As I stepped off the coach the heavens opened and rain began to cascade from the sky. I was experiencing my first parisian rain and, far from being, the imagined romantic drifting soft dew I would have expected from the precipitation of such a fine city, the water poured down like a monsoon. ... Read review
Novotel Chateau de Versailles, located 5 minutes from the city centre and the Palace of ... more
Versailles and 15 kilometres from Paris, offers modern and comfortable accommodation.This modern hotel features contemporary guestrooms equipped with modern en suite facilities, satellite TV and a Wi-Fi internet connection.Enjoy simple, tasty, healthy and balanced cuisine at the Novotel Café. The restaurant is air-conditioned and has a terrace. Room service is also available 7 days a week.Novotel Chateau de Versailles is ideal for either a business trip or a family vacation or romantic visit to Versailles. Private parking is also available.Up to 2 children (15 years and under) stay free when sharing a room with their parents.
Information: :Price is per double room per night and may vary depending on date booked...
AN ANTIQUE MAP OR PLANS TAKEN FROM A HANDBOOK FOR TRAVELLERS TO PARIS AND ITS SURROUNDINGS ... more
BY KARL BAEDEKER PUBLISHED IN 1924 SEE HOW THE TOWNS AND CITIES HAVE CHANGED OVER THE YEARS. NOTE THESE ARE ORIGINAL PRINTS AS PER DATE NOT MODERN REPRODUCTIONS.SIZE VARIES PLEASE CHECK YOUR MAP AGAINST SCALE SHOWN. THE TOTAL SCAN SIZE IS 16 INCHES BY 11.5 INCHES (405x295)
Information: :Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
NH Hotels, the hotel chain leader in Europe, with more than 300 hotels in 20 countries in Europe, Latin America and Africa. Enter into our web site and find the best available tariff at all times
...his minister's houses, the beautiful chateau at Fontainebleu.
After his death the Palace was left vacant for a while until inhabited by Louis XV, remaining the official residence of the royal family until the Revolution in 1789, after which it was left to stand and decay until it was turned into a museum in 1837, although it was not until the 20th century that full restoration works began.
VISITING INFORMATION more
As I stepped off the coach the heavens opened and rain began to cascade from the sky. I was experiencing my first parisian rain and, far from being, the imagined romantic drifting soft dew I would have expected from the precipitation of such a fine city, the water poured down like a monsoon.
I trudged my way to the palace's courtyard, followed at a more sedate pace by the members of the Newdigate Women's Institute. (Although not a member myself, not qualifying by some 40 years, the offer to join them in Paris at only £75 for two nights including travel had been irresistible).
Our guide disappeared into the frighteningly large queue outside the palace to obtain our tickets. Meanwhile I, as one of the few able-bodied people present, assisted the old ladies in remaining vertical on the slippery cobbles, in a manner akin to plate spinning on long poles.
After a fifteen minute wait and bribing the officials we were allowed in a side entrance, skipping the queue, where rumour had it that the wait stretched over an hour.
I had always imagined the palace to be one of the most opulent and impressive in Europe and was particularly looking forward to seeing the famous hall of mirrors. The first room did not disappoint and the ceiling was emblazoned with images of idle gods and the walls covered with huge canvases depicting members of the old royal families and of Napoleon and his battles (strangely not a single portrayal of Waterloo or trafalgar in site).
There were very few signposts or explanatory notes and so, in retrospect a guide book might have been handy, as would taking one of the offered guided tours. However, I quickly learned to despise the guided tour as they quickly blocked each room causing a swiftly growing backlog of people jostling to get from room to room.
The second room again did not disappoint; a large bed decorated with ostrich feathers, walls with luxuriant wallpaper and large paintings. However, as I entered the third room I began to realise that once you have seen one room in Versailles you have seen them all. There are only so many paintings and ceilings that you can oh and ah over before you start to get an impending feeling of déjà vu.
The Palace was not as rich as I had expected it to be. I only spotted one chandelier! The tapestries and wallpapers seemed faded and uncared for and the rooms looked as though they had been stripped and the contents left out for the rag and bone man, as most of the rooms were devoid of furniture. This meant that it was difficult to obtain a true picture of what life would have been like there.
The other disappointing aspect was that it was impossible to admire the site and to absorb the ambience when you have someone's video camera stuck in your ear, an American prodding you with his camera and a child trying to squeeze through your legs. The Palace was too crowded and this stripped any remaining atmosphere from its walls.
When I finally emerged at the end of the tour I noted that the passage through the limited number of rooms open to the public had taken only 40 minutes. I then queued to use the lavatories, which took 25 minutes and cost me 0.40 Euros. The queues for the Palace and Loos were comparable as was the value for money!
The grounds, which stretch over four square kilometres, are famed for their beauty and from what I could see contained lovely topiary, small shaped hedges containing flowerbeds, fountains and the usual manor house type gardens. The prospect of queuing and paying again for the grounds in the middle of a monsoon was not attractive, so I skipped this little delight and returned to the coach and my awaiting baguette.
