Versailles

Jessie wanted to see Versailles, so we all went for an excursion one day when Marc was teaching.

The gardens are just immense. I could have easily spent another couple of hours wandering outside.

Mom and Jess

Eva was right in front of a French school group! Quite a field trip.

We found a snail in the path and Jessie picked it up to move it to safety, but not before Eva took a photo.

I love these bushes trimmed into urn shapes!

Quelle drame!

We had my mom stand next to one of these urns to show the scale.

The thing about Versailles is that it is so over the top. So much gilding everywhere that you just kind of burn out. At least I do. But it is still interesting to imagine thousands of people living there, milling around the grounds, the king holding court, the secret trysts, the servants, the parties...

the chapel

the Hall of Mirrors

This ceiling was in a far more sedate area of the château as we were exiting. I would rather see carved stone any day over all the crazy gilded excess.

The grounds were more to my liking.

As well as these cool graphics in the ticketing office!