Palatial Paris Holiday
As one of the most romantic and beautiful cities in the world, Paris has a reputation for architectural grandeur.
As one of the most romantic and beautiful cities in the world, Paris has a reputation for architectural grandeur. But aside from the grand monuments of the Arc de Triomphe, the Eiffel Tower and Sacre Couer, Paris is home to some of the grandest, most opulent palaces in the world, perfect for a romantic weekend break.
We stayed in a fine hotel on the Place de la Concorde, putting us within easy reach of all major monuments in Paris. The magnificent Palace of Versailles, located half an hour on the train from Versailles, was the first stop on our tour. Constructed during the reign of Louis XIV, the Sun King, the Palace of Versailles is one of the world's great royal residences.
The gilded opulence stands testament to the unbridled power of the French monarchy, illustrating in stark detail the contrast between the lives of the rich and poor throughout history.
It is recommended that visitors to Versailles take a guided tour, as much of the palace is off-limits to individuals. Visitors who would prefer to explore on their own, however, can see the State Apartments and the awe-inspiring Hall of Mirrors, where the Treaty of Versailles ending the First World War with Germany was signed.
The palace gardens are, perhaps, the highlight of Versailles, stretching out into the distance and interspersed with vast foaming fountains. However, having been informed by the outwardly friendly receptionist that entrance prices were reduced on Sundays, our cheapness got the better of us.
But visitors to Versailles be warned; never, ever go on a Sunday. Queues are interminably long and unless you fancy standing in line all day, find another day to visit.
Nevertheless, after waiting for what seemed like days we finally got inside. But the Palace of Versailles would take far longer than a day to see in its entirety, so after giving it our best we decided to head back to the hotel and explore some of Paris's remaining palaces the next day.
The vast Palace of Fontainebleau, located approximately 45-minutes south of Paris by train, was the next palace on our list. An immensely dignified royal retreat, even if not as opulent as Versailles, the palace was one of the favourite hunting grounds of the French monarchy.
But it is the lush landscape and gardens rather than the palace itself that provide the major appeal of a trip to Fontainebleau. The grounds are magnificent in their sheer size and grandeur, with spectacular use made of lakes and fountains.
Fontainebleau town itself surrounding the palace, meanwhile, is a great place to spend a few hours getting something to eat, with a fine selection of both cheap and premium restaurants to choose from.
Lastly, we turned out attention to the Jardin de Tuileries, where the palace once stood. Although the palace was virtually destroyed by fire in 1871, until that time it had served as the primary residence and centre of government for numerous French kings and Naploeon Bonaparte.
Today only fragments of the old palace remains, but the Jardins de Tuileries are nevertheless one of the most serene and beautiful places in Paris to simply sit and watch the world go by.
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