Palace of Versailles
Dear Blogger,
I am a such a fan of travelling and taking pictures.
Today, I will share with you my trip during this Christmas holiday 2017 to The palace of Versailles!
To start with, I will write about "Le château de Versailles". I am French and always be fascinated by history and architecture. I hope this article will help you to enjoy the most of this incredible piece of art and enormous gardens.
I visited the palace twice, once in Summer and once in Winter.
Get there early and buy online tickets with times on it (20€ to access to the whole Versailles domain, Versailles Palace, Marie Antoinette estate, Trianon and Versailles gardens, audio guide (available in 11 languages ).
You will be jumping the very long waiting line, as it can be for more than an hour with normal tickets!
Start by the palace around 9h, there is less people and you will enjoy a lot more (the amount of people can be overwhelming)!
Remember you can go to the garden for free but you need to pay to go to the palace or the estates.
We made as well the mistake to go to the garden first (and waited queueing one hour for nothing, as you do not need to wait for the gardens, you can go directly on the left) and then had to be in the long waiting line to visit the Palace again (as we didn't have specific time on our tickets)!
So If I were you I will start by the palace at the morning with less peoples around so you can make nice pictures or just take a ticket with entrance time on it so you avoid the long waiting line!
Go and explore all the gardens, this photo was taken when I got a bit lost in the sides gardens!
Remember that now everyone has to go through security check, like at the airport, so it is long and they will check your bag going through x-ray. Tripods are not allowed to be used in the palace or the garden.
You'll be amazed by the size of the Palace of Versailles and the sheer amount there is to see. Even if you just stick to the above highlights, you'll want to give yourself ample time. On the other hand, if you intend to see everything, you may even consider spreading your visit over more than one day trip.
The Grand Apartments
Avoid Mondays
When planning your visit to the Palace of Versailles, keep in mind that the palace is closed on Mondays. On every other day, the visiting hours are from 9:00am to 5:30pm, and from April until October, they're extended to 6:30pm.
Get there early!
The Palace of Versailles' musical fountain shows are quite simply awe-inspiring. They're held from April until October, on every weekend and public holiday from 11:00am to 12:00pm and again from 3:30pm to 5:00pm. It's absolutely worth scheduling your visit for the fountain shows.
This is my favourite room of the palace! The Hall has a long and bright room which welcomes you in. The coming sun from the windows is reflected and disperses to all corners. The effect is as well amazing during the dark hours, when all the light of the magnificent chandelier are on and reflected!
The whole length of the Hall is of 73m, it pays tribute to the political, economic and artistic success of France. There is 30 illustrated paintings of the political subject on the vaulted ceiling by Le Brun. Economic prosperity is revealed in the number and size of the 357 mirrors bedecking the 17 arches opposite the windows. It was demonstrating that the new French manufacture could rival the Venetian Monopoly on mirror. At this time such items were a great luxury.
The Gardens are open every day and all year from 8:00am.
For the Low season
They close at 6pm from the1st of November to 31st of March.
For the High season
They close at 8:30pm from the 1st of April to the 31st of October. There is some exceptional closing times to prepare the Fountains Night show and special other events.
Marie Antoinette Estate
In an attempt to gain some brief respite from courtly etiquette, the kings of Versailles built themselves more intimate spaces close to the main palace. Adjoining the Petit Parc, the estate of Trianon is home to the Grand Trianon and Petit Trianon palaces, as well as the Queen’s Hamlet and a variety of ornamental gardens
The estate is perhaps most closely associated with Queen Marie-Antoinette. The wife of Louis XVI regularly sought refuge at the Petit Trianon, where she commissioned marvellous landscaped gardens centred around a hamlet of cottages built in a rustic style.
Marie-Antoinette, who had such trouble adapting to the life of the French court, that she received the Petit Trianon as a gift from Louis XVI in 1774 and developed a great attachment to this estate. Just down the path from the richly adorned palace, Marie Antoinette commissioned a replica of a rustic village, evoking Normandy ( who looks similar of Austria style, her birth country) with its small cottages and dairy herd. Here she appreciated the informal atmosphere and healthy air, and indulged in pastoral amusements with her closest friends and confidantes.
