Versailles
I finally visited Versailles on this, my ninth trip to Paris. I was prepared for the grandeur but, like most people, I was bowled over by the scale of the place. It's so bloody large! The excess is beyond belief and had me thinking, "Off with their heads!".
The Chateau was filled with teeming humanity. After two hours in line I regretted not buying tickets in advance.
There was a show of artist Jeff Koons' work both in the Chateau and in the gardens. Although I took plenty of photos, this site has better ones. I am not a fan of Koons' work so was not particularly impressed by this exhibit. In my opinion, with the exception of the big red heart near the exit and the purple mirror in the Hall of Mirrors, most of the pieces were a distraction. These for example:
Inflatable lobsters? A porcelain Michael Jackson? I guess I just don't get it.
I much preferred the Petit Trianon and Marie Antoinette's hameau, a recreation of a quaint village and farm for the Queen's amusement when the grandeur of the Chateau became too much for her to bear.
I understand how she felt. The Chateau overwhelmed me and the uncrowded country feeling at le hameau was a welcome respite.
It was a very full day topped off with a good dinner at a restaurant on the market square in Versailles and a short train ride back to bed.
The Chateau was filled with teeming humanity. After two hours in line I regretted not buying tickets in advance.
There was a show of artist Jeff Koons' work both in the Chateau and in the gardens. Although I took plenty of photos, this site has better ones. I am not a fan of Koons' work so was not particularly impressed by this exhibit. In my opinion, with the exception of the big red heart near the exit and the purple mirror in the Hall of Mirrors, most of the pieces were a distraction. These for example:
Inflatable lobsters? A porcelain Michael Jackson? I guess I just don't get it.
I much preferred the Petit Trianon and Marie Antoinette's hameau, a recreation of a quaint village and farm for the Queen's amusement when the grandeur of the Chateau became too much for her to bear.
I understand how she felt. The Chateau overwhelmed me and the uncrowded country feeling at le hameau was a welcome respite.
It was a very full day topped off with a good dinner at a restaurant on the market square in Versailles and a short train ride back to bed.
My experience was similar...except that I used the Paris Museum Pass to bypass any lineups. Any museum lineups -- my first visit to Orsay was similar...a leisurely lunch, wander past the 1 hour line up to the exit door of the museum store, flash my pass, and in I go...
ReplyDeleteWe're playing it by ear this time so didn't get a pass. We've only visited 2 museums so far and the Maillol Museum was almost empty. That said, one should definitely purchase tickets for Versailles in advance although there are still lineups for everything once you get in.
ReplyDeleteversailles is nice, but a trip out to vaux le vicomte shows a much nicer site - designed by same garden architect, but earlier, andre le notre was a brilliant landscape creator. the film - vatel - was shot here
ReplyDeletehttp://www.vaux-le-vicomte.com/film.php?film=8
Perhaps we'll make it there next time. Seems sort of funny to call Versailles "nice" as in "Nice place ya got here, Louie."
ReplyDeletewell all right then..what about a daytrip to chantilly?
ReplyDeletejust an rer ride!
I'm also considering Malmaison, also an RER ride.
ReplyDelete