Here There and Everywhere

Tauck, MS Sapphire and Versailles

Here is the truth; I have never liked Versailles. My first visit was at 16, and even then, the excess offended me. In my adult years, the excess offended me.

This time, while all the gilt and luxury leaves me underwhelmed and a little depressed that we still live in a world where the rich are utterly stupidly excessive, and the poor struggle just to keep a roof over their head, and that offends me, Tauck provided us with a great guide who had a compelling and engaging narrative and successfully threaded us through the thousands streaming through the palace and gardens.

We were divided into groups, and our group started in the gardens, which turned out to be a lot of fun.

My grandson not only has a good eye for a photo, but also has wonderful long arms:

I love their grins, and I love my grandson’s hand on my husband’s shoulder. In these small things lies an expanse of heaven.

You may not notice this, so I will point it out. I work very hard to get photos without the teeming hordes. Every now and then I will throw in a photo to show you how even though this is not yet the Olympic Games, these gardens are teeming with people. If you look deeply into the above photo, you will see tour groups of 20-50 people in clumps in front of the palace.

And now, we are divided into even smaller groups, and our guide is about to take us through the halls of the palace of Versailles. When I say “take us” I really mean slither us, wind us through the crowds. This woman earned my unrestricted admiration for both her narrative, and her ability to herd us through, and to make it look effortless. I would want her at my side in battle.

Have you ever noticed how life is full of serendipity? I have a new friend, and without her, I would never have known that this exhibit of knights, armor, and horses was part of a special exhibit staged at Versailles. I thought it was just part of the normal exhibits. I came across this information through Dr. B, at Museemusings.com, an art historian who blogs on art, culture, and cross-cultural events in Paris. I was looking for information on La Roche-Guyon and my question took me to her blog and I lost hours reading her observations on current exhibitions and happenings in France.

For a great introduction to her blog, here is the article on Man’s Original Best Friend (Horses) as she visits two exhibits, and talks about many topics.

Looking at these photos, I am astounded that I was able to get these shots so clear of the thousands of people milling around, so I will start including some reality shots. Then you will understand my admiration for the guide who efficiently conveyed information and kept us progressing.

In one of my first classes my freshman year in college I had a professor who said “If you remember one thing from a class you take here, your education is a success.” LOL, I can’t remember his name or the class, but I remember what he said.

Here is the one thing I remember from this trip to Versailles. Louis XIV loved to dance, and he loved high heels, and he wore red shoes all the time, and forbade non-royalty to wear heels.

The only reason there appears to be space on the right side of the Hall of Mirrors (below) is because it is roped off; there are so many people you can’t see the ropes.

The day is hot, not as hot as some, but hot inside because of the mass of humanity streaming through the halls. Thank goodness for the cool breezes wafting in through the open doors.

Can you spot the secret door through which Marie Antoinette unsuccessfully escaped?d

I remember one more thing – beds were short because it was believed lying flat made you likelier to die while sleeping, so the kings and queens slept sitting up in very short beds.

I successfully cropped out the hand and body of the woman who kept thrusting her camera in front of mine, and taking selfies.

Our guide took us through a “secret” underground passage to the outside, where we could breathe again.

I actually enjoyed this day in Versailles.

August 15, 2024 Posted by intlxpatr | Adventure, Arts & Handicrafts, Beauty, Building, Bureaucracy, Civility, Cultural, France, Quality of Life Issues, Travel | Louis XIV, Museemusings.com, Versailles | Leave a comment