One of the extremely convenient (although, not always cheap) aspects of living in Europe is train travel and the ease and simplicity that comes with. We took advantage of this abundant means of transportation for a trip to Paris and Versailles.
The TGV or high-speed train in France travels up to speeds well over 200 mph and makes the trips to Paris quick and stress-free. Here are Dad and Nancy playing cards for some cold hard cash....My dad kept breaking out his rendition of "The Gambler" by Kenny Rogers as we screamed towards Paris.
Our first stop is Paris was The Chateux de Versailles, which is famous for the fall of the French aristocracy and thus the bloody French Revolution. It is hard to believe that this home was just for one family.
After seeing the ornate gates, trimmed in gold, I think we all began to understand a little bit of the motivation for the French revolution.
Oddly enough, the castle is filled with memorabilia of the aristocracy and military leaders from this time period. Here are Mom and Whit in front of the statue of Marquis de La Fayette who named our hometown in Georgia, La Grange, while he was helping the american colonists revolt against the British during our own revolution.
Probably one of the most famous rooms in the Chateau de Versailles is the Hall of Mirrors. Mirrors were a sign a wealth during the 1700s, thus Louis XIV showed his wealth with this room, unfortunately years later his desecendants would lose their heads for this extravagence.
After a year of studying all things European, I was especially excited to visit The Hall of Mirrors. In 1919, this is where the Treaty of Versailles was signed to end World War I. I am sure Madame Badel, my history prof, would be pleased with me.
Our last stop inside the Chateau was through Marie Antoinette's apartment. Here is her bedroom chamber. Notice the hidden door beside the bed, which Marie Antoinette used to make her escape from the mob in October 1789....chilling!!
We were blessed with glorious weather during our trip to Versailles, so we spent the afternoon strolling the garden...
The National Mall in Washinton D.C. is loosely based on the gardens of Versailles and you can see the similarities.
The gardens of Versailles are vast and beautiful. We spent the rest of the afternoon wandering lazily through this immense estate. I even managed a quick nap on the grass by the lake...the previous night's celebration of finishing my first year of classes in France was still fresh in my head...
Next up, some of adventures in Paris and our trip to Monkey Mountain.
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