Impressed by Versailles

Water babies at Versailles

Water babies at Versailles

As the sea of humanity surged past me up the platform, I had to wonder just how much I was going to enjoy the experience of Versailles .  The 7 million yearly visitors couldn’t all be wrong, but I’d had the impression that at least half of them had been on the train with me!

I had crisscrossed Paris to join the RER train to Versailles-Rive Gauche on line C5, at Javel Metro station.  Standing on the platform, with a twitch of anticipation, I could see the Eiffel Tower looming in the distance as I watched for the approach of my double decker train.  This was to have been a first- a ride upstairs on a train- but it was not to be!  When the train pulled in, it was already full to sufficiency, and I had to spend the journey leaning up against a swaying wall.  Just a little deflated, I had 30 minutes in which to wonder whether Versailles could possibly hold this volume of people.

Arriving at the palace gates, I felt hugely relieved that I ‘d had the foresight to book tickets for the gardens online.  The queues were immense, but following the signs to the right, I slipped peacefully past the ticket barrier and into the empty gardens.  No queue!  This might not be so bad, after all.  The day was rather overcast, but I had 20 minutes to explore before the fountains were turned on at 11.00am.

Time for cherubs!
And more cherubs
A statue
More lovely cherubs!
Another statue
An urn
And a few more cherubs!

There wasn’t any question that this place was built to impress, and impress it did!  I felt a thrill of excitement as the fountains began to trickle.  In a few moments my cherubs were magically clothed in a veil of water.

Holding hands!

Holding hands!

A gentleman with a large ‘key’ made his way around the gardens, in an unhurried fashion, turning on the fountains in sequence.  The race was on to visit as many of the garden rooms as possible before the fountains stopped again at 12.00.

Here we go!

Here we go!

Laying down on the job!

Laying down on the job?

Note the hooves

Note the hooves

Taking aim!

Taking aim!

Prancing steeds
Apollo’s bath
The surrounding grove
Fountain of Apollo's Chariot with the Grand Canal in the background

Fountain of Apollo’s Chariot with the Grand Canal in the background

You might have noticed the odd umbrella in the background.  A light drizzle had started to fall.  With just a few minutes till the fountains ceased playing, it was time to consider food and shelter.  As the skies suddenly opened, instant decision was required and ‘La Flotille’ was the nearest port in a storm.  With my back to the burners and the rain pouring off the awning, a Grand Marnier crepe and a pichet of Bordeaux helped to pass the time rather nicely.

Half an hour later, the sun made a welcome appearance.  A  couple of rowers were out on the Grand Canal, but a gentle stroll to the Grand Trianon seemed a better bet.  Dappled sunshine and puddles- such a nice combination!

Rowing boats on the Grand Canal
Grand Trianon
Courtyard of the Petit Trianon
If your legs are tired, take the bus!

There were still more garden rooms to visit and I had my favourites.  The Ballroom was landscaped by Le Notre in 1680 and is decorated with millstones and shells brought back from the Indian Ocean and the Red Sea by the French Navy of that time.

The Ballroom was particularly lovely
Urns and statues sharing the space
The gilded urns truly beautiful
And gloriously detailed

The Mirror Fountain was commissioned by Louis XIV in 1702.  It currently performs to music at 10 minute intervals all day long- the only fountain to do so.

And the Mirror Fountain twirled all day long

Dancing to the music of Rameau and Lully

Climbing the steps back up to the Water Parterres, I could look down on the Orangerie in all its magnificence.  The clouds came and went but the beauty was endless.

The Orangerie, beautifully laid out

The Orangerie, beautifully laid out

And seen from above

Seen from above

And with moody skies

And with moody skies

I love the creatures on the urns
Looking in!
The grandeur of the Water Parterres
Full of drama!
Reclining elegantly
And with exquisite strength

850 hectares of parks and gardens means little to me, but I can tell you that it was huge, and absorbed all those people from my train with ease.  And many more!  The fountains play again from 15.30 to 17.00 and at 17.20 the grand finale of the Neptune Fountain.

On Saturday evenings throughout the Summer there is a Fountains Night Show.  What a spectacle that must be!  The Versailles website is a wealth of information and I could recommend a visit to anyone.  Because of the scale of the place a little disruption from renovation is inevitable and on my visit the Latona Parterre and Water Theatre Grove were unavailable.

The incomparable chateau

The incomparable chateau

Are you wondering about the Chateau?  I had made a conscious decision to limit my visit to the grounds.  I did not want to share the Hall of Mirrors and in August there would have been little choice.  Another day, maybe!

Versailles is chalk and cheese with my lovely Giverny, but there’s room for both in this world.  Don’t you think?

