Versailles 2014

 The Royal Palace of Versailles.  This is one of my favorite places in France.  It's a short 35 minute train ride from Paris but to me it feels like stepping back into the 1700s.

The day was chilly, but we had some sunshine.  When I visited almost the same week in 2010, everything was covered in snow.

This is the back view of the Palace where Loius XIV, Marie Antoinette and Napoleon once lived.

 The Palace is stunning, but what I really love about this place is the miles and miles of perfectly landscaped grounds.  

Ok, it's only 3 squares miles, but that's a crap ton of space to keep perfectly manicured.

 And the epic fountains.  50 fountains spread over the 3 mile property.

This is my favorite.  The Dragon Fountain.

Forever in every direction. 

 This is the Grand Trianon.  The palace within the palace.

 The Grand Trianon is where the royals went to escape the hectic life at the main Palace.  Which was built to escape the hectic life in Paris.

And then my favorite place of all: the farm!  Cows, goats, pigs, donkeys, chickens, geese they have them all.

 

 Marie Antoinette had them build a fully working farm in the style of her native Austria.

This was a place she could go to escape when it got too hectic in her mini palace (the Petit Trianon, not pictured), which itself was an escape from hectic life at the Palace of Versailles, which was an escape from hectic life in Paris. 

 The farm also had a vineyard for Royal winemaking.

 Thanks for checking out my recent France trip.  Next week, back to winery tours in Napa Valley.

-L