Visiting Versailles - Part 1
Storming the Palace
Visiting the Palace of Versailles is almost mandatory for many travelers visiting France. The gilt gates, extravagant fixtures, and fantastical gardens are unmatched, and so is the volume of tourists that swarm it every day.
If there’s one thing that I dislike more than anything else, it’s probably being crowded by people. I don’t enjoy attending concerts or crowded bars, having strangers bumping into me, or standing so close that I can smell their deodorant (or lack of it). It stands to reason, that I struggle with my desire to avoid high volumes of tourists, against getting to see the things that draw them in the first place.
Why Visiting the Palace is Worth the Effort
Of all the people I know who have visited Versailles, almost all did so as a day trip from Paris. Just a quick 45 minutes on the train, makes it a very convenient way for people staying in Paris, to do as a day trip. However, attempting to cram a place like this into a single day, sounds almost as stressful as dealing with the massive amount of people that are also attempting to do the same thing. The solution, fortunately, is as easy as “slowing down,” and spreading it out.
We decided to stretch this typical “day trip,” into a two-night stay, and break the palace experience into two parts. This provided us with a chance to catch our breath between touring the palace, the EXPANSIVE gardens, and the stables (now a premier riding academy). I highly recommend this methodology to anyone with more “introverted” tendencies.
Points To Live By
As I’ve mentioned before, “points” make it possible to stay in places that aren’t traditionally within reach for budgets like mine. Fortunately, my husband treats the accrual of credit card points, like a high stakes game of chess, which always pays off when we travel. In the case of France, we decided to cost mindful for the bulk of our trip, and then cash them all in on just a few nights, at a nice hotel.
Trianon Palace, A Waldorf Astoria Hotel
Probably more common than what is apparent to me, I tend to dress for comfort and practicality when traveling. On the rare occasion when we stay in luxury hotels such as this, however, simply placing my hand on the door handle makes me suddenly become aware of my need for a manicure and a hairbrush. The staff at Trianon Palace was warm and welcoming, but must have been thinking “here comes a ‘points’ redemption stay.”
My inner cynic aside, we were treated like royalty and after we got checked-in, we fully immersed ourselves in the “Versailles experience,” and did our best to look the part.
To Live is to Dine
Checked in and showered, we met some of the friends that had been traveling around France simultaneously, in the hotel lobby. With the assistance of the concierge, we were able to get last-minute dinner reservations for a party of nine, at a nice restaurant that wouldn’t break the bank.
La Tour - Restaurant Edition
I’ve often mused, that the best experiences in life, are rarely the experiences that you anticipate having. A trip to France, while memorable, still leaves large holes, in terms of the details, like what I ate for breakfast on the fourth day of the second city we visited.
However, what was a hastily planned dinner, became one of those memories that carved out a little space for itself in my memory. That said, I still don’t remember what I ate, but I remember every detail of the dining room, how the table was set, where each person in our party sat, and those details are recalled with what I can only describe as a “warm feeling.”
Be sure to visit them, or visit the website in advance, by clicking HERE.
The Palace
As I mentioned before, a MASSIVE benefit of actually staying in Versailles is that it allows you to take breaks from the crowds, and sorta spread the activities over a larger period. That said, touring the Palace itself, still requires some personal fortitude.
The morning of our second day, we rose bright and early, to go get in line before the palace gates opened. Fortunately, we had purchased tickets in advance, but despite arriving before opening for the day, we still had to stand in line for well over an hour, as they attempt to regulate the number of people entering.
Versailles Academy of Equestrian Arts
Probably not the first activity that jumps into your mind when you consider visiting Versailles, but a wonderful experience none the less!
We booked our tickets in advance, because seating is very limited, and we purchased the basic ticket for just the show (there is more than one option for these purposes). They don’t allow photos during the show, but even if you don’t care that much about horses, it’s a worthwhile experience to go watch.
A couple of the friends we were with, purchased tickets that included access to watch a practice session, which is where this photo was taken
To keep this post from being any longer than it already is, I’m going to cover the Palace Gardens on their own, because there’s A LOT to cover.
Been to Versailles? Leave me your thoughts below!
