A timeless escape to the Palace of Versailles
Categories : Visit Paris, published on : 7/14/21
Although Paris offers many events and outdoor activities throughout the summer, sometimes you might just feel like getting away from the city to enjoy a change of pace. Your L’Ouest Hôtel team suggests taking the train for a short trip of around thirty minutes back to the middle of the 17th and 18th centuries, in Versailles! A fascinating experience awaits you there, in the midst of the park's groves ...
Rediscover the atmosphere of the Grand Siècle
The Palace of Versailles remains one of the most famous and most visited attractions in France. Its masterful architecture, the work of its artisans and artists, and the memory of the sovereigns and their opulent court make it a very special place, historically, culturally and artistically. That said, part of its charm is in its gardens and park. This exquisite example of a French-style garden with its amazing perspectives and alignments, its pools populated by nymphs and mythological figures, and its intimate groves where you can happily lose yourself opens onto an immense park where centuries-old trees flourish. All of it is arranged around a cross-shaped body of water called the Grand Canal, where it’s a delight to go canoeing. You can sit in the park to enjoy a picnic or wander amidst its greenery to discover Marie-Antoinette's Petit Trianon or the marbled magnificence of the Grand Trianon. A stroll through this setting is already magical but it becomes dazzling during summer weekends ...
Serenades and Musical Fountains
To recreate the atmosphere of the court of the kings of France, the Palace of Versailles has been presenting the Grandes Eaux fountains shows for years. Each weekend from May to October, the gorgeously crafted fountains and ponds in the gardens come alive with sparkles and ripples as cascading water dances in the air. To add to the magic, the gardens are filled with the sounds of appropriately period-specific Baroque music. Every Saturday evening during the Nocturnal Musical Fountains shows, the water features are illuminated by lighting effects that end with a climactic firework display over the Grand Canal. Also on Saturdays, you can attend a real French ball starting at 19:00. The show takes place amidst the gilded splendour of the Hall of Mirrors. Musicians and dancers in period costumes will give you a taste of the heady and lavish magnificence that was a hallmark of the reign of Louis XIV, the Sun King. Of course, it is possible to combine all these events and take the entire day to enjoy all that this incredible place has to offer. Reservations can be made online on the Château de Versailles website, but your L’Ouest Hôtel team can also help you to organise your visit.
About thirty minutes from Paris, the Palace of Versailles invites you to dive into history to meet characters such as Lully, Molière, La Fontaine and, of course, Louis XIV and his favoured courtiers, and even Marie-Antoinette. Take advantage of your L’Ouest Hôtel break to attend the Musical Fountains show. It evokes all the magic of yesteryear ...
******
More information:
Ouest Hotel, a 3-star hotel a few steps from Gare Saint-Lazare
