
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| That means more time to relax and cuddle |
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| Finally here at the station |
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| Versailles Station |
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| Information Center- this was where we (and hundreds of tourists everyday) asked where the palace is located |
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| Very pretty pathway going to the palace |
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| Versailles #OTTD |
Turtleneck dress | Forever21
Pink Coat | Uniqlo
Boots | H&M
Opening Time:
Palace | Open everyday except Mondays, December 25 and January 1
9:00 am - 5:30 pm
Gardens | Open everyday except for bad weather conditions
8:00 am - 6:00 pm
Palace of Trianon | Open everyday except Mondays, December 25 and January 1
Palace of Trianon | Open everyday except Mondays, December 25 and January 1
12:00 nn - 6:30 pm
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| After a few minute walk we were able to see the palace |
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| Two royalties (the one is legit) |
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| The enormous palace and crowd of people |
Ticket Fee:
Passport | € 20
Will take you to the whole Estate: Palace, estate of Trianon, temporary exhibits, gardens and parks, musical fountain show or musical gardens and coach gallery
Palace | € 18
Will take you to: Palace, temporary exhibits, gardens and parks except on musical fountain shows or musical garden days and coach gallery
Estate of Trianon | € 12
Will take you to: Estate of Trianon, temporary exhibits held in the Grand Trianon, gardens except on musical fountain shows or musical garden days and coach gallery
Will take you to the whole Estate: Palace, estate of Trianon, temporary exhibits, gardens and parks, musical fountain show or musical gardens and coach gallery
Palace | € 18
Will take you to: Palace, temporary exhibits, gardens and parks except on musical fountain shows or musical garden days and coach gallery
Estate of Trianon | € 12
Will take you to: Estate of Trianon, temporary exhibits held in the Grand Trianon, gardens except on musical fountain shows or musical garden days and coach gallery
For more practical information about booking check the official website HERE
It is advisable that you purchase your tickets online because there is a very long queue for buying the ticket. Believe me we went through the stress of lining up for almost an hour, and it was so sunny that we got our skin burned (We didn't apply any sunblock since day 1) so you'll notice later how dark and haggard my face was all because we didn't purchase our tickets in advance. boo.
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| There are two lines, 1st is purchasing a ticket and the second is lining up to get to the palace |
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| Our palace tickets |
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| Gates of the Palace |
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| Formerly called Chateau de Versailles |
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| The word Chateau during that period means a rural location of a luxurious residence as opposed to an urban Palace |
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| Like Louvre Palais, it is at the heart of Paris while Chateau de Versailles is out in the country |
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| ChaMike in Nudes |
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| But first, French #ChaMikiss |
Angelina Cafe for Lunch
Before exploring the palace we had to eat brunch as we were famished! Because we had no choice to eat anywhere (going out of the palace will be too much of a hassle), we settled to dine at the very posh cafe, Angelina. Angelina is a famous teahouse in Paris. Known for its almost pudding-like hot chocolate and for its Mont Blanc dessert which is known globally.
Croque Monsieur, jambon, Comte, coeur de laitue | € 16
Before exploring the palace we had to eat brunch as we were famished! Because we had no choice to eat anywhere (going out of the palace will be too much of a hassle), we settled to dine at the very posh cafe, Angelina. Angelina is a famous teahouse in Paris. Known for its almost pudding-like hot chocolate and for its Mont Blanc dessert which is known globally.
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| Dining like royals at Angelina Cafe in Versailles |
Baked ham & cheese sandwich, country cheese and lettuce
Verdict
Dining here will definitely make you feel like royalty, the interior and ambience were over the top luxurious but in my most honest opinion, the food was overrated. It was so expensive, not worth what we ate at all. Even their famed dessert wasn't at all impressive. I don't know, but I usually like sweets but the Mont Blanc was a total blank for me. Too bad we weren't able to try their famous hot chocolate, it was the personal fave of Coco Chanel and Audrey Hepburn!
