Versailles

Bob had never been to Versailles so we needed to go. We got up early in order to be there when it opened. We went by train from St Lazare and bought our tickets on line beforehand. We got in quite quickly and were pleased to see the rooms when it was comparatively uncrowded. To say it is sumptuous is no exaggeration. Including the gardens it's is 800 hectares in size.  

Building was commenced in the 1660s by Louis X1V - the "Sun King." He drained swamps and moved forests to create it. Paris was pretty dirty and unhealthy at this stage and Louis wanted to be removed from that. He also wanted somewhere where he could keep an eye on the court and noblemen and even the gardens were designed so that there was nowhere to hide and scheme. 

Thanks Bob for taking these pictures.

The most famous room is the Hall of Mirrors, 75 metres long and lined with 17 huge mirrors so that the court could admire themselves and also to reflect the ceiling frescoes. Mirrors were staggeringly expensive then so this was a real luxury.
Versailles housed 6,000 courtiers and nearly sent France bankrupt with the money it cost.
The etiquette of court life was very formal. We saw the room where Louis X1V often ate alone with 200 people watching. He also had an audience to watch his morning routine. No wonder he had to build a second palace nearby out of pink marble - The Grand Trianon - where he could relax.
Then Louis XV built another palace -the Petit Trianon as a love nest with his mistress Madame du Barry.
Louis XV1 and Marie Antoinette married in the Chapel Royal in 1770 when they were both teenagers. It was here that they were marched on by French mobs, mainly led by women, in 1789 at the start of the French revolution.

I know many of you have been here and drawn your own conclusions about it's sumptuousness. I find it fascinating that people could dream and bring into existence almost anything they could think of. It was important for France to display it's wealth as a world power too I believe. However many French people suffered so a few could live like this and that was it's ultimate and understandable downfall.
It has been a museum since the 19th century but has been damaged by war and neglect. It has had a place in world affairs over the years and used for the Paris Peace Conference in 1919 after WW1 and the Treaty of Versailles was signed there. It is still used for State occasions.

After going through the palace when it was relatively uncrowded we went back to the gift shop and thought we could exit from there. No such luck. We had to go through the rooms again - along with all these people. It was OK for us as we had seen it but we were pleased that this was not our only view. 

Bob was not the only photographer but his garb was different.

We walked around the gardens which were much less crowded and very pleasant. We visited the Grand Trianon and the Petit Trianon and then found a nice little bistro away from the crowd in the town of Versailles to have a meal before returning to Paris. We're glad we went but don't have to do it again soon.
I was amused by this dog grooming place near the Palace. Taking advantage of their situation I suppose. Hope the animals appreciate it!