Tag: chateau

The Best Versailles Itinerary | French Californian
Hannah Wilson

The Best Itinerary for Versailles

11 Comments Paris, Versailles

Update: This post was written in 2018, and I have not been back to Versailles since then, so please double check the info in this post. Especially post-covid, I have no idea how tickets, procedures, or the layout at the palace may have changed. The general itinerary is pretty timeless though – bon voyage!

Remember how I used to live in Versailles, France? I spent over three years walking those streets, exploring the château grounds, and riding the train back and forth to Paris countless times. I think you could say I’m pretty familiar with it! That’s why I finally want to share my perfect day in Versailles.

I’ve gotten messages from travelers asking for advice about how to tackle Versailles in one day. With the main chateau, the massive gardens, two smaller palaces, more gardens, a hamlet, and not to mention the surrounding city itself, planning a successful, efficient day trip to Versailles is completely overwhelming if you’re starting from zero knowledge.

But that’s alright! I got you!

I’m going to lay out everything you ever wanted to know about spending a fantastic day in Versailles. First, I’ll go over some practical information. Then, I’ll give my ideal itinerary, step-by-step, including a walking route on a custom Google map!  You can take or leave whatever you want, but this information is bound to be super helpful.

Here we go!

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Château de la Roche Courbon, France
Hannah Wilson

Château de la Roche-Courbon

Comments Travel

You wouldn’t believe how many fairly-tale castles there are in France. They’re almost as common as rest stops on an average US highway. Ok, that’s an exaggeration, but I’m fairly certain you could find at least one within 20 miles of wherever you happen to be in France.

I had the chance to explore the Château de la Roche-Courbon recently, and although it’s certainly not the most famous or well known château in France (those titles are reserved for the huge castles of the famous Loire valley), it was magical nonetheless, with a dry moat, sculpted gardens and rounded turrets.

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Marie Antoinette's Garden in Spring - French Californian
Hannah Wilson

Marie Antoinette’s Garden During Spring

7 Comments Versailles

Every time spring rolls around, there’s always that first perfectly temperate, blue-skied, wonderful day of the year. Whenever it arrives, without fail, I find myself proclaiming it the BEST DAY EVER. It can’t be the best day ever if it happens every single year! Aside from my excitability when it comes to weather (yes, I can and will discuss weather in casual conversation), last Sunday really was perfect. Apparently, the rest of Versailles thought so too, because droves of people were outdoors.

None of my 3 friends could come with me, so I explored on my own. But it’s all the same to me – I explore alone most of the time. It’s actually therapeutic for me, to wander around and observe beauty (and take pictures of it).

I made my way through town and towards the Petit Trianon, Marie Antoinette’s domain, comfortably removed from the main palace and all the strict rules and regulations that came with it. From here, she created a universe filled with romantic gardens and farm animals. When I explore this area of the grounds, I like to think that I can still feel her presence lingering.

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Hannah Wilson

The Gardens of Versailles in Autumn

2 Comments Versailles

During the two years I’ve lived near the Versailles gardens, can you believe I’ve never seen the fountains when they’re turned on? You see, there are lots of Baroque fountains and groves peppered throughout the massive gardens, but since they’re so old, they can’t be running water constantly. So every weekend (excluding weekends in winter), all the fountains turn on and the entire garden is filled with the sounds of water and Baroque music. It really adds to the ambiance – which is impressive, considering the gardens already have a ton of ambiance to begin with.

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Hannah Wilson

Chateau de Versailles + Our First Dinner Soirée

Comments Paris, Versailles

Last Saturday was a busy day! During a supermarket run that morning, the sky looked bright, yet partly cloudy, and a bit windier than normal. Then, an hour later, as soon as I set foot outside to pick up my friend from the train station… Torrential downpour! My shoes and pants got soaked, and my poor H&M umbrella got snapped in half! The insane storm lasted about 5 minutes, just long enough for me to hop on a bus instead. As soon as we were walking back from the station, the sky was once again clear and sunny! … I’m not used to this weather.

We stopped for a few to browse through an antique market, grabbed a bite to eat at a boulangerie, then headed to the palace. Here were the things I noticed this time around:

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Hannah Wilson

Palace de Versailles

Comments Paris, See & Do, Versailles

One of the activities I accomplished with my mother was the enormous Palace/Chateau of Versailles. Think Marie Antoinette and her husband Louis the sometheenth. (Sorry guys, not so good with historical details!)

The interiors are ridiculously detailed and gaudy, it actually got rather sickening towards the end of the visit. But I’d say it’s still worth a visit.

Aside from the main chateau, you can also explore the gardens, two smaller palaces, and the Queen’s hamlet. We saw everything there was to see, and I have to say the smaller palaces and hamlet were much more enjoyable, simply because they were far less busy.

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