Even though it’s beautiful – and it is incredibly beautiful – Versailles Palace has never really enchanted me. The immense hallways and vaulted cielings are, at least for me, cold and impersonal. But no one can deny the splendour of the careful construction; intricate details abound, carved into ceilings and doors, built into chandeliers and sculptures. I like the often forgotten hall of kings best of all, and always visit Blanche de Castille, the lone queen among them. The Trianon Palaces are another story. After a long walk through the garden, you find yourself in another world, where the castles are small and gardens blooming. The Petit Trianon belonged to Marie-Antoinette, the melancholy queen; with its pretty, feminine furnishings, there is a sense of eerie calm within it, as though the mistress still presides, unaware that tourists traipse in and out all day, making flashbulb memories of her most private spaces. The Grand Trianon, a pink marble monolith with a stunning field of blooms growing behind it, is a maze of columns and confused décor, as if its master was so desperate for adulation that he gave in to passing fashions like colour-coordinated curtains and left what he loved out of it entirely. The trio of palaces is the seat of French royal history… and when you walk its halls, it becomes abundantly clear why the people revolted against it.
Bien que c’est beau – et c’est incroyablement beau – le Château de Versailles ne m’a jamais vraiment enchanté. Les couloirs immenses et les plafonds voûtés sont, au moins pour moi, froids et impersonnels. Mais on ne peut pas nier la sublimité de la construction soignée ; les détails complexes se trouvent partout sur les plafonds, les portes, les chandeliers et les sculptures. Il faut surtout passer par le couloir des rois, voir la seule reine, Blanche de Castille, parmi les grands hommes. Les Trianons, ce sont autre chose. Après une longue balade dans le jardin, on nous trouve dans un autre monde, où les palais sont petits et les jardins fleuris. Le Petit Trianon, le domaine de la reine mélancolique, Marie-Antoinette, avec ses meubles féminins, m’a donné une sensation de calme sinistre, comme si la maitresse y présidait toujours, ignorante des touristes qui passent jour et nuit, prenant des clichés de ses chambres intimes en souvenir. Le Grand Trianon, un monolithe en marbre rouge avec un jardin éblouissant qui pousse dans son cour, est un labyrinthe de colonnes et de décor embrouillé ; ça donne un peu l’impression que son maitre désirait tellement ardemment la gloire qu’il s’est abandonné aux tendances passagères {des rideaux coordonné aux couleurs des meubles, par exemple}, sans jamais considérer s’il aimait vraiment ce qu’il avait fait construire. Les trois palais sont la siège de l’histoire de la monarchie française… est lorsqu’on se promène dans leurs couloirs, il est tout à fait évident pourquoi le peuple s’est révolté.
Ah! I loved my visit to Versailles, unfortunately Marie Antoinette's farm was not open when I went (under construction or something) it is a must see when I eventually make my way back to France.
pure opulence! oh Cee, my eyes haven't gazed at anything quite like that before. you're so uber lucky to see these timeless treasures for real!! girl, you continue to churn out such ultra incredible tours around town, i'm all in awe of each and every one. definitely not a mundane moment in the bunch.
i find it enchanting but at the same time, history does tell its tales of woe surrounding that time in history. good point, still love to have a fresh peek though, thanks lades. xo ♥
Thank-you so much for all of your thoughtful comments, mes cheries! xox, Cee
Cee Fardoe is a thirty-something Canadian blogger who splits her time between Winnipeg and Paris. She is a voracious reader, avid tea-drinker, insatiable wanderer and fashion lover who prefers to dress in black, white and gray.
Hi Cee! I visited it some years ago, it is an amzing and precious place! Great pics! xo
So gorgeous — I think I need a trip to Europe soon…it's been over two years since I visited and that's just too long!
Courtney ~ http://sartorialsidelines.com
Aaah! Such magnificence!
Ah! I loved my visit to Versailles, unfortunately Marie Antoinette's farm was not open when I went (under construction or something) it is a must see when I eventually make my way back to France.
Thanks for sharing the photos 🙂
xx
Jen
http://www.jennyscribbles.com
MAgical! You took beautiful pictures, thankyou!
OMG, how stunning are these photos though!
Spectacular! Great pics:)
Jen
http://www.prairiegirlinthecity.com
So beautiful! Want to visit Versailles so badly 🙂 the wild flowers look so pretty!!
beautiful place
What an absolutely stunning building. It's so grand and gorgeous!
Je ne suis encore jamais allée au château de Versailles (honte à moi) mais tes photos montrent que c'est un endroit vraiment magnifiques. A voir !
Marine
Such a beautiful photos! 🙂
pure opulence! oh Cee, my eyes haven't gazed at anything quite like that before. you're so uber lucky to see these timeless treasures for real!! girl, you continue to churn out such ultra incredible tours around town, i'm all in awe of each and every one. definitely not a mundane moment in the bunch.
i find it enchanting but at the same time, history does tell its tales of woe surrounding that time in history. good point, still love to have a fresh peek though, thanks lades. xo ♥
Ces photos sont magnifiques =)
Hi very beautiful pictures.
I follow you now,if you can follow me back i will be glad.
Let me know!
alinefashionmoda.com
Kisses from germany 😉
incredible photos! thanks for visiting my blog, i'm following you back now 😉 xo jess
http://www.stylizedluxe.blogspot.com
Such a stunning place… It makes me dream and wonder… x
love this photos! Amazing…
http://eva-style.blogspot.com/
LOVE these pics — we should follow each other?! <3
Ce château est magnifique, cela fait d'ailleurs longtemps que je ne m'y suis pas rendu 🙂
Thank-you so much for all of your thoughtful comments, mes cheries!
xox,
Cee