Day 3 in Paris brought yet another beautiful day and we got an early start for our trip to Versailles! This was another experience for which a guide was suggested, so we took the Metro to meet our guide. We utilized the app “Get Your Guide” for our smaller guided tours with today’s guide being Walter. We started with a 40-minute drive on a mini-bus. Apparently, in preparation for the upcoming Olympics, certain streets have been closed, so rather than taking a major highway, it was a longer trip through smaller neighborhoods, which we actually enjoyed. Whereas most, if not all, of the residential dwellings in the city of Paris are apartments, as we got further out of the city we began to see some small single family homes, which was nice.
Walter shared a lot of the history of Versailles on our way, so we were ready to go upon arriving. Half of those on our mini-bus just received a map and were directed toward the entrance for a self-guided tour. Our smaller group gathered and wired up with earphones, so we could easily hear Walter in the crowded palace!
At this point, I need to correct a mistake made in my previous post. It was not the Louvre, but the Palace of Versailles that began as a hunting lodge! Sometimes one gets too much information in the mind of a visiting tourist! I apologize but wanted to set the story straight!
Walter guided us through the Palace, pointing out highlights along the way. We saw the Peace Room, the War Room, both the King and Queen’s separate quarters and the famous Hall of Mirrors. No expense was spared in furnishings throughout the palace including a very interesting chandelier made from Swarovski crystals! Versailles also includes “secret doors” in the bedrooms so the King could move easily from his chambers to the Queen’s. The Hall of Mirrors is still used for important governmental occurrences and the entire palace is filled with magnificent art work.
After viewing the interior of Versailles, we were turned loose outside in the Gardens which is over 1900 acres of mazes, sculptures, fountains, orange trees and other flora. While we were there they were setting up for a musical program that was scheduled for the following day. The Palace of Versailles is a beauty for sure – both inside and out. One can’t help but imagine what it might have been like to live there.
Upon returning to Paris, we stopped at La Terrasse, one of the many sidewalk cafes, for some more people watching, wine and a delicious Caesar salad.
We couldn’t visit Paris without an evening at Moulin Rouge! We took the Metro to the section of the city known as Pigalle – we’d probably refer to it as the “red light district” and we dined at Bouillon prior to the show. Bill and I both ordered French onion soup – how could you not – and then Bill had steak and frites while I sampled beef bourguignon.
The show at Moulin Rouge began at 9 p.m. and was magnificent. No photos were allowed to be taken during the show, but I managed to snap a few during the warm-up. The girls – and guys – were amazing, athletic, and filled with energy. I loved the dancing and the costumes were as elaborate as one could imagine. The show lasted almost a full two hours and was enjoyed by all – our bottle of champagne was enjoyed as well!
We thought about taking an Uber back to the hotel but decided to take the Metro instead since we had become so proficient underground. We certainly couldn’t have fit one more thing into Day 3 and we still had two more days to go!
thervdreamlife 