Living in this lovely city of Paris is great… but it is easy to forget all the great things to do and visit just outside the city. A couple of weekends ago we jumped with some friends on a commuter train (the RER B) and within 40 minutes we had arrived in front of the stunning chateau of Versailles, known for its beauty and also the over the top extravagance of the Kings and Queens of France who lived there.
The children were amazed by the opulence of their surroundings and how crazy it was that this whole chateau was built just for one man and his entourage to live in! Good old Louis the 14th sure knew how to live it up!
The main palace is amazing to visit, but with a whole gaggle of children in tow, we opted for a visit of the gardens surrounding the palace and a visit to the smaller Trianon Palace together with Marie-Antoinette’s domaine, which has been restored very recently.
It was a lovely day: we picnicked, played hide and seek between the manicured hedges, strolled through the different gardens, and had a good look around Marie-Antoinette’s retreat.
We finished the trip with a boat ride on the Grand Canal, just like Marie Antoinette would have done, I am sure.
These kind of day trips make me realise how lucky we are to have so much history right at our doorstep! Visiting Versailles is so easy, even if you are just visiting Paris for a week!
– Emilie
Comments (6)
Salut ! I love Paris but Versailles is still on my wish list. I’d love to visit Marie Antoinette’s palace one day, and a picnic with croissants, juices, baguettes, cheeses and wine doesn’t sound bad either! Thanks for the tip!
This is on my list of places to visit with my daughter. It would make a great trip combined with Paris. I’m from London and this appeals so much more than Buckingham Palace !
Perfect trip, I agree. Paris is so much smaller than London and easier to explore, so Versailles is easy to visit too!
What a lovely outing! I would love to bring the children there. And good idea to bring a picnic! xxxx
Versailles is perfect to visit with or without kids! The landscape is overwhelming and the place is very safe to bring them!
I’m not a mum yet, but I love seeing families having a picnic with the kids in front of the lake (in a sunny day of course). I think feeding the ducks with bread is a really fun activity after lunch, and is a perfect way to spend a day playing and admiring!
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