'Did we just walk into the most beautiful room in the world?'
It's at Versailles, and no, it's not the Hall of Mirrors
Why do we cover travel at The Human Page? Find out!
By Chris Worthy
If Paris is on your summer adventure list, you have to visit the Palace of Versailles at least once, though one visit (or even 10) would still not be enough to see it all. The castle alone has more than 2,000 rooms, and the gardens stretch as far as the eye can see.
This UNESCO World Heritage Site was the playground of Louis XIV and it is every bit as golden and ornate as you can imagine. Of course, the Hall of Mirrors, the room where the Treaty of Versailles that ended World War I was signed, is a must. It is an exercise in overstatedness (I mean, he didn’t call himself the Sun King for nothing) but you can’t miss it. Go early, go early, go early.
The experience is sensory overload indoors and out. Truly, there is nothing like it. Art, décor, formal gardens, sculptures, fountains, up, down, all around – everywhere you look is adorned. But our greatest surprise would have been missed without booking a guided tour. Our lovely, knowledgeable guide was hopeful as she peeked around a corner and then moved our group around a barrier to an otherwise off limits door. As the group entered, the gasps were followed by wide-eyed, jaw drops.
The Royal Opera, opened in 1770, is still in use, so it is sometimes unavailable for tours when rehearsals and shows are on the schedule. We serendipitously had access. It must be seen to be believed. Is it the most beautiful room in the world? Well, I haven’t seen them all (yet), so I can’t say for sure, but it did leave our entire tour in stunned silence.
What to know as you plan your visit:
Getting there: From Paris, it is a short, comfortable train ride to Versailles. Our trip to Versailles – Rive Droite from Saint Lazare station in Paris was quick, easy, and efficient, with about a 20-minute walk from the station to the palace through the lovely town.
A Passport ticket allows you to access the entire estate (with timed entry), including the castle, the Trianon Estate, and the gardens. It is still well worth taking an official guided tour. There are several to choose from and they are inexpensive add-ons to your ticket. Download the official app for maps (you will need them!), details and more.
Earlier is better – Arrive as early as your ticket allows. Crowds grow throughout the day. Starting with the castle allows for an escape to the gardens when the crush of people becomes too much.
Accessibility: The palace has details on accessibility options, including how to access elevators, information on accessible restrooms and more.
Vegan food: As easy as it was to find great vegan food in Paris, you become a bit of a captive audience when spending a full day at the palace. There may be perfectly good vegan options available, but hangry, tired, and well out into the gardens, we settled on a lunch of frites and France’s ever-present lemonade from one of the estate restaurants. No complaints here.
