We went early on a sunny Sunday and chose to explore the gardens for 7ff. While the building is so immense, so are the immaculately kept grounds. There statuary and symbolism is breathtakingly extravagant and with every turn of every path, something new is found. There are peristyles where the royals could enjoy an outdoor meal, hundreds of large urns which were all different interspersed with the diverse and endless array of statuary.

My daughter was a bit tired of all the walking we did so she sat on the edge of the Fountain to Apollo, while I roamed and photographed about. Within the hour, she was packed like a sardine amongst people from all over the globe. The classical music had set the stage but it was the turning on of the fountains that had beckoned so many travellers. It was so lovely; all over the grounds in dozens and dozens of fountains water was spraying and tumbling. We followed the crowd back toward the palace and on the side located the Neptune Fountain which was enormous, elaborate and quiet. Apparently the demand and usage of water in this fountain is so great that all the others have to be shut down to accommodate this one. The walk leading to the Neptune is dotted with small fountains seemingly held up by little nymphs or cherubs, and each is delightfully different.

Here too we didn't see everything, but what we did take in was certainly mind-boggling and beautiful. There are 4 ponds with golden statues commemorating the seasons that I found especially appealing but I had to leave them to rejoin my daughter just before the first of the fountains was turned on. There's a gift area where we purchased a small book pertaining to the various wonders of the grounds with elaborations on their meanings.

Versailles gave us such an impressive day out. While we got out of the city, we certainly didn't leave the grandeur behind. I'm very impressed with the maintenance used to protect and promote these national French treasures and heartily urge any traveller to pay them the visits they deserve. We both felt all the richer for taking the time.

We went to Versaille on a Sunday, and arrived around 1 pm. The place was packed. The self guided tour through the State apartments was so full of people as to impede movement. I don't usually mind crowds, but in this case, all the people detracted from my enjoyment of the space. No time to soak up the atmosphere here. So, note to self (and to you): Don't go to Versaille on the Weekends.

And now the exception to that note: The fountains. They run every Sunday, and on Sundays only it seems. Versaille once had more than 1500 fountains. Of that, only 300 remain. I hear they are difficult and expensive to maintain, but, boy, they are really something. Especially considering that this was constructed before electric pumps. They turned on the fountains around 3 pm, and had classical music piped into speakers hung throughout the garden. It was magic.

Be sure to bring your own water, other than the decorations, fountains are hard to find. we also packed a picnic which we enjoyed just behind the Chateau before entering the garden. Picnicking in the gardens is forbidden, in an attempt to preserve the lawns and surrounding areas.

Leaving Denfert-Rochereau RER station, we hoped Versailles would be open. When we arrived and walked from the station and turned left, there it was - a tremendous hulk behind golden gates. After 10 minutes of searching for a ticket place, we found one and learned we were in luck for a change. The guides had decided the tour of the queen's and king's apartments and the famed Hall of Mirrors would open that day. The ticket seller had just gotten the news. Such luxury! We hadn't seen anything like it since our tour of the Wittelsbachs' town residence in Munich (the Residenz), but, again it was the scale of it that was dwarfing.

The prismatic effect of the Hall of Mirrors along with its impressive length certainly wasn't lost on anyone who entered it. The glories of eighteenth century painting reigned here, even on the ceilings. Such opulence is stunning. However, the exterior grounds seem to assert the ultimate authority of Nature. Versailles' gardens, filled with fountains and statuary, were meant to embody the ideal of Nature controlled by Man, but the extensive damage caused by winds a few years ago seemed to belie that ideal. Several trees had to be removed. With artful symmetry amid what seem to be unlimited vistas, the gardens stretch out for miles and miles before you. When we visited, tourists were limited in number perhaps not only because it was October, but also because many probably thought all Versailles would be closed. At any rate, we benefited from the uncertain situation and were able to stroll at leisure for over an hour. Then, lunch, and a hop back onto the train to return to our temporary "home."

The Grand Trianon has been the home to many illustrious people. First Louis XIV who used it for short summer visits, then Queen Maria Leszczinska and later Napoleon I and his 2nd wife Empress Marie Louise. Even Louis Philippe made visits here, but it was President De Gaulle who saved the Grand Trianon by having it restored as a meeting place for the President of the Republic and other heads of state on official visits. The original furnishing were taken during the Revolution and now most of the furniture is First Empire. After the soft femininity of the Petit Trianon it appears heavy and in some cases downright garish.

You tour through on your own. There were staff members in every room but they appeared uninterested in adding anything to our visit. I must say, that after almost 3 weeks the only rude people we encountered were at Versailles. I suppose you get tired of dealing with crowds of people everyday but there is really no excuse for the attitude of a few of the staff.

The bedroom of Louis XIV was very impressive. The room was all crimson, white and gold with a canopy over the bed and a balustrade seperating the sleeping area from the rest of the room. The bed was originally in the Tuilleries Palace and was used by Napolean. Pretty ironic that it ended up in the Louis XIV bedroom.

Connecting the two wings that you get to visit there is the Peristyle, an open porch with a roof supported by columns. You get a wonderful view of the gardens from here and you can imagine sitting out here in the summer enjoying the breeze.

There are some really horrible rooms in the second half. The colors are so loud and the furniture so ugly it almost hurts to look at them. A little shabby chic would go a long way here.

The last two rooms however, are quite lovely. You can imagine ladies in lovely gowns promenading in the Cotelle Gallery.

I wasn't as impressed as I expected to be and maybe it was just that this was my last day and I was a little jaded. The building itself is beautiful but I didn't like most of the furnishings.