Our visit to Paris
Arriving in a new, big city can be intimidating but exciting. As we get closer to Paris, the traffic gets busier, the buildings become more numerous, and you start to feel that city vibe, much like the large cities we've visited in America. Our bus pulls into an underground station, where we get off and gather our bags. We go to the closest exit so our phone can get a signal so we know which way to walk. The station is next to a large park, and lots of people are out. We walk through it to get to the street we must follow to the subway station. Seeing all the curious glances from people watching our family cracks me up. Occasionally, I've seen a smile of approval from someone who sees our group and gets it.
Upon arrival at the subway station, we saw a long line to get tickets from the teller. There are several automated ticket machines, but we need to get tickets from the teller because we're purchasing passes for the week instead of one-way or round-trip individual tickets. I have the kids put the bags off to the side so we're out of the way. Due to people either wanting a refund for something or having lots of questions, we waited for nearly an hour. Luckily, we weren't under any time constraints. We finally get our passes, load up, and walk to the platform to catch our subway train.
Since this is a major city, we're on guard for pick-pockets again. I'm keeping a watchful eye, and no one seems suspicious, but you never know. This is a major stop, and many people are getting on and off. We get on and try to maneuver ourselves into a spot where we're not pushing against others. I remove my large bag, put it between my legs, and have the others do the same. Our stop is several down the line, and the train continues to fill up as we go. The car is mostly full when we are one stop away, so I grab my bag and maneuver toward the door so passengers know we are getting off.
We all get off and walk up the street to catch another bus to our new place. It's about a fifteen-minute walk from the subway to the apartment, but it feels longer carrying all of our luggage. Tanya and I know the kids feel it more than we do, so we take the bus. The area is residential, with many students living in the many high-rise apartments. Our host happens to be a student as well. We get to our building and message our host's mother since she isn't in town. She will get back the following day. Her mother meets us at the door and takes us to the apartment. Even though she hardly speaks English, we can communicate enough for her to show us around. When she is done, she leaves, and we settle in. There are two cats that live here, and the kids are very happy about that.
Our sleeping situation here is that my wife and I have a room, the boys have a room, and our daughter is on the couch that converts to a bed. The owner has her own bedroom. Our daughter is happy to be on the couch, hoping the cats sleep with her. One cat hides for a while, and the other is curious about us. After getting to know the cats, Tanya and I walked down the street to an Aldi to get groceries. We notice a park across the street from our building and make a mental note to explore it later. When we return, I take the two youngest kids to the park while Tanya makes dinner. We found a playground for younger kids, but they still play on it since there aren't any other kids there. Part of the park has body-weight exercise equipment to use. The kids play for a while, and we return to the apartment. During dinner, we talked about our plans for the following day.
Today, we will visit the Eiffel Tower and some sites in Paris. This day has been a long time coming. Our daughter's bucket list item for the trip is to go to Paris and shop for a dress. Since the lines can be very long, we leave early. The neighborhood we're staying in is a suburb of Paris, which is relatively close to the downtown area. We walk to the subway station, take it into the downtown area, and catch a bus close to Place du Trocadero, an iconic place to view the Eiffel Tower. It's here we wanted to take pictures of the Eiffel Tower early enough before crowds and before the tower opened. After a lot of pictures and family photos, we walk over to it.
Our plan was to get there when it opened to avoid the long lines. We arrived a little later than planned, but there was just a short line. I realized I had a small pocket knife as we walked to the entrance. If I had thought about it that morning, I would have left it behind. The website says no weapons or blades are allowed, and we made sure the boys didn't bring theirs, but I forgot about mine. It's a small pocket knife, so I try it and see what they say. We must empty our pockets, go through a metal detector, and check our bag. They see the knife and briefly discuss whether or not to allow it since it is small. Ultimately, they say no, and the agent suggests hiding it somewhere and getting it after we're done. That's really my only option if I am to go in, so I find a small, inconspicuous plant with leaves close to the ground and put it at the base. Is it hidden well enough? We'll see once we come back.
I go back through security, and we walk under the tower and start looking around. There is a line forming near one base, and restrooms are by another. We make a bathroom trip before getting in line. There is free wi-fi here, so Tanya looked at the history of the Eiffel Tower. We all learned about the designs, the architect, the opinions of other architects and engineers, and the building of the tower. This and many other things were discussed as we waited in line for over an hour. As we approached the end of the line, I realized I didn't see a line of people walking up the base near us. It was only an elevator. I brought this up, and we noticed people were walking down another base but couldn't see anyone walking up. We were probably in the wrong line. We stayed in line since it was almost our turn to buy tickets. When it was our turn, we asked the ticket agent if we could buy tickets for the stairs, not the elevator. Nope, this line was only for the elevator. So, we leave the line and walk over to the other base, which, sure enough, says stairs. We completely missed that when we walked in.
