Versailles - worth visiting encore et encore
Written: Dec 07 '04 (Updated Dec 10 '04)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: One of a kind, plenty of things to see and learn
Cons: Crowded, expensive
The Bottom Line: Rewards return visits, a definite must when you're in Paris.
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| lyagushka's Full Review: Palace of Versailles |
It seems every time I go to Paris, I'm drawn back to Versailles. My last trip there, in late October, marked the third time I visited the chateau and its magnificent grounds. There is so very much to see and do at this famous World Heritage site that a single day will not suffice to take it all in, even if you don't have to fight the crowds.
Most visitors to Versailles will arrive by RER train. From any Metropolitaine station in Paris, you can purchase a combination round-trip metro ticket and admission to the chateau. In fact, if you ask for a train ticket to Versailles, the worker will probably assume that you want to purchase the combination ticket and try to sell you one of those. From the Musée d'Orsay station, the package cost me €20.90. I recommend that other visitors take advantage of this deal as it will save you a considerable amount of time waiting in line once you reach your destination.
The ride to Versailles takes about 35 minutes. Getting to the chateau from the station can be a little confusing the first time you visit. You can easily walk there in about 15 minutes along a reasonably well sign posted course. But the signs are not huge or prominent, so if you have no idea where you're going, you will have to pay close attention. From the station's exit, cross the road and turn right. Then turn left at the first corner and walk straight on until you reach the chateau. There's a tourist information office on your way there; very convenient if you need to ask any questions.
Take a moment to appreciate the imposing façade as you approach the chateau. With a few more moments of walking, you will be plunged into a confusing hubbub of tourist bodies, as you try to sort out where the various entrances lead. You will see large red flags marked with different letters of the alphabet. If you have even a vague need to use the facilities at this point, head to right side of the chateau and follow the signs for the toilets. There won't be many opportunities while you're in the chateau itself. You'll also find a café in this area.
When you're ready for the main show, head for the red flag with the big F on it. Make your way through the door and pick up a brochure. You may want to shell out another €3.50 for the audioguide (available in eight languages) to the State Apartments while you're here. Many, but not all, of the signs for the exhibits in the chateau are translated into English, so the various audioguides are very useful. You will also have to leave a piece of identification as a deposit. I do recommend this audioguide. I've rented it every time I've visited the chateau and find it very instructive. It features pleasant male and female voices and allows selective listening, pausing, and rewinding. The subjects covered include construction of the rooms and the works of art found in them, the history that took place in each one, but not too much about the small details of life in the reign of the different monarchs.
The State Apartments are probably the most spectacular and inevitably the most crowded part of Versailles. Needless to say, the furniture and the artwork contained in these rooms constitute a treasury unto themselves. Here you will also find the magnificent Hall of Mirrors, constructed by Louis XIV and the setting for many historic moments, such as the signing of the treaty that formally ended World War I. One long side of the Hall is almost entirely covered with mirrors, while the opposite long hall has 17 enormous windows. No part of this room, other than the panes of glass in the windows, is without decoration. I've seen this wondrous place on each of my visits, and it is always a little stunning. It's so easy to imagined bejeweled courtiers bustling through his long, bright hallway. Unfortunately, right now the Hall is under extensive renovation, though almost half of it is still visible. At the very least, expect to spend 45 minutes touring the State Apartments, and at least twice that if you're actually interested and using the audioguide.
The Kings' Bedchamber has separate admission, which is covered by the combination ticket available in the metro. The accompanying audioguide is also included without additional charge. This is a smaller section of the chateau, but only slightly less crowded than the State Apartments. Here the focus is on the daily routine of the monarch, including the levee. I noticed on this last visit that some paintings in this section of the chateau are no longer in the locations described by the audioguide. This section is well worth seeing on your first and even subsequent visits. The Kings' Bedchamber can be seen in 30 minutes if you're ambitious, but I recommend a slower pace.
The French Parliament part of the chateau has almost nothing translated into any language and has very little to offer those who are not particularly interested in French governmental history. There is a twenty-minute movie shown every half hour in the congressional chamber, and visitors can listen to the movie in translation with a set of headphones. I didn't find it very interesting and would recommend that most visitors skip this option in favor of exploring the grounds.