106 comments

  2. Ooh, thank YOU Jo for putting up with the masses to visit this impressive palace. Love, love, LOVE your fountains. Don’t think I shall get there, if I do make it back to Paris I would rather head to Giverny, so thank you for showing me around. And I didn’t even get wet 😉

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      2. Plenty of fountains to soak them in 🙂 Or you could get your OH to row you on the Grand Canal and you could dangle your tootsies? Mine refused to row. Grounds for divorce? 🙂

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  3. Stunning – can you believe in my 2 years there I never visited? A good pal of mine spent the summer there working in the ticket office – but over 20 years ago, there were probably less visitors!

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  4. Beautiful photos – every single one! I spent a weekend in Versailles, and found that it was impossible to take a bad photo – even with a point-n-shoot. I too am so very behind with my photo editing and because of the quality of the Lumix, it takes longer to choose which ones to use. Love Paris. Never been to Giverney after seeing your post, it’s a must. I must see what you saw in Provence, as I hope to spend a month there next summer. Thank you for a lovely read and tasty eye candy.

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    1. Thanks Krystina 🙂 Giverny is beauty on a much smaller scale, and the type I prefer but it was impossible not to be impressed with Versailles. I’ve only been to Paris and Giverny so no experience to offer elsewhere in France.

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  6. Jo it looks fantastic, well done for battling with the crowds I don’t think I could bear it even though I’ve always wanted to go. I’d like the fountain that’s in time with the music 🙂

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    1. That’s why I didn’t do the chateau, Gilly, and the grounds took forever. Mick’s poor legs! (not to mention mine 🙂 )
      Once inside the gardens there was no problem. Space for all 🙂 And well worth a little aggravation.

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  7. Gorgeous photos! My family spent my sister’s 7th birthday at Versailles (I was 10) and I still remember the awe we two Idaho Girls felt… Far cry from the potato-fields to which we were accustomed! 😉

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    1. Thanks a lot, Otto 🙂 Encouragement from you always makes my day.
      Running the chateau must be enormously challenging in this day and age, but the lady director seems well equipped to deal with it. I didn’t really have any criticisms. You can’t really blame all those people for wanting to see somewhere so lovely, can you? 🙂

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  12. I visited Versailles three times when I was in Paris – and with each visit I saw something different. The place is huge. The wealth in the palace is astounding and, if you have a chance, a visit is always impressive. Makes the history I have learned of this period a little more real.

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  13. Oh what an absolute orgy of beautiousness, Jo! I was there in another lifetime, before digital cameras and blogging had even entered my head. Your wonderful photos have inspired me to go back again one day, and really explore this amazing place. Your Grand Marnier crêpe was probably to die for. 🙂

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    1. I have a photo of Mick’s virtuous (???) crepe with fruit (and cream and chocolate) but mine looked rather plain alongside. It tasted divine though 🙂
      Many thanks, Ad!

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  14. Thanks for the tour. I was there in February 1976, and was hugely disappointed: the fountains didn’t play, there wasn’t a flower to be seen and not a stick of furniture in the palace.

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    1. Times have changed enormously since then, haven’t they, Viv? The current lady director is very savvy and is doing everything possible to market the chateau (like it needs more visitors!) but more importantly to maintain and improve things. You must have been unlucky because Andrew Petcher says he went to one of the Illuminated Evenings 35 years ago and it was spectacular. 🙂

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    1. Did you venture into the chateau, Andrew? Visitor numbers back then must have been much lower. I’d have loved to see it but the gardens took up a lot of our day and people were still swarming in when we left at 3.30 🙂

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      1. Only went to the gardens, We were on a town twinning exchange visit and arrived late afternoon because we were going to the Fountains Night Show. It was spectacular – fountains, fireworks and Handel’s Water Music.

        Versailles is a wonderful place but there are other good Palaces. San Ildefonso o la Granja near Madrid is smaller but the fountains work by gravity so they work all day and the Summer Palace in Saint-Petersburg is definitely as spectacular as Versailles.

        I love your photographs – can you imagine what it must have been like to be part of the court of Louis XVI?

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      2. St. Pete’s I have to see! I’m building up to it gently but there’s only so much arm twisting you can do 🙂

        Thanks, Andrew! I can! Let me dust off my crinoline!

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      1. Staying nearby would be the option! I visited long time ago with some friends..I forgot the details already, and I think I lost the pictures of our visit there 😦

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  17. I’ve never been to Versailles despite the number of times I’ve visited Paris. The gardens look beautiful, even in August, although it didn’t look like scorching weather for your trip. Stupid WP had decided to unfollow you, (and others) so I’ve just been catching up on your Parisienne escapade. Sounds wonderful.

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  20. The sculptures as well as your captures are stunning! Since Paris has so much to see – in the 3 days we were there, I chose for the Louvre, Eiffel, Musee Picasso and St Germain-en-Laye but… My son has seen Versailles with a friend 🙂

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      1. Outstanding post… Absolutely impressive photos… Thank you very much for sharing, Jo!.
        Best wishes and happy weekend ahead to you, Aquileana 😀

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