Outfit: Navy tank dress with white polka dots
Meals Eaten: 3
Something I learned: Marie Antoinette never actually said "Let them eat cake."
In an effort to make it to Versailles as early in the day as possible, breakfast was simply pain au chocolat and a Grande Espresso Frappuccino (the French equivalent of a Grande Coffee Frappuccino) at the Starbucks by Rue Danton on Boulevard Saint Germain des Pres. Even though it was only my second trip to this Starbucks, I've already started recognizing some "regulars." There's one gray-haired homeless man who tends to wear yellow and has a very scraggly yet friendly look. Every morning he goes to Starbucks with some money that he has scrounged up, enjoys a drink and some kind of food, uses the bathroom to clean up, and sits happily at one of the outdoor tables. The workers seem to recognize and know him and are almost more friendly in his presence than in the presence of the average customer. Upstairs, there is a white-haired man who likes to sit in one of the two armchairs by the long line of windows that look out on the street. Finally, on my way back, there is a homeless woman with very young puppies. The puppies play in a box and look somewhat dirty, but are also very cute. The woman wears a scarf on her head and has a weathered face. Each one is a character in and of themselves and I've grown curious as to what their lives have been like and what has led them to their current positions in these moments of observation.
Next stop was the Saint Michel Metro Station where I hopped on a RER C train to Versailles. Note: When taking the RER you must always keep your ticket with you as you need it to exit the subway station at your destination. You also need to pay more for a ticket to somewhere outside of Paris, than you would for a normal Metro Ticket.
The train ride lasted for approximately 35 minutes and in that time I was graced by the musical stylings two accordion players. I never get tired of hearing La Vie En Rose. Once off the train, I stepped into a fairly urban looking section of the town of Versailles. I envisioned that you might find the kind of strip mall where I bought my ticket in Southern California. While the architecture wasn't very French, it was a very handy ticket stand as you can also buy tickets for the Louvre and Disneyland Paris there. According to the signs on their windows, it takes a minimum of 5 hours to see Versailles and all of its gardens.
Versailles from Behind (click to enlarge)
By the time I entered the palace, it was around 1pm (or 13h). While I had expected grandeur, I had never fully envisioned its immense size. The palace, which was the center of French political power between 1682 and 1789, is HUGE. And while the back has a consistent architectural style, the front is made up of many different types of building faces. Each room overwhelms you with its proportions and the beautiful detailed paintings on its ceilings.
A Room in the Palace
My personal interest in Versailles mainly came from a long-time interest in Marie Antoinette. I remember being in elementary school and reading the Marie Antoinette book from the Royal Diaries series and being fascinated. Since then, internet research and Sofia Coppola's film Marie Antoinette have kept that interest alive. An audio tour was provided, but eventually the tour of the palace felt monotonous. The lack of furniture made it difficult to envision what the rooms were like (and how they were used) in the 18th century. However, the grounds of Versailles make up for anything that the palace lacks.
The Royal Diaries Book Cover (citation here)
The Marie Antionette Movie Trailer
After a quick ham and cheese sandwich from the Salon de thé Angelina (which is located in the palace after the tour), I made my way to the exterior. Beauty struck me from every angle as I headed toward the Grand Canal. Music was piped through hidden speakers as the fountains burst in all their glory. Heading toward the Petit Trianon, I grabbed a cone of fraise and cassis sorbetto. Getting lost only once in a maze of immaculately cut shrubbery and beautiful more wild lines of trees, I finally found Marie Antoinette's private space.
The Petit Trianon was designed by Ange-Jacques Gabriel and was constructed between 1762 and 1768. It was originally meant for Louis XV's mistress Madame de Pompadour, but the first woman to actually live in it was her successor (Madame du Barry). After Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette moved into the palace, Louis XVI gave it to Marie Antoinette as her private space. Guests could only visit it if she invited them personally. The great thing about this part of the tour was the furniture and size of the building. It reminded me a lot of Rosecliff in Newport, RI.
The Petit Trianon
As I eventually sat by the Grand Canal, giving my feet a moment's rest, I watched crew teams practicing and a little boy enjoying the freedom of riding his bike in the surrounding area as his mother watched from afar. Dinner came late and I watched the sun set at ten minutes of ten from my seat at Pizza Marzano. Overlooking Notre Dame and the Saint Michel area, I finished by fusilli pasta avec sauce quatre fromages and thought back on a wonderful day in France.
Some other fun facts to leave you with:
- It cost approximately (the equivalent of) $2 billion dollars to build Versailles
- It is still used today for tourism, as well as meetings of the Assemblée Nationale when the French Constitution is revised and amended.
- Current preservation effects are being made. Much of the silk pieces in the chambre de la reine and chambre de roi are reproductions made with 18th century fabric (which makes sense as I was originally surprised at the amount of unregulated sunlight entering the rooms). They are in the process of trying to buy back much of the original furniture, however this is difficult as it is a hot commodity on the international collector's market.
- When the royal family did live at Versailles, dinners were often held at 10pm in front of an audience of courtiers and other associations of the royal family. An audience was also presence during the king and queen's morning wake-up routines...can't imagine what that must have been like for the person just waking up.
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