Now you can see many animals living there, most of them are in reeducation, they are taking care of, like an animal refuge. Today it's still a working farm and is used to teach children about farm life. You can still see pigs, donkeys, rabbits, ducks, chickens, goats, seeps and various other animals roaming around the estate.
Dear Blogger,
I am a such a fan of travelling and taking pictures.
Today, I will share with you my trip during this Christmas holiday 2017 to The palace of Versailles!
To start with, I will write about "Le château de Versailles". I am French and always be fascinated by history and architecture. I hope this article will help you to enjoy the most of this incredible piece of art and enormous gardens.
I visited the palace twice, once in Summer and once in Winter.
Get there early and buy online tickets with times on it (20€ to access to the whole Versailles domain, Versailles Palace, Marie Antoinette estate, Trianon and Versailles gardens, audio guide (available in 11 languages ).
Start by the palace around 9h, there is less people and you will enjoy a lot more (the amount of people can be overwhelming)!
Remember you can go to the garden for free but you need to pay to go to the palace or the estates.We made as well the mistake to go to the garden first (and waited queueing one hour for nothing, as you do not need to wait for the gardens, you can go directly on the left) and then had to be in the long waiting line to visit the Palace again (as we didn't have specific time on our tickets)!
Go and explore all the gardens, this photo was taken when I got a bit lost in the sides gardens!
Remember that now everyone has to go through security check, like at the airport, so it is long and they will check your bag going through x-ray. Tripods are not allowed to be used in the palace or the garden.
You'll be amazed by the size of the Palace of Versailles and the sheer amount there is to see. Even if you just stick to the above highlights, you'll want to give yourself ample time. On the other hand, if you intend to see everything, you may even consider spreading your visit over more than one day trip.
Avoid Mondays
When planning your visit to the Palace of Versailles, keep in mind that the palace is closed on Mondays. On every other day, the visiting hours are from 9:00am to 5:30pm, and from April until October, they're extended to 6:30pm.
Get there early!
The Fountain Show
The Palace of Versailles' musical fountain shows are quite simply awe-inspiring. They're held from April until October, on every weekend and public holiday from 11:00am to 12:00pm and again from 3:30pm to 5:00pm. It's absolutely worth scheduling your visit for the fountain shows.
The hall of Mirrors
The whole length of the Hall is of 73m, it pays tribute to the political, economic and artistic success of France. There is 30 illustrated paintings of the political subject on the vaulted ceiling by Le Brun. Economic prosperity is revealed in the number and size of the 357 mirrors bedecking the 17 arches opposite the windows. It was demonstrating that the new French manufacture could rival the Venetian Monopoly on mirror. At this time such items were a great luxury.
The Gardens and Fountains
For the Low season
They close at 6pm from the1st of November to 31st of March.
For the High season
They close at 8:30pm from the 1st of April to the 31st of October. There is some exceptional closing times to prepare the Fountains Night show and special other events.
To maintain the design, the garden needed and still are, to be replanted approximately once every 100 years.
In an attempt to gain some brief respite from courtly etiquette, the kings of Versailles built themselves more intimate spaces close to the main palace. Adjoining the Petit Parc, the estate of Trianon is home to the Grand Trianon and Petit Trianon palaces, as well as the Queen’s Hamlet and a variety of ornamental gardens
The estate is perhaps most closely associated with Queen Marie-Antoinette. The wife of Louis XVI regularly sought refuge at the Petit Trianon, where she commissioned marvellous landscaped gardens centred around a hamlet of cottages built in a rustic style.
Marie-Antoinette, who had such trouble adapting to the life of the French court, that she received the Petit Trianon as a gift from Louis XVI in 1774 and developed a great attachment to this estate. Just down the path from the richly adorned palace, Marie Antoinette commissioned a replica of a rustic village, evoking Normandy ( who looks similar of Austria style, her birth country) with its small cottages and dairy herd. Here she appreciated the informal atmosphere and healthy air, and indulged in pastoral amusements with her closest friends and confidantes.Now you can see many animals living there, most of them are in reeducation, they are taking care of, like an animal refuge. Today it's still a working farm and is used to teach children about farm life. You can still see pigs, donkeys, rabbits, ducks, chickens, goats, seeps and various other animals roaming around the estate.
I want to give a big THANK YOU for reading and checking out this post.
I look forward to received your comments.
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