Our France Adventure started several days before this one so if you have not read it yet I suggest you start here:
There are two tours that I most anticipated for this trip and one of them was our tour of Versaille. Versailles is about an hour a half from Paris so we had an early start. It certainly was a struggle to corrale my sister and mom to an early start but they were champs and we got to where we needed to be.
Our tour was provided by Paris Trip company but all of our tours was arranged by Europe Express. Our tour guide was Christophe and he kind of sucked but it did not take away from the majesty of Versailles.
Alright, so, Versailles wasn't just some fancy palace—oh no, it's got layers of history! Picture this: Back in the 17th century, King Louis XIV, the big shot of France, decided he needed a pad to flaunt his power. And boom! Versailles was born.
This dude didn't just build a house; he built a statement. Started off as a hunting lodge (seriously, what a glow-up!), then he went all in, turning it into this mind-blowing palace that became the heart of French politics and glam.
Louis XIV was all about the blingage. He decked out Versailles with gilded everything, from ceilings to doorknobs.
But wait, there's drama! Like, loads of it. This place wasn't just about fancy parties; it was where power plays went down. Imagine all these nobles living under one roof, trying to score points with the king.
Fast forward a bit, and Versailles saw some serious history go down. The French Revolution? Yeah, that shook things up. The royals had to bounce, and Versailles went from party central to a symbol of change and upheaval.
But let's talk about the Hall of Mirrors. Wow! It's like they invented Instagram before it was even a thing. I could totally see why that place became the spot for all the fancy gatherings back then. Among the fancy gatherings, the Treaty of Versailles, ending World War I was signed here.
After touring the inside of the palace we were given a chance to explore the gardens but first let us take a selfie!
Now let us talk about the gardens... Straight-up masterpiece. They're like their own city, with fountains, statues, and perfectly trimmed bushes that probably needed a small army to maintain.
There is apparently a drought in Paris so the fountains are not turned on but how elaborate is this fountain?!
My mom and my sister are mostly interested in taking pictures and my mom did not want to walk around as much so we decided to meet up at the time the tour guide had asked up to meet. Kevin and I walked around the garden
Nowadays, it's a massive tourist magnet, and you can stroll through those halls and gardens, soaking in all that history. But word of advice: comfy shoes are a must. That place is like a marathon course for your feet!
Well I hope you enjoyed reminiscing about our family travel adventure in Versailles. Have you been? Do you have plans to go?
Let me know if you have plans in going andif you've gone how it went!
TTYL!!