I stepped into Versailles and saw way too many flashbacks from my freshman year high school World History class appear right before my eyes.
It was almost as if I blinked and poof, a million protests were happening in the courtyard of Versailles during the French Revolution. Blink – Marie Antionette strolling through the gardens during the spring. Blink – A ball in the Hall of Mirrors where the women wore giant skirts and were courted and twirled by men dressed in tights and heels.
Blink – I was in the hall of mirrors, mouth gaping open, staring at the chandeliers lining the ceiling.
Versailles is this castle of elegance. It screams excess, and I am so happy we decided to go.
In my opinion, it is a beautiful example of French excess and a historical monument to help give everyone a visual on France’s past and explain their present. Because of this, I think it’s something that should be on everyone’s Paris agenda.
With it only being about a 45 minute train ride, it is completely doable and won’t even take you the whole day — well, unless you decide to do the audio tour… if so, get comfortable and ready for a long day! It’s also the last stop on the RERC Train, so if you remember that, then you don’t even need to know French to get there carefully and successfully. Unless you are like my friends Christine and Rose, who got off at the wrong stop because a French man was messing with them, (no worries they ran back on the train after they heard me screaming for them), you won’t have any issues! The best RERC Train Station is the one at the Museé d’Orsay because it is a straight shot with no transfers.
Step inside and pretend to be Marie Antoinette for the day, a camera in one hand, and a macaroon in the other — I think that’s close enough to cake 😉
