The next time you’re in Paris, hop on the RER C train and head over to the little town of Versailles. It only takes about 30 minutes to get there and then it’s about a 10 minute walk from the train station to the gorgeous Château de Versailles. The magnificent palace built by King Louis XIV in 1661 and surrounding gardens is well worth a day to explore.
It was actually Louis XIII who fell in love with Versailles first and he built a little hunting lodge here in 1623, then later expanded to a small Château.
In 1682 Louis XIV made Versailles the capital and it remained the seat of French government until 1782. At that point the royal family packed up and went back to Paris. The palace remained empty through the remainder of the French Revolution.
In the 1830s the Palace was repaired and restored to its former glory and then in 1979 it was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
It’s lavishly decorated, there’s a lot of history, paintings, and architecture to learn about an appreciate here. Then the gardens! Fountains, sculptures, decorative shrubs, a lake in which you can row a boat. You can rent a bike or a golf cart, or just take a stroll through the seemingly endless pathways. You can get lost in this fantasy land garden.
Be smart and make your reservations online to skip the line. The cost to see everything is only €21 and you can download a free audio guide from the website or do an add on once you get there. There is also the free Rick Steves audio guide, which is always what I use.
Definitely make the trip out to Versailles if you’re in Paris, you will absolutely love it!
