Palace of Versailles

On Tuesday 28th July Mum, Mick, Leilani, Emily and I caught the train to Versailles. It only took about 10 minutes to get there and then we had a short walk to the Palace, or in french Chateau! I don't really have too much to say about this place because I hardly read anything about it.... but I do have lots to say about what happened at this place because I guess you could call this day a bit of a disaster! Although, in so many ways it was actually a really fun day.

It all started when we got there and realised that we should have booked our tickets on the internet. The ticket line up was HUGE and it felt really unorganised. It wasn't really clear what line you were meant to be in, or where you were even meant to go. There were just people and lines everywhere. It ended up taking nearly 2 hours to get tickets and by that time we were starting to get a little frustrated. The kids had eaten all their packed lunch and were hungry again, and so were we. They were both actually really good the whole time we lined up, so it wasn't that bad... and if everything else had have gone smoothly the line up wouldn't have bothered us that much, but it seemed that things just kept getting worse!

We had a simple plan.... we would head in and find something quick to eat and then have a look around the Palace and then go outside into the gardens. The map said there were food and ice cream vans everywhere, so it sounded pretty simple. Well... we get in there and realise we have to line up again for an audio guide, we finally get that and follow our map to the food. I was on a mission.... and I wasn't stopping until I reached it. We ended up walking through half the flamin' palace looking for the way out to the cafe. We kinda got stuck in there, and couldn't get out. People everywhere, taking photos reading signs, listening to audio guides, and there we were pushing through them, walking straight past all these magnificent paintings, magic mirror halls, fancy gold beds etc etc just trying to get the hell out! (Knowing that we would come back as soon as we got something to eat!)

When we finally made it to the exit of the palace - we were made to hand our audio guides back in - which I hadn't even turned on yet, and walk out a door which meant we were actually outside of the 'palace area'. (So we would have to go back through security and everything!) We found the cafe right there waiting for us - just up a bit from where we had waited for 2 hours in a line for the tickets! Unbelievable!! The kids got their ice creams and we sat down, feeling like we had been there all day and seen nothing! It was really one of those moments that you just can't believe. Mum and I couldn't even eat our lunch because we were in fits of laughter that we could not control... don't even know why - I think we just could not believe that the last 3 hours had happened! Mick sat there and pretended he did not know us. It does not even sound funny now... but I nearly wet my pants at the time!

Oh dear... anyway, it doesn't really end there either because we then went and did something even dumber. We decided to head out to the gardens, thinking we may as well chill out a bit and let the kids get some air and running time in before we head back in to see everything we just flew past with eyes fixed on finding a door. So we go out and enter the garden (which was an ordeal in itself - see Mum's Ticket phobia for that) we had no pram, because we had to hand that in to get into the palace, and we look out and realise it is just massive massive massive - I had no idea (Mum did - so I blame her). It's not even a garden at all - it's a humungous parkland! Our time out here was great really, and we had a lovely look around. The kids love being outside of these places, they can do what they want and really seem to enjoy exploring. We ended up walking right down to Marie Antoinette's private estate (her little getaway) and caught a train/buggy thing back up. It was a pretty hot day, but it was nice to be out and about enjoying this massive estate, although I might just add here that I do think this massive estate is all so unnecessary, and proof of what power and greed can make you do. A bit crazy really - and it's no wonder the French Revolution happened.

Well back to the story, so after a wonderful 3 or so hours wandering around the estate we are ready to have a look inside this gold lined 'heard so much about' Palace! And what do you know... it's closed. Can't get back in! And that's that! What a waste of money!

Now that's a disaster day!!! But we got some great pictures of the outside - and I must say, the kids really do have a great time playing outside, rather than being pulled around these big fancy rooms - so it wasn't totally a waste of a day! And... we have been there... didn't see hardly any of the Palace... but we have been there! lol

{Louis XIV started the Palace in 1668}

{Heading in for a great day at Versailles de Chateau!}

{Just one of the many gardens}

{Fountains not working - which also seemed a little unfair, as there are massive fountains everywhere, and what's a fountain with no water!}

{Apparently this sign said 'keep off the grass' - it probably did too!}

{I can not describe the garden estate here at all - there are just no words for it.}

{Lani with a massive butterfly.... okay not really, but it kind of looks like it!}

{There was something about this fountain - I just really loved it}

{That's one big ice-cream Emily}

{Inside the Grand Trianon - which I actually thought was Marie's private estate, but that was a bit further along called the Petit Trianon}

{This colour reminds me of Mum's bridesmaids dresses!}

{Too hot to keep walking}

{Palace of Versailles - it was the home to 3 Kings, starting with Louis XIV in 1682. It lost it's official seat of power in 1789 and became the Museum of the History of France in the 19th century.}

{Palace in the background}

{Looking down from the palace to the Grand Canal, which was the setting for Louis XIV's boating parties.}

{Emily looks so enthused... I think this is actually how we all looked by the end of the day!}