Chateau de Versailles

Another late start but what a day. I have never been to Versailles until today. The RER provides very quick transport out there. After standing in line for 40 minutes we purchased out tickets and were on our way.

There are way too many things to talk about with regards to Versailles. My overarching impression though is "Wow, these people were really into themselves!" The sheer size and amount of effort that went into the decoration are very impressive. From the largest painting for its time to the velvet wall paper. The hall of mirrors is really astounding. I have been a number of castles but this one room stands out. The 200 meters of mirrored wall facing the grandest garden. All this accented by a plethora of crystal chandeliers.

After visiting the over the top Kings and Queens chambers we were guided to the Hall of battles. 500 meters of never ending paintings of battles. The concept is pretty cool. The paintings depict in chronological order the most important battles in Frances history. The paintings are all very impressive. Delacroix whom I had not heard of before did some nice work. There is one painting that really stood out. It was a painting of a battle in its midway point. The figures were all slightly blurred but acceneted with striking colors. The effect is to feel like the painting is a snapshot at the crux of the battle.

The grandest part of the castle though was the gardens. There are like nothing I have ever seen. The grounds were endless stretches of manicured shrubs and trees. The paths while ever so mathematical seemed to weave around like mazes. To top off the impressive plants there is a 3km long lake.

Cody and I decided since we were here we might as walk around it. The walk was great but very long. The paths are all shaded by manicured trees which makes the walk more pleasant. It seems that this is the place that the French truly come to picnic. The grass was seasoned with families and friends sleeping, eating, and generally just enjoying the company of each other.

It is hard to describe the sheer size of the whole the experience. If one is ever in Paris, Versailles is a definite see. Take a whole day and you would do well to pack a nice picnic and plan for a luxurious nap in the afternoon sun.
The most impressive par