• Scenic route but eventually got on the correct train. Met a Spanish girl=no English...Fran=NO Spanish...but we managed to communicate and get each other to Versailles Station....together with the 100s of other tourists!...
• Followed each other like sheep to the majestic Golden Gates of The Palace.
• Joined the queue....as I already had my ticket, I entered very quickly and located the audio tour, equipped myself with a book filled with pictures, information on each room and detailed information on the Gardens and Marie Antoinette’s retreat.....
• My most memorable room was the Hall of Mirrors, but I found the whole tour interesting and the furnishings and architecture, fascinating so the tour was very easy to do....once again I was overwhelmed by the amount of history represented!
• Moving outside, I eventually found the direction in which I was hoping to go and set off towards Marie Antoinette’s English influenced retreat. Fountains, statues of significance, the canal, gardens perfectly groomed, sunshine, a festive atmosphere, baguette and cheese as I walked...( which I had secured from the breakfast table!)...
Being a country girl, I could well understand why Marie Antoinette felt more at ease settled in this very country setting away from the pomp and pressure of the austere Palace. It brought me peace in my hectic visit which I thoroughly enjoyed.....until I tried to leave the country setting! Together with numerous other lost tourists, we walked and walked, exploring every possible opportunity to escape until eventually I met another lady from Brisbane and we decided it was quickest to return to our point of entry and exit from there.....
• Returning to The main Palace via the festive setting along the canal, I believed that I had walked at least 20kms or even more in my exploration of this beautiful, extensive world within the confines of Versailles de Palais!
• RER back to Gare D'Austerlitz....across the bridge to Gare de Lyon where I visited my preferred sidewalk cafe to eat baguette and toast farewell to Paris with a glass of Rosé. A popular mode of transport in Paris is the Vespa.....Gem....I found one for you and me!!
It was very busy with people finishing work on a Friday evening of a long weekend....an expectant atmosphere prevailed as people prepared to live it up for 3 days of superb Spring weather and possibly head south to Cote d’Azur.....
Having collected my bag from my hotel I merged into this excited crowd and settled onto my TGV to make a speedy return to Lyon.
Arriving 21:00 I was met by Bernard Moulin who drove me to their home in Croix Rousse situated on the ‘Working Hill’of Lyon. Edith and their son, Alexander, were waiting expectantly for us. Sitting at the diinner table we reminisced about their visit to Bacchus Marsh, 3 years ago when they had brought their students to Bacchus Marsh Grammar.
Great memories were shared with Alex of the day long tour we had done to Warrnambool, via Mum's in Ballarat, and back to Geelong along the Great Ocean Road (dinner with the Gdaks) then back to The Marsh! It was certainly wonderful to be with them again and bask in their warm friendship and hospitality. I was looking forward to sharing a few days in their company.
Everything sounds so amazing!!
ReplyDeleteI feel like i'm right there exploring with you :) lol.
Love you lots Dee & Lj xoxo