PALACE HISTORY
The Palace was built by Louis XIV in 1664 (to 1715) after he had become jealous of his one of his minister's houses, the beautiful chateau at Fontainebleu.
After his death the Palace was left vacant for a while until inhabited by Louis XV, remaining the official residence of the royal family until the Revolution in 1789, after which it was left to stand and decay until it was turned into a museum in 1837, although it was not until the 20th century that full restoration works began.
VISITING INFORMATION
Cost: 7.50 Euros (plus your money for the loos)
Location: 20 km southwest of Paris
Transport: From Paris take the RER Line C train to Versailles Rive-Gauche. (Trains depart every ten minutes - doesn't sound much like British Rail!)
Advantages: Its stunning, suberb etc etc. Disadvantages: You can't see it all in one day
...know where to begin. The chateau is obviously impressive but has been copied so often that it seems in some ways familiar. It is the gardens and the grottoes and the sheer size of the whole that has captured my heart and imagination.
These stunning formal gardens epitomise French Classicism and the immense scale of this elegant creation testifies to the ‘Sun King’s’ power not only over his people but, at least in his own mind, ... ...buildings: apart from the main chateau there are also a couple of baby chateaux. The largest is the Trianon which the king used for getting away from it all. It’s a pretty pink palace for family use as opposed to the whole court.
The Petit Trianon was Marie-Antoinette’s special little getaway and nearby is her picturesque little hamlet. The hamlet has a farmhouse, a mill, dairy, dovecote and lake. Here Marie-Antoinette played at being ...
Freespirit 30.01.2001
· Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Chateau de Versailles, Paris
Advantages: Absolutely beautiful Disadvantages: Too much to take in.
...a fountain which faces the chateau and a statue of Apollo, (representative of the sun and Louis himself). The fountain is semi-submerged , with four deranged horses pulling the god of the sea from his murky depths. I have never seen another statue that stirs with life as this one does.
The history of Versailles does not end with Louis XIV, it transcends through the centuries of french monarchs and Emperors, each adding or taking away as tastes dictated. ... ...Pompadour and Madame de Barry. Not to be forgotten, simply because of the folly involved, is 'Le Hameau de la Reine': This is a small village in the grounds that was built for Marie-Antoinette, ("let them eat cake") so that she could play at being a lowly milkmaid. The servants were ordered to satify the Queen's every whim and had to roleplay, baker, fisherman etc. etc. No wonder there was a revolution!
I definitely suggest a guided tour, or at ...
peel.rebekah 19.02.2001
· Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Chateau de Versailles, Paris
Advantages: Sight worth seeing Disadvantages: Other tourists
If you are going to Paris at all you must visit this wonderful place. Although you are packed in with crowds of other tourists, it is well worth it. It is absolutely spectacular inside and outside. One of the main features for me was the Hall of Mirrors. Definitely a sight worth seeing. Together with the fantastic gardens and Nepoleon's apartments you could not fail to be impressed. It is absolutely astounding - magnificent. The royals really did ...
Bethnone37 14.12.2000
· Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of Chateau de Versailles, Paris
Advantages: lots of secret hideaways Disadvantages: too easy for your hubby to come and get you
Paris....I always wanted to go there, its supposed to be the city where you fall in love. Well I spent 3 days with a female friend, and at the end of it we both felt unloved and unwanted!. Paris is a city where romance is everywhere, in the little niches on the pont neuf, in the main square of the louvre at night, in the cafes and bars on the backstreets, there are secret trysts between lovers. If you want to put the sensuality back in your life, ...
ARyder 16.12.2000
· Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: somewhat helpful Review of Chateau de Versailles, Paris
Advantages: Beautiful slice of history, superbly preserved Disadvantages: Insane overcrowding, French schoolchildren, poor organisation
...for a tour of the chateau itself, seriously consider investing in an audio guide: this buys you access to more rooms and gets you away from the truly horrendous crowds shuffling through the main salons. I've never seen so many people crammed together: literally shoulder-to-shoulder, and crawling along at a snail's pace: not much fun, especially on a hot day. Overall verdict: worth seeing, but plan carefully and pace yourself! ...
pennyg 20.07.2000
· Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: somewhat helpful Review of Chateau de Versailles, Paris
Prices
Transport links
Similar reviews »
Reviews which might be of interest for "Chateau de Versailles, Paris"
Advantages: Nice town Disadvantages: Shame about the palace
scorn on this, claiming that she was far too attached to ceremonial to even condescend to amuse herself with anything so rustic. Similarly, no one seems to know for certain whether she actually said "let them eat cake" when she was told that the common people were complaining that they had no bread, but it was the sort of thing she might have said and the credibility of the characterisation did for her.
* Getting there and cost *
Versailles is just a dozen or so miles south-west of central Paris, and easily reached, either by SNCF train from St Lazaire station, or by RER (the fast outer suburban extension to the Metro system) line C. There are also buses from Pont de Sèvres.
Coming by car, Versailles is just off the A13 autoroute (exit Versailles-Château) that runs out from Paris towards Rouen. You can park, at a cost, in ...
torr 28.11.2006 (05.12.2006)
· Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: exceptional Review of Versailles