As you can imagine, this line was much shorter. We waited about ten minutes and purchased our tickets. We got the tickets to walk up to the first two levels and take an elevator to the top. You can't access the top any other way. All of us start heading up to the first level. It was a neat experience to be in the middle of the steel girders and supports as we ascended. We were surrounded so much that there wasn't an unobstructed view until we reached the first level. There are restaurants, shops, an open terrace, and plaques with historical information on this level. The shops have Eiffel Tower and Paris souvenirs, cafes, and a high-end restaurant. The open terrace has tables and chairs for people to relax and eat. We walk around this level, take many pictures, and enjoy the views. To keep crowd movement efficient, there is a staircase for going up and a separate one for going down. We find the stairs to the next level and walk up.
On this smaller level, the views get better. Even though the overall platform is smaller, there is another high-end restaurant, a boutique, and a macaron shop. We walk around, seeing the same views but higher up with a better angle. There are small mounted telescopes to use for viewing as well. From this level, we try to identify other iconic locations in Paris. Luckily, it's a beautiful sunny day, so our views are unobstructed. Thick wire fencing fully encompasses the viewing platforms but with large enough openings to get pictures without it in the way. After we get our fill here, we get in line for the small elevator to go up to the third level. People squeeze in, and we fit as many people inside as possible. It's a short ride, thankfully, because it's pretty cramped.
The top level is the smallest and has a champagne bar—just the thing to mix with heights, alcohol. Again, the views are the same but from an even greater height. We can see other sites better, and it's neat to see the tower's shadow looming over so many city blocks. After spending time here, we cram back into the elevator and go down. We find the down-only stairs and need to dodge people on the way down like we did on the way up. Halfway down, my middle child decides he's in a race with everyone else on the stairs. He makes it to the bottom at least five minutes before I do.
When all of us have reached the bottom, we talk about what to do next. The girls go to the bathroom while the boys return to the entrance area where I hid my knife to retrieve it. We get there, and my knife is gone. I should have gone farther from the entrance so the employees couldn't see where I put it. I don't know for sure, but I think one of them saw where it was and either took it or told the police who patrol the park. Oh well, luckily, it was cheap. We wait for the girls here. They arrive, and we walk over to the park and gardens by the tower to eat lunch. Unfortunately, a temporary fence is blocking the entrance to all of it. It has something to do with Paris preparing for the Olympics. We walk past this and find a spot under a tree along a residential street to relax and eat.
After we are done, we walk around this downtown area. Some buildings show where the architecture of the French Quarter in New Orleans came from. Seeing a mix of old and renovated buildings in a major city like this is fun. Some ice cream sounds good, but we do it our way. We find a grocery store, buy a tub, and look for a nice spot to share it. Further up the block, we cross a main street to some benches. Our flavor of choice this time was chocolate. The backpack we use on outings like this is a Coleman insulated pack, and it comes in very handy for carrying ice cream. We claim a bench, get out our dessert and spoons, and pass it back and forth. It's a good chocolate, and we all enjoy it.
Our last destination for the day is a shopping mall. Our daughter wants to buy a dress, but we aren't going to do that in Paris' fashion district. We found a large mall, and our daughter was happy to go there to find what she wanted. When we get there, the girls do their thing, and the boys want to do theirs. I needed to buy some shorts, and the boys wanted to look around the mall. We decide when and where to meet up. I go to a few stores and try on different pairs I like. Tanya and our daughter try on dresses and shop around before landing in a store where they try on different ones. The boys are just roaming around. Other than myself, the family meet up and go to a grocery store. I find them, and we share some delicious macarons they bought at the store. We leave and catch a bus back to our apartment.
Our host, Diana, is home when we return, so we take the time to talk. She is a student and has been renting her other rooms through Airbnb for extra money. We get along great. She enjoys the kids and talking to us. Our kids are always happy to talk to someone new, and she engages them wonderfully. Thankfully, she is laid back about our use of her place and accommodating. As long as we respect her place, all is well. We talked about our day, and she told us more about Paris and other places to go if possible. She tells us about her background, and we talk about ours. This is the first Airbnb we've used where the host is at the home with us. So far, it's been a great experience.
