If you thought were a good decorator, trust me, you are about to be owned.
Versailles was more than just a palace. The French monarchy had plenty of palaces, to say nothing of the aristocracy. Rather, Versailles was a revolutionary (ironic term) idea: what had been a rustic, and rather basic, hunting lodge built by King Louis XIII in 1632 was transformed in 1682 by his son, the legendary King Louis XIV, into not only the effective capital of France, but also massive “royal domain” where the nobility of France by law had to live.
Louis XIV, also called the Sun King, had a method to the madness: it kept the aristocracy, some of whom were immensely powerful, under his watchful eye, and the whole compound was the physical representation of an absolute monarch. The bedroom of Louis XIV is the literal hub around which the whole estate revolves. The Sun King was the center of the French solar system.
As you may know, things kinda fell apart after that. Something about a revolution and a guillotine…
About 30 minutes outside Paris, Versailles is still a wealthy suburb, but you really have to go into the actual palace itself to see just how crazy Louis XIV was for baroque and gold-leaf. The Hall of Mirrors, oriented to catch maximum sunlight (ZZA-POW!) is probably the most famous of SEVEN HUNDRED ROOMS in Versailles, so get there early or stay late to avoid massive crowds.
But remember that Versailles was made to absorb large crowds, so the complex is actually very good at hosting tour bus after tour bus of people without actually looking like it is. The original hunting chateau is still there, but the most dramatic additions Louis XIV enacted were two enormous wings that include the Hall of Battles on one side and Royal Chapel, and Royal Opera. The three buildings create a formal outer courtyard called the Cour Royale, and an inner ward, the Cour de Marbre, that complete the actual building.
Beyond them are the even more massive gardens, 230 acres of them. It was more than enough space for a menagerie, a hunting lodge, and a retreat for the royal family, the Grand Trianon. Among the groves and allées is the famous Petit Trianon, the estate within an estate of the doomed Queen Marie Antoinette, wife to the equally doomed Louis XVI. Among its grounds is the Hameau de la reine, a faux Alpine village the Austrian Marie Antoinette had built to order.
Versailles had it all. Contact Steele Luxury Travel to organize your trip to Versailles and beyond! www.SteeleTravel.com