Hi everyone,
Last weekend, Mark and I were lucky enough to visit Paris for the weekend. Despite the chilly temperatures and short amount of time we had, we were determined to see as much as we possibly could! On Saturday morning, we woke up early and caught a train to Versailles (about 30 minutes outside the city) to visit the famous Palace of Versailles!
This place has always been on my bucket list and I am so glad we were able to visit. Since we have Spanish VISAS and are technically living in the European Union, we were able to get into the Palace for free! Obviously we love saving money, so we were super excited! (If you are studying abroad or working here, definitely bring your passport or student identification card to save yourself 15 euros!).
Many of you know how much I love history so this was a dream come true for me!! In 1623 this place was originally used as a hunting lodge for King Louis XIII. But let me tell you, it is no longer simply a “lodge” in the countryside. King Louis XIV eventually expanded the structure into a grand palace and moved the French court from Paris to Versailles.
One of the most famous rooms of the Palace is the Hall of Mirrors (one of my favorite parts!) King Louis XIV strategically built this room to reflect the beautiful gardens outside the Palace. On one side of the room there are floor to ceiling mirrors and on the other side there are large glass doors that offer stunning views of the seemingly endless gardens! The mirrors reflect this view, making the hall seem even larger.
The chandeliers, painted ceilings and marble walls make this room one of the most beautiful in the Palace. I can only imagine the parties and gatherings the Royals enjoyed here!!
King Louis the XV and Marie Antoinette were the last royals to live in Versailles after being forced back to Paris at the start of the French Revolution. Marie Antoinette was one of the only Queens to have influenced Versailles, and even had a private estate built just for herself at the end of the gardens. Versailles Palace is not only interesting because of its architecture and grand design, but because it represents the end of absolute monarchy in France. (History nerd alert!!)
As much as I loved the Palace, the best part about visiting Versailles are definitely the gardens! We overheard a woman who works there explaining it takes more than 45 minutes to walk from the Palace to the end of the gardens!! (That is where Marie Antoinette’s estate is, but it was too far of a walk for us to see).
I recommend visiting Paris and Versailles in the Spring when the weather is warmer and the fountains are turned on. I can only imagine what the gardens looked like when everything is full of life again!
I think I could have spent an entire day at Versailles, but since we only had a short weekend to see all Paris had to offer, we only spent 2 hours there and then caught the train back! (If you’re visiting Versailles, take the RER line C5 towards “Versailles-Rive Gauche”, it’s quick and cheaper than taking a bus)
We made a short video blog, giving you a taste of Versailles! It was difficult to film this time since it was very cold and windy outside, but we had some good laughs trying! Hope you enjoy!!
Au revoir, Amanda