Between traveling a couple of days prior and a busy exploring day the day before, we stayed at the apartment the next day. Everyone sleeps in, including our host, and we take it easy. Tanya and I talk to Diana, and the kids also get in their time. The youngest two kids want the cats' full attention whenever they can. The cats enjoy it but aren't used to getting so much, so they disappear periodically. Diana has an Xbox and has the kids' attention, showing them games she likes. Tanya and I get caught up on things we need to regarding the trip thus far. My middle son and I go for a walk to the park across the street and use the body-weight exercise machines there. When we get back, Diana says she can bring a guest to her gym and invites Tanya and I, whoever wants to go, to join her when she goes. That is a wonderful gesture, and I would love to lift some weights sometime.
The next day, we plan to visit the Louvre Palace and Museum, Notre Dame, even though it's closed, and meet some friends at the Arc de Triomphe. These friends are visiting Paris also and just happened to ride by us in a taxi the day we visited the Eiffel Tower. It was when we were sitting by the road sharing our ice cream. The wife messaged Tanya asking if we were in Paris. It was funny when she said yes because our friend responded, "We actually rode right by you today!!". So we made plans to meet up before they left. We leave early to fit everything we are doing today and get to the Louvre before the line gets long. It's the usual way to get where we need to go: take a train from our neighborhood and a bus to the Louvre. Actually, it was a walk to the Louvre from the bus stop, which was nice.
We arrive at the Louvre and get in line. It's about a 15-20 minute wait, which is okay for this. However, it's a sunny day, heating up quickly. We've already purchased tickets online, so we are in a separate line from those who are buying tickets today. Their line is moving slower, and you can see people getting hot and sweaty. A few guys are next to the line selling water bottles for one euro each, and people are buying. We have water bottles in the backpack and drink some while waiting. We have to go through a bag check, metal detector, and ticket check before we go in. After getting that taken care of, we went to the museum's main area to get started.
This main area is a large round room with access to shops, eateries, the museum, restrooms, and the exit. Several high-end stores selling clothing and other things are down the hall toward the exit. It looks like a small mall as you leave. We stopped at the bathroom first, then dropped off the backpack at baggage check before entering. Our bathroom break took longer than waiting to get in because of the women's line. The baggage check is a room with clear lockers where you enter a personal code to gain access. It's quite a nice system. We tested ours to make sure it worked before we left. From here, we find the palace entrance in the huge round room and start our tour.
Since the Louvre museum is so famous, I only remember hearing a little about the palace that surrounds it. Walking through the rooms, it's hard to believe the Palace of Caserta is bigger. The rooms are enormous and remarkably detailed in so many ways. The molding on the walls, around the ceiling and doorways, the picture frames, and the decorations on the ceilings are so opulent. Even the wallpaper is of such a high quality that much of it is still in good condition. It's hard to tell what things are gold-plated or painted to look gold. In some rooms, there are statues at the top of the walls sloping into the ceiling. A couple of rooms are so large curtains are separating them from the next room. These larger rooms have beautifully painted ceilings and extravagant chandeliers. One room had five chandeliers and massive, ornate candelabras along the walls. Even the smaller rooms are beautifully adorned. How these rooms are painted and arranged is just as interesting as the larger ones. They still have very high ceilings with tall windows. Some have rare and exquisite furnishings which are quite interesting on their own. After walking through the palace, we return to the main area to enter the museum.
There are a few specific things we want to see, like the Mona Lisa, but overall, we are here to take in the experience. We go in, and one of the first things we see is a display of large platters and bowls with lids. These are painted in detail, with people either posing or in a scene of some sort. After this is an Egyptian exhibit. There are massive sarcophagi with hieroglyphics etched all over them. One is black marble with the lid next to it so you can see the writings inside. There are other displays of wooden sarcophagi with items found inside and large marble slabs with carvings of people all over them. Tanya is excited about anything ancient Egypt, so she loves this area.
We meander through rooms and take in what we see. The items and themes of the rooms vary from the Renaissance era to ancient Greece. One room has gold and brass religious relics from early Christian churches, while another has pieces of a palace built around 500 B.C. These pieces were complete sections of walls with various squares of carved lions that would have been integrated into the structure. There was also a massive bull atop a pillar, which was the top of a column and used to hold timbers to support the roof. As we continued, another room had statues and carved pillars from ancient Rome. Tanya and I always enjoy admiring the detailed work of the sculptures. Between the flowing or draping of the clothing or the intricacy of parts of the body, we are in awe.
