Versailles

Our first stop after we left Brest was the Palace of Versailles (well lunch then Versailles). The palace is huge and overwhelming – and there are a lot of people. We arrived too late in the day to have reserved our group in advance, so we had to wait in line, a really long line. It went rather quickly, less than an hour, but unlike Brest, it was hot. There is no shade in the courtyard of Louis’s palace. It was just meant for the arrival of carriages, not thousands of tourists.

Versailles really needs to be experienced. The opulence is amazing. Considering Parisians were starving in the street while Louis XIV, XV and XVI were waging expensive wars, buying jewelry and throwing big parties at Versailles, you understand why there was a French revolution. The students had to go through in small groups. There would be no way a group of 31 could stay together. It’s difficult for a group of three to stay together.

They got to see the rooms leading up to and including the famous hall of mirrors, the king’s apartments and the queen’s antechambers. The queen’s apartments are being renewed, so they were unavailable.

There is a separate charge for the gardens, but many of the students felt it was worth it. Summer is the time of “son et lumière” (sound and light). There is music playing in the gardens and in the evenings there are lighted fountain displays. It really was worth it.

Evening brought us to BVJ Opéra, our youth hostel in Paris. The building is beautiful even if the amenities are a bit rustic.

Waiting in line at Versailles

There were sprayers to cool people off. Grace, Alec and some of the others took advantage

Our students with their friend, Louis XIV

Yup, just chillin' with Louis!

The light in the hall of mirrors is beautiful (and so are our students)!

See what I mean?

Great picture of Lauren and Michael!

One of the fountains of Versailles

In front of the Grand Bassin

Checking in at BVJ Opéra.

The picture of patience

Enjoying dinner at La Rotonde

Michael ate escargots AND steak tartar!

Lindsey shared one of her escargot with Micah.

We had dinner at a restaurant in the quarter. For some, it was their first experience of an authentic French restaurant since many of them had only dined at home with their French families. The highlight had to be Michael Hrinda ordering not just escargots but steak tartar as well. He was quite happy with both!