Versailles

We headed out to Chateau Versailles last Sunday. The grand residence of Louis XIV and XV it lies in nice wooded countryside south west of Paris. The chateau is enormous and the complex spreads across several large buildings and a massive park (with a 7km circumference lake). The interiors were interesting and we found the audio guides very useful. It was the first time I had used these but they were included in a day pass and I would recommend them. They included not only commentry but some very nice music to accompany your wanderings.

The whole experience was somewhat affected by the hordes of people - interestingly most people just go to the king's apartment and ignore the other buildings on the site. The other appartments are similarly fitted out and have the advantage that they are not crammed with people. The place reeks of the studied extravagance of people who lived in a self-indulgent bubble. One can only wonder how the starving revolutionaries felt when they stormed into the chateau and saw the opulence.

All in all it was worth seeing - the gardens are stunning and the due to careful restoration and sensitive use of period furniture there is a palpable sense of history despite the crowds.