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Château de Versailles, Paris, France | |
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A short
train ride from Paris brings
you to this stupendous
palace, a must-see if
you are in Paris for at least four
or five days.
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Everyone wants to see the Château de Versailles, the vast palace and estate erected 23 km (14 miles) southwest of Paris (map) by Louis XIV, France's "Sun King," to overawe his nobles and build his prestige among foreign monarchs. But there is actually more to Versailles than the Château. The town itself, a wealthy suburb of Paris, is charming and a lovely place to visit if you want to get away from the big city. As a historic center, it has churches, beautiful buildings, other museums, a selection of excellent hotels and apartments/flats, restaurants, and a fabulous market, the Marché Notre-Dame. But if you have only a short time in France and just a day to visit Versailles, you'll want to head to the Château and palace gardens. You may want to consider a guided tour. Here are some tips about buying your tickets to visit the Château. Seeing the palace and its gardens can take the better part of a whole day, especially if you also plan to tour the smaller royal residences, the Grand Trianon and Petit Trianon, and visit Marie Antoinette's hameau, or country hamlet, built to remind her of her home in Austria. Be prepared to walk a lot! Here are some other ways to get around Versailles. The palace gardens are worth special consideration. All good 17th-century gardens had to have fountains, and the system of waterworks at Versailles is without equal. The palace is open daily except Monday. Certain parts of the palace are open to visits without guided tours. Other parts (depending upon restorations in progress) are open if you take a tour. The gardens and park are open every day of the year. Les Grandes Eaux Musicales, the playing of the elaborate fountains in the vast gardens to the accompaniment of recorded music, are on Sunday afternoons from April through October. The Royal Serenade and the Night Fountains Show are offered on Saturday evenings during the summer. The Night Fountains Show also includes fireworks. A great way to experience Versailles! RER: Line C-5 to Versailles-Rive Gauche Château de Versailles More... Château de Versailles
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Above, long
line to get into
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