I am going to The Palace of Versailles, I plan to catch a train so leave very early as I have a guided tour booked and don’t want to be late. It’s my first time navigating the Paris rail network. I need to purchase a ticket which proves the most challenging bit, I have a pass but this doesn’t get me to Versailles. Within seconds of looking at the vending machine a lovely man approached me to assist, NOT! it took me about 30 seconds to realise he was a scammer he kept asking me to go to the ATM with him, in the end he pointed me to a legitimate railway worker for assistance very polite scammer.

Ticket bought off I go, the trip takes about 50min and a chance to see more of Paris and its suburbs. There are houses some ancient looking and modern town houses and lots of apartments. By the time we arrive the temperature has dropped and it is freezing. I find a cafe and have a lovely chat with a French Alfa car enthusiast who recognises the Alfa badge I am wearing. He apologised for no croissants being available but I can wait 6 minutes for the next batch. It was worth the wait.

I walk around the township which is a gorgeous mix of historic architecture and modern everyday life.

As I walk towards the palace the gigantic scale becomes visible.

There are hundreds of people heading in. I wait as instructed at the statue of King Louis the 16th which you can’t see because like so much of Paris it’s wrapped up getting ready for the olympics.

My guide is Emmanuel not the French president but very charming. He guides us through a side entrance and suddenly we are in the palace.

If you have been to Versailles and loved it you know there are not enough ways to describe it. If you have not been it is amazing majestic enormous and historic.

Once the tour of the palace finished and I have caught up on my high school history lessons long forgotten but bought alive by Emmanuel. I spend the next 5 hours completely immersed in the gardens and the Queens Palace.

The day got colder there was rain and even some hail at one point.

The beauty of this place takes your breath away each corner or path you take. There is music playing as you walk through parts of the garden it’s loud one of my favourite pieces comes on Zadock the Priest the Coronation Anthem No1 – my knees went weak.

Then there is the birdsong so different to ours in Australia it’s almost like the French language sweet and very lyrical. It’s everywhere along with the crunch under foot and the sound of lawns being mowed.

As I head back to the station a rainbow appears everyone is as excited about this as our final glances at this historic spectacle.

Distance Walked;

20km

Pilgrims Spotted-None.

Palace of Versailles Observations

It was the home to a lot of blokes called Louis.

and a couple of chicks the most notable Marie Antoinette

There are 2300 rooms

63 154m of garden

The Treaty of Versailles was signed in the Hall of Mirrors in June 1919 ending WW1.

The Queens Palace includes a working farm and there are goats, I love goats

My middle name is Antoinette

Washing day tomorrow!