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| Croque Monsieur |
Angelina, filet de volaille, poitrine fumée, ceuf dur, tomate, pommes grenailles | € 23.5
Angelina club sandwich of chicken fillet, bacon, tomato, hard-boiled egg with with mid potatoes
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| Angelina Club Sandwich |
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| Lunch flat lay |
We also ordered Angelina's 1903 classic dessert which made them famous.
Le Mont Blanc | € 9.20
Meringue, light whipped cream, chestnut cream vermicelli
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| Le Mont Blanc |
Dining here will definitely make you feel like royalty, the interior and ambience were over the top luxurious but in my most honest opinion, the food was overrated. It was so expensive, not worth what we ate at all. Even their famed dessert wasn't at all impressive. I don't know, but I usually like sweets but the Mont Blanc was a total blank for me. Too bad we weren't able to try their famous hot chocolate, it was the personal fave of Coco Chanel and Audrey Hepburn!
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| King and Queen of House Magsaysay |
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| My audioguide, map and ticket |
The Royal Chapel
The first room that we visited was the Royal Chapel. The chapel was dedicated to St Louis, the patron saint of the king and an ancestry of the royal house.
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| The Royal Chapel |
King State Apartments
The King State Apartment is a series of 7 rooms used for hosting sovereign's official acts.
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| The Hercules Room - The Apotheosis of Hercules |
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| The Veronese, the Meal in the House of Simon |
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| Diana Room |
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| Mars Room |
Hall of Mirrors
The most famous room in the Palace. The Hall of Mirrors pays tribute to the political, economic and artistic success of France.
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| Hall of Mirrors |
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| It's so grandiose! |
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| Political successes are illustrated through the 30 painted compositions on the vaulted ceiling by Le Burn |
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| Courtiers and visitors crossed the Hall of Mirror daily, and it also served as a place for waiting and meeting |
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| It was also here that the Treaty of Versailles was signed on June 28, 1919, ending the First World War |
The King's Bedchamber
The King's Bedchamber is the most important and symbolic room in the Royal Apartments and was used several times of the day: during the king's getting up and going to bed ceremonies, when he dined in private, and when he received certain courtiers or ambassadors.
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| Louis XIV died in this room on Sept 1, 1715 after a reign of 72 years |
King's Apartment
The King's Apartment contained the customary succession of rooms: a Guard Room, two antechambers, a chamber and a cabinet.
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| Royal Antechamber- Where King Louis XIV used to dine after the death of the queen |
Battles Gallery
The most important of the historic galleries created by Louis-Philippe in the Palace of Versailles
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| Battles Gallery |
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| It was really handy that we had our audioguides with us |
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| Depicts 15 centuries of French military successes through 30 or so paintings |
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| This is the largest room in the Palace |
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| Austerlitz by Gerard, one of the four biggest paintings in this gallery |
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| Charlemagne meet Charmaine |
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| Realized we had no picture together inside the museum so here's a little mirror shot |
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| On our way to a different wing |
The Mesdames of France, as the six daughters of Louis XV were known, lived here from 1752.
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| Welcome to my abode |
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| I think I blend in |
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| A quick photo op before we went to see the chambers |
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| I can just imagine the view here during its glory days. My kind of window view |
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| Madame Victoires Great Chamber |
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| Madame Victoire's Private Chamber |
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| Madame Victroire's Library |
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| Madame Adelaide's Chamber |
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| Such a pretty room! Looked so regal!!! |
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| Madame Adelaide's Private Chamber |
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| The Palace Police Room |
So do you still remember what I said about making a big mistake by not purchasing the passport tickets? Yes! This was that moment when we realized it. Before we could even enter the garden guests need to buy a ticket! I didn't even understand because I thought if we only wanted to see the just the garden it is already included in the Palace ticket. But moving on, we just made the most of our trip and enjoyed the 800 hectares land.
