Paris--Versailles!

Fall Break started off with a bang--after lecture on Thursday morning, we flew into Paris. This city was everything I could have imagined and more. From the street-corner cafés, to the crépe stands, to the insane metro system and the massive Louvre, it was rich with class and culture (and some seedy areas, too). We started our first day with a complementary breakfast of croissants, baguettes, and cafe au lait that our hostel provided (that's when you know it will be a good day) and then found our way out to Versailles on the Metro (which has 14 basic lines, not to mention the four RER lines on top of that, and was actually really convenient, efficient, environmentally friendly, and not too expensive. Props to Paris for that one!).

This palace defines opulent. It's over-the-top, overwhelming, beautiful, and absolutely massive. My sister visited a few years ago, and said she was staggered by the sheer grandeur, and I definitely resonated with that. I loved the gardens. They were manicured and seemed never to end... I was incredibly jealous of the local people who were going running by the Grand Canal (it was also refreshing to see many people running in France--people just don't jog in Italy, and they tuck the few runners away in city parks... but I digress). 

It was a surprisingly cold day that was a bit of a shock to our bodies that were so used to Roman weather, but us northerners somewhat enjoyed the cold and the Fall colors the different climate brought. As we walked from the Metro, the wind started to blow, so we kept our heads down, turned a corner, and saw....

...this. I can't tell you how impressive it is to walk up to golden gates that are 15 feet tall. The gold starts glinting from about ten blocks away, even on such a cloudy day. The French monarchy knew how to make an impression.

Since we pre-ordered our tickets, we were able to walk right in--one of the few times in Paris that we didn't wait in line. The staff were really helpful, and were some of the first Parisians to start debunking the myth that French people are snobs. We met some of the sweetest and most helpful people during our stay in Paris.

This is the chapel where Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette were married. It's also where all the noblemen of France came when Louis XVI called his royal court at Versailles to keep them occupied and out of mischief. The gilt organ was simply beautiful, and someone was playing as we passed.

Hall of Mirrors!! I kind of expected a little more mirrors, but I think that's from watching the Wishbone version of famous novels that involved halls of mirrors. It was still beautiful, though! 

Chandeliers, gold, mirrors. It was pretty cool to stand in the room where World War I was officially ended!

Mirror shot... in the Hall of Mirrors. It had to happen. Don't judge us. 

Apparently the King and Queen's days were so ritualized that they had an audience of noblemen greeting them when they woke up, watching them eat breakfast, and going through every basic movement of the day. Louis XVI passed out obviously necessary jobs such as holding back his sleeve while he ate. Not exactly my idea of fun, but maybe that's just me. 

He also forced his courtiers to walk like this. No joke.

Une belle femme!! Switching from Italian to French was a little mind-blowing. I'm pretty sure the baker in Versailles thought I was stupid when I kept saying "Si, si!"

Marie Antoinette's bedroom. I think I would probably develop a couple complexes, too, if I had to wake up to floral designs spattering every available surface. Also, lots of little French children were touring the palace in school groups. Could you imagine that? Just taking a field trip to the palace of Versailles with my 3rd grade class, no big deal. 

Even the cloth was gilt...

The gardens! This was refreshing (if freezing) after the complexity of the palace.

Doesn't it just seem to go on forever?! Multiple flights of stairs are hidden in this picture, too... Enormous. I loved it.

I kind of have a thing for roses. Bear with me--many more flower photos are to come.

The Apollo fountain... I love that it looks like he's emerging from the water with his chariot. 

Heidi was also in her happy place.

Fall colors!! 

Kate and tall trees. And falling leaves!!

...and this was in late October. I'd love to see these gardens in May! What an explosion of color it would be.

Versailles also so big that it apparently contains Ireland. We found ye olde sheepfold.

Wind, rain, umbrellas, crunchy leaves. Look at how perfectly straight the aisles of trees are, and how manicured the trees are!

The fog gave it a bit of a magical (but chilly) feel. The square trees were pretty impressive, too.

Roses are even beautiful when they're dying... and that's pretty cool. These ones smelled amazing.

Books from Marie Antoinette's library... this is for Megan. :)

Ok, I know there are a ton of flower photos, but I have never seen such vibrant colors in flowers in the last week of October. 

After a long, cold, exhilarating day, we bought our first French croissant, glazed with almonds and powdered sugar. It was just as amazing as it sounds--the perfect introduction to French bakeries. I also ate a Croque Monsieur, which is the best grilled cheese sandwich I have ever had in my life.

What a beautiful place. I think we got a different kind of experience because of the grey day, but that just showed a more mysterious, dramatic Versailles. Perfect starter to a full Fall Break!