Versailles, Camping Huttopia

Wednesday, 2nd May 2018.

Despite what the weather forecast said, it is a dry and sunny day. 

There is a cool breeze, which turns out to be a blessing.

We are not normally into "tourist attractions", but, you cannot come to Versailles, and not visit the famous Palace of Versailles.

The Site Reception sell tickets, but, when we go there, they have none left for today. Instead, we obtain two day passes at the Tourist Information Office, a short distance from the Palace. It costs 2.5Euro extra, per person, in "commission", but, saves us standing in a long queue.

The young lady who sells us the tickets advises us not to do the Chateau/Palace that day, since there are already enormous queues (1.5hours!), but rather to "do" the gardens, park, Trianon and Marie-Antoinettes Estate on day 1, and arrive early (09:00) on day 2 to "do" the Palace.

This Kathleen looking fresh, at this point, we have cycled only about 2.5 miles

I think this is probably good advice, the Estate is enormous. We cycle there from the campsite on our bicycles, which means we

have the bicycles to cycle around the grounds and between the various sections. We cycle and walk 15 miles on day 1, I would estimate 12 miles of that was within the Estate of Versailles!.

We manage to "do":

- significant area of the Park
- the Gardens
- The Grand Canal
- The Trianon
- Le Petite Trianon
- Marie-Antoinettes Estate

Of then all, personally, I preferred Marie-Antoinette's Estate, it was more "human scale" than the grandiose Gardens etc.

 
Thursday, 3rd May 2018

Sunny, dry and mild.

Following the advice of the young lady in Tourist Information, we are up early, and have a rather hair raising cycle ride, through rush hour traffic, to the Palace of Versailles by 09:00.

There is already a queue, but, not too long, and, it would appear only one tour bus has arrived this early in the morning.

We are in the Palace within 15 minutes, which even impatient Kathleen is happy with.

Perhaps, I am a Philistine, but, I find it rather disappointing.

It is of course impressively huge, and, no doubt, it must have created a skills shortage throughout Europe, when it was under construction, there are so many Paintings, Statues, Painted Frescoes, items of furniture and so on and so on.

Personally, I find the outside more impressive than the inside, particularly the Gardens and Water "features".

Shortly before lunch time we have had our fill of walking through the endless rooms of Versailles Palace, but, I am sure it would be possible to spend a whole day in there, if you actually know and understand what you are looking at.

We spot a sign to Cathederal de St Louis, and head for that, but, when we get there, there is a funeral in progress, so, Kathleen does not feel it right to wander around the church, whilst the funeral service was in progress.

Next, we head for the Market de Notre Dame.

Our map makes it look pretty easy, but, we do not find it so and have an unintentional extended cycling tour of the suburbs of Versailles.

Eventually, we find our way to the market, and, more importantly, to a restaurant for lunch.

It is a quaint little place, just off the market square, up a narrow staircase, in a tiny room with only five tables. The whole enterprise seems to be run (ie chef, waiter, etc etc) by two pleasant young ladies.

We have an very pleasant lunch, which Kathleen declares was worth the effort we have had to get here, so, it must have been good!