I've been dreaming about going to the Palace of Versailles for a very long time. The name just conjures magical images of opulence from a bygone era, a lavish lifestyle that really belongs in storybooks. The legendary destination is somewhere that truly belongs in dreams. When we popped over to Paris for a long weekend in September Versailles was top of the itinerary.
The Palace is just a short walk from the train station and as everyone approaches the golden gates there's definitely a twinkle of excitement in the air and the Palace appears in all its grandeur.
It really is an amazing place. It's over-the-top opulence and grandeur and is fabulously lavish. As Royal chateaus go this one is pretty unbeatable. There's just something magic about it and you're filled with mystical promise as you peer through the golden gates.
The building dates back to the 11th century, when it was a slightly more modest affair, with the expansion beginning in 1661 and lasting 40 years. The King was adamant that every detail was correct and that the house that he built was unrivalled and to say its extravagant is somewhat of an understatement.
Even though the house did take my breath away without a doubt my favourite part was the gardens. Even when I was in the house I found myself peeking out of the windows so excited to get outside and start exploring.
The gardens are vast, I mean they're just huge. There's around 400 sculptures, 50 fountains, 200,000 trees and 210,000 flowers planted annually. I've never been anywhere like it and there's just nothing to compare.
We were lucky enough to visit on a beautiful sunny day and spent hours just wandering. It's a place where you're happy to get lost, stumbling across different treasures at every turn. It's a fairytale and it kind of reminds me of that scene in Alice in Wonderland where she's in the Queen of Hearts garden.
It really is monumental and also so luxurious. Classical music is playing throughout and fountains erupt with musical shows. There's manicured lawns, hidden passageways, corners that tell stories and huge open spaces and after years of work it's said that the gardens have been almost fully restored to how they would have looked in the time of King Louis XIV.
This is a place to explore in bewilderment. It's a dreamworld which whispers stories of the past and delights you at every turn.
We spent all day there, but I'm already dreaming about going back...
x x x
No comments:
Post a Comment