Ticket Fee
Musical Fountain Show | € 8.50
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| Another ticket! Boo. |
At the foot of the Palace on the garden side there are three large parterres: North Parterre, South Parterre and Water Parterre. The latter is composed of two large rectangular pools.
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| View of the Palace from the Garden with the two large rectangular pools |
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| This view kinda reminded me of the Schonbrunn Palace in Vienna |
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| One of the four French figures representing the French river |
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| We can't say no to a French Royal #ChaMikiss here |
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| The South Parterre or Flower Parterre |
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| This draws the visitors gaze southward and reveals the Orangery Parterre |
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| Beautifully and meticulously landscaped |
Orange trees from Portugal, Spain and Italy, lemon trees, oleander, palm and pomegranate trees, some more than 200 years old, are all housed in the Orangery during the winter and spread out across its parterre in summer.
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| the Orangery |
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| The Orangery parterre covers no less than three hectares. It consists of four grass sections and a circular pool |
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| During the reign of Louis XIV it was adorned with several sculptures which are now kept in the Musee du Louvre |
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| Beautiful backdrop 💖 |
Covering almost 3.5 hectares in the heart of the Gardens of Versailles. From here you can see the Latona's Fountain, The Royal Way and Grand Canal. It was breathtaking!
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| Grandest garden I have ever seen!!! |
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| The work on the garden lasted for more than 40 years |
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| A French #ChaMikiss at the garden is a MUST!!! |
There are several fountains at the garden but this one is located at the heart of the garden. Inspired by the Metamorphoses by Ovide.
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| Latona's Fountain |
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| Illustrates the story of Latona, mother of Apollo and Diana, protecting her children from the insult of the peasants pleading with Jupiter to avenge her so he turned the peasants into frogs and lizards |
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| Thus the reason why golden sculpture are frogs and lizards |
Major east-west axis of the garden. Started from Latona's Parterre and ends at Apollo's Fountain.
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| The Royal Way or Great Lawn |
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| You can see the Grand Canal from this view |
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| The opposite view, you can see the palace. The lawn was well manicured. |
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| The statues in place today are mouldings of the originals, which are currently conserved in the Louvre |
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| King and Queen of House Magsaysay |
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| The M Pose |
Gardens & Groves
There are so many groves in this garden and because of the short amount of time we had, we weren't able to explore all of it. We only explored the Dauphin's Grove.
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| Dauphin's Grove |
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| All the groves in this garden were reviewed by the King himself who was very keen in every detail |
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| We can really see how keen the King was when it comes to details because of how meticulous he was with every area. |
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| Creating the garden was a monumental task as they imported trees from different regions in France |
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| The preppy look of the hubby blends very well with the sophisticated garden |
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| Taking a break by sitting in one of the gardens benches |
Apollo's Fountain
Located in the middle of the Grand Canal and Great Lawn. The Apollo's Fountain has a sculpture of Apollo riding his chariot which is based on the legend of Apollo, the Sun god and the King's icon.
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| Apollo's Fountain |
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| This has been the farthest area we walked to |
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| It was so sunny yes so chilly. We really got ourselves burnt after this tour |
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| Formerly called the Lake of Swans |
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| Yes, there were so many swans in this pond |
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| Even the swan looked like royalty |
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| Mike trying to get the swan's attention |
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| The swan dissed Mike because no food 🤣 |
This was where we ended our Versailles trip and exited at the gates from where we entered.
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| Earlier, this area is packed with tourists waiting to go inside |
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| Feel like a royalty at Palace of Versailles ✔✔✔ |
Versailles was ridiculously extravagant and impressive. The biggest, grandest and most opulent palace I have ever seen in my life! Although there are still so many sights to see at the Palace, we opted to go back as we were beginning to get really tired from all the walking plus our faces were so burnt. Sadly, we weren't able to visit the Grand Trianon, a separate palace located in the middle of the garden. You can see here Marie Antoinette's Estate too. Next time we will try to visit it again when we have our own prince and princess. Now the king and queen of house Magsaysay needed to beauty rest and exfoliate.
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