• Nancy and Doug TripsSW Europe 2023Traveler
    Where is that entrance?!
    A long walk to get thereThe Trianon - home to Louis XIVs extended family including the Royal Mistress of Maitress-en-titrePetite TrianonKitchen at the Petite TrianonQueens bedchamber at Petite Trianon; redecorated by Marie Antoinette shortly before their departurePortrait of Marie AntoinetteTemple of Love from the bedroom windowLooking toward the Grand Canal at the end of the day

    Versailles Trianon and Petite Trianon

    June 10, 2023 in France ⋅ ⛅ 28 °C

    We had a pleasant trip by chauffered limo to Hotel Lys in Versailles. Then a quick lunch enroute to Versailles. If you only see one European Palace Rick Steves says this is it! The estate is huge: 800 hectares of Palace, country side retreats of Trianon and Petite Trianon connected by waterways with 2400 fountains and extensive gardens. Built by the Sun King Louis XIV (1638-1715, reign 75 years).
    We had planned to get the Petite Train to the Trianon area. Unfortunately the young woman at the gate gave us poor information telling us we were in the wrong place and we walked for at least an hour to get to where the entrance was, later finding out the Petite Train left just inside the main entrance. Once there we got an idea of the country estate that was Marie Antoinette's escape from palace life. Of interest was that the cozy bedroom used by the king, his mistress and Marie Antoinette.    Read more