Visiting Paris and the surrounding areas was my first big trip abroad. I spent nearly two weeks pinching myself daily, unable to believe that I was in Paris - visiting the Louvre, eating crepes, and finding that with a bit a broken French, many Parisians gave me an smile and were incredibly friendly. While everything about this trip was amazing and eye-opening, one of my fondest memories of it is visiting the Palace of Versailles.
A planner at heart, I read up as much as I could before leaving for France. One of the most valuable pieces of information I found is that on Sundays during the summer (they have since expanded this to Saturdays and some holidays), the fountains in the Versailles gardens are run, with classical musical wafting in the background. I visited the palace the first Sunday after my arrival and it was magical.
I waited outside for the show to begin. Above are my before and after shot - it was an incredible site to see the fountains burst on. And I apologize for the poor picture quality in some of the shots. I was not using a digital camera back then and thus, all of these images are scanned.
Here is the view upon exiting the palace. It was a crowded day to visit, but I was anticipating much worse. You can see some of the fountains on the right shooting water high above the bushes.
Here is a very young me with the Bassin d’Apollon. This fountain shows Apollo driving his chariot to light the sky. It was built around 1670 – how impressive! Coming from the States, where something built in the early 1900′s is ancient, staring at a fountain that it over 300 years old is just unbelievable. And knowing that someone enjoyed the exact same experience as me back then is almost unreal.
I made it a point to walk all over the garden, making sure to see each fountain, and finding one more amazing than the next. The fountain on the left is my favorite of them all. It is the Bosquet de l’Encélade, and it depicts the fall of Titian. Also built in the 1670′s, it is said to be an allegory of King Louis XIV’s victory over the French civil war of 1648-53, known as the Fronde. And the little girl playing in the fountain, with her mom’s help, was too adorable – a picture was necessary.
If you get the chance to visit the Palace of Versailles on a weekend during the summer, you must visit. The whole experience – watching the fountains, listening to the music, being in France – was incredible. It’s hard for me to choose one word to describe it, but elegant seems to do the job quite well.
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Jenna says:
July 19, 2010 at 10:54 pm (UTC -7)
Yes, Versailles is amazing. I was there when I was 16. That was 20 years ago already (but I remember it well). It’s definitely time for another visit to France. What a fun first trip abroad that must have been for you.
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Ashley @ No Onions Extra Pickles says:
July 20, 2010 at 9:19 pm (UTC -7)
It was a great first trip – I’ve been dying to go back to France since!
Dina says:
July 21, 2010 at 3:35 am (UTC -7)
Ah, Versailles
This chateau has special place in my heart. When I was a small kid, I was a fan of this Japanese manga series titled Rose of Versailles. Since then, Versailles was the place that I really wished to see someday, even more so than the iconic Eiffel Tower. Surprise trip by my sister to Paris and Versailles when I visited her in Germany was one of my best childhood memory (well, I was 20, not exactly a child, but it was long ago!). The gardens, the rooms, the Petit Trianon, the Queen’s Hamlet, they are all looking familiar, because for years I read the comic book again and again. It’s like a story coming alive.
Last year, I revisited the place with Ryan. The wonderful memory was not only about the palace itself, but also about my sister
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Ashley @ No Onions Extra Pickles says:
July 21, 2010 at 10:33 pm (UTC -7)
That’s such a sweet story! And you’re lucky you’ve been to Versailles twice
It’s great that the palace lived up to your expectations, as it is always a bit sad when you see something in person and it isn’t as great as you imagined.
Norbert says:
July 22, 2010 at 2:09 pm (UTC -7)
I have never been to Versailles, but I’m dying to go. I studied it’s architecture while in college, so I find it a fascinating place. And its gardens… Uh-Mazing!
I love when you point out that something made in the early 1900′s is uff… ancient to us in the U.S. But in Europe, the 1900′s is still considered modern (at least from the art and architecture point of view).
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Ashley @ No Onions Extra Pickles says:
July 23, 2010 at 6:09 pm (UTC -7)
I took an architecture history class in college and I loooved it. When you go to Versailles, you should do one of the tours. That’s what we did and it was great, as they bring you into a bunch of rooms that are closed to everyone else.
It’s funny how your perception of time is determined by where you’re from. I’m going to do my graduate thesis work on early european modern art, from the late 1800s to early 1900s. Seems old to me because that’s what we’re taught in the States, but your right that it’s still very young from the art history viewpoint.
Norbert says:
July 23, 2010 at 6:19 pm (UTC -7)
Thanks, I’ll definitely have it in mind when I visit Versailles. I’m hoping it’s some time soon!
Norbert recently posted..The Benefits of Being a Carry-on Traveler
Verity says:
July 25, 2010 at 8:35 am (UTC -7)
My first stop overseas ever was Paris too! And coming from Australia I was also floored by how old everything in Europe is. We visited in winter so no fountains (in fact, we didn’t explore the gardens too much since it was freezing). I would love to go back and have a better look at the gardens. Now I have read a biography of Marie Antoinette I think it would be even more interesting to see places like the Petit Trianon. I’ll make sure to go on a Sunday in summer though, to see the fountains.
I love Paris. It is a city I will always keep going back to. I have a friend whose family lives there and is a total gourmand who also studies art history which makes her the best tour guide ever. I’ve been six times and it still isn’t enough!
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Ashley @ No Onions Extra Pickles says:
July 27, 2010 at 6:07 am (UTC -7)
6 times! Jealous
I think I’ll always be terribly nostalgic for Paris. Being my first trip abroad, everything was awe-inspiring. One trip just isn’t enough! I hope I can go back soon – fingers crossed that’ll happen within the next few years.
Susan says:
January 27, 2011 at 6:55 am (UTC -7)
The garden in front of Versailles palace reminds me of The Capitol at Washington
Top 150 travel blogs for students ~ Blog ~ CollegeScholarships.org says:
October 6, 2010 at 12:31 pm (UTC -7)
[...] 83. No Onions Extra Pickles – This artsy travel blog has numerous articles on contemporary art and history from all over the world. Recommended posts: “Travel Memories Monday – Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina” and “Travel Memories Monday – Versailles, France.” [...]
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[...] you can visit the Palace of Versailles when the fountains are running – do it! The Palace is amazing on its own, but the [...]