Louis XIV's opulent royal palace
The Palace of Versailles is an explosion of opulence. Gold, mirrors, and impossible excess adorn its every inch. It’s one of Europe’s most influential stately homes – you'll find tributes to it at castles across the continent – but you mustn't miss the original.
Louis XIV originally commissioned Versailles as a hunting lodge, before transforming it into the extravagant royal palace you see today. He moved the French court here in 1682 – courtiers, servants, and nobles suddenly living under one (albeit enormous) roof.
The Hall of Mirrors stretches 73 metres (240 feet), lined with 357 mirrors reflecting chandeliers and garden light. Treaties were signed here. Revolutions were sparked. Today it takes your breath away.
But the gardens might be Versailles' true masterpiece. André Le Nôtre designed 800 hectares of geometric perfection – fountains, sculptures, groves, and even a Grand Canal. Marie Antoinette's Hamlet hides at the edge, a faux-rustic village where a queen played at being a shepherdess.
The palace (as you’d expect) is hugely popular. Book tickets online well in advance, and don’t plan for Mondays – it’s closed. Accessible from the city in under an hour by direct train, it makes for a great day out.
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