The Grounds
The combination ticket includes admission to the Gardens, which otherwise requires a separate fee from April through October. The enormous grounds of the chateau were once as extensive as the area of modern day Paris and were contained within a wall 43 km in circumference. Today, the grounds comprise a "mere" 800 hectares containing formal gardens, parkland with wide alleys as well as the Grand Canal, the Trianon museums and Marie-Antoinette's "Hamlet." There are many magnificent pools, fountains, cafés and waterways in these grounds, along with enough neo-classical marble statuary to choke a mad emperor. Toilets and cafés are dotted around the grounds. The grounds of course are landscaped in the formal French style, and very beautiful. Although thousands of visitors come here each year, the gardens are so large that you can wander around to discover private "glades" shielded by shrubs and adorned with artificial grottoes and statuary. You will feel you have the place entirely to yourself, at least for a little while. Predictably, prices are high in the cafés on the grounds, but not outrageously so, all things considered. It goes without saying that the food is mediocre at best.
The gardens are so extensive that there are a few different ways to get around them. Pricey horse-drawn carriages are one option. A slightly cheaper one is the mini train. The mini train makes a 5 km circuit through the grounds in 40 minutes, with trains leaving from the chateau about every 10-15 minutes during the tourist season and less frequently in the late fall and winter. There are only three stops on the circuit: the Petit Trianon, the Grand Trianon and the Grand Canal. If you decide to cough up for the outrageous €5.50 fare, try to get a seat in the first or last row of any car of the train, so that you won't have someone else's knees smashing into yours. The other rows face each other, and are positioned much too close together. Keep in mind that the mini train fare entitles you to just one go round on the circuit, and seats are available on a first come - first served basis. Something to keep in mind when you get off at one of the stops. Of course, the cheapest option is to hoof it, so if you're on a tight budget, wear sensible shoes.
I have visited both The Petit Trianon and the Grand Trianon and can't say that either one of them ranks very high on my list of Versailles recommendations. The Grand Trianon, as one would expect, has a bit more to offer. But as I recall (I didn't see it on my last visit), its current displays focus on post-revolutionary historical events. The Petit Trianon is small indeed. You can see all that there is to see in about 15 minutes, but I would advise first time visitors to skip it. Even if you are making a return visit, there are better ways to spend your time.
The Queen's Hamlet looks every bit as charming and picturesque as art was meant to make it. Marie Antoinette commissioned this little folly so that she could play milkmaid and revel in what she imagined peasant life to be. It was also a highly private retreat for the immediate royal family from the unending etiquette and pressures of the court. There are several quaint buildings arranged around a small lake, including a mill and a dairy barn. I found that even knowing that the whole arrangement is a tissue of artifice was no proof against the enchanting tranquility of the place, an 18th century royal dacha of sorts. After experiencing the crush of the tourist flocks in the State Apartments, it's easy to see how this became a favorite haunt for Marie Antoinette. Every building is a wonder of rusticity, and the birdsong is real. The Hamlet is about a 25-minute walk from the palace, but it's also one of the stops of the mini-train. I did not see the Hamlet until my most recent visit to Versailles. I recommend it very highly, especially as a spot for a picnic.
The Grand Canal is an enormous, artificial cruciform lake, designed such that French monarchs were able to put on mock naval battles here with nearly full sized scale model warships. The Canal is fairly distant from the Chateau, and by the time one has seen the State Apartments, the Bedchamber and a bit of the grounds, it's a bit daunting to go so far to see it. In truth there's not a whole lot to see standing right by the canal that can't be seen from the top of the marble staircase leading into the gardens. You might rent a little boat here if you have energy to spare and feel like paddling around on a nice day. Only the most energetic visitors should think about making it to the far side of the canal.
Hours
Each part of Versailles keeps separate opening hours. The Chateau is open 9-5, every day but Monday. The Trianons open daily at noon, and the gardens daily from 9am to sunset, except in bad weather. For special shows, like the fountain displays, check the Chateau's calendar for the day of your visit.
General comments
Remember that Versailles is an enormously popular tourist destination. If you hate crowds, try to visit in the winter, or come later in the day. The crowding was extreme at mid-morning in late October. Some parts of the palace have mandatory bag checks or bag screening, while others have metal detectors. Also, you will be required to leave a deposit of your identity documents or a credit card for each audioguide that you rent, even if there is no additional fee. I was also asked if I had any food in my backpack when entering the State Apartments. In general there are few places to sit down inside the chateau. The gardens have plenty of benches, though you may have to walk a ways to find an unoccupied one. If you want to make the most of your visit, it behooves you to wear sturdy, supportive footwear.
Versailles is one of the very few enormously popular tourist attractions that I have ever visited more than once. There is so very much to see and do here that second and third visits are almost required to get a real taste of the estate. I really detest crowds and will often go out of my way to avoid them. I have made an exception for Versailles not once, but three times. That is probably the highest endorsement I can give it.
Recommended:
Yes
Best Time to Travel Here: Anytime
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