Since this is the largest museum in the world, we are following a map. We are going to the Mona Lisa and trying to follow a route that would take us through parts of the museum that interest us. On our way there, we see the Venus de Milo. There is a crowd in front taking pictures, so I work my way through getting a good spot for myself. We get some photos and admire the sculpture for a few minutes before moving on. As we continue, we go up some stairs and down a large hallway lined with hundreds of paintings, with round, cushioned benches in the middle of the hall. There are rooms off this hall; one could easily miss them if you weren't paying attention. The Mona Lisa is in one of these, and I was happy we had the map because we could have walked right past.
We enter to see the Mona Lisa, which is in the largest room in the Louvre. The Wedding at Cana painting is immediately to our left when you first walk in. Not only is it huge, but it's beautiful and colorful. It depicts the wedding where Jesus turned water into wine. Across the room from here is the Mona Lisa. I suppose, the room is so large to accommodate all people to see her. A velvet rope separates the crowd from the painting, and some museum staff help to keep things orderly. Essentially, people in the back work their way forward by waiting for those in front to get the pictures they want and leave. The staff keeps the process going by ushering the front group away after they've been there long enough. The Mona Lisa is on a free standing wall that you walk around to leave the room. Once you've seen the painting, it's a one-way exit out the other side of the room.
My family got separated while we waited to get to the front. I was with our middle son and my wife was with the other two. I didn't think much of it because I could still see them in the crowd. When my son and I were about to leave with the front group, I looked back to find them. My wife and I connected, and she motioned that she and our daughter were going to get pictures with the painting. My son and I followed our group and waited for the rest of the family before leaving the room. We waited several minutes and didn't see them. I can't go back around the wall into the other part of the room, but I can go far enough to look into the crowd. After scanning all around, I couldn't see them anywhere. I wondered if they walked past and left the room. My son and I went and looked around for them in this part of the museum, waiting some more. We don't see them and just can't figure out what happened.
The museum has free wi-fi, but my messages kept failing to connect. We decide to follow the hall back around to the entrance of the Mona Lisa room. I thought it would be as simple as three lefts, but no. There were other rooms between the hall and the one we left, so we ended up walking farther than expected. The entire time, we look for the rest of the family in the hall in case we catch up with them. We get turned around at one point and have to backtrack to go the right way. Finally, we find the right room. He and I enter, look around, and see them sitting in a back corner, waiting for us. We walk over, and we all wonder what happened to each other. It turns out they never left the room. My wife and daughter got pictures on the other side of the crowd and couldn't see there was a one-way exit. She thought we would come back after looking at the painting and had been waiting there for over 30 minutes.
Now that we are reunited, we leave to explore the museum more. We walk through many rooms and hallways, admiring all the various art and history. The museum has several rooms closed today, and it keeps messing up the route we choose to follow on the map. We are trying to get to a particular exhibit and continually need to backtrack because we can't go through an area that is closed off. This takes us through parts of the museum we wouldn't have gone through otherwise, but it's taking longer to get to where we want. It doesn't help that we go upstairs and downstairs. Changing levels just adds to the confusion. We finally get our bearings and enter an exhibit displaying former royalty's crown jewels and jewelry. There were crowns, necklaces, a tiara, and other types of jewelry. The diamonds, emeralds, rubies, and other jewels were large and made it hard to believe they were real.
The heat of the day felt like it was starting to seep inside. Along with all the walking, we began to feel a bit toasty. The exhibit we were in was a hallway with vent openings along the floor for air conditioning or heat. Cool air was blowing out, and it felt really good to stand over the vent. The further down the hall, the stronger the airflow was. We weren't the only ones either. People would gather around a vent for a few minutes to cool off. From here, we continue and enter a hallway full of sculptures. These are from the medieval and Renaissance era and used to adorn the gardens of royalty. We walk through, taking lots of pictures and admiring the different types of stone used.
After this, we exit the museum. This leads us back to the large central area, where we get our backpacks from the locker. It is midday, and we sit and have lunch before we leave. The museum is packed, so I people-watch while I eat. I love doing that. We finish our food and walk toward the exit. The ceiling of the main area is under the glass pyramid one sees outside. It's bright from the light and neat to be under it. As we leave, the shopping area has an upside-down glass pyramid with a glass ceiling. It's a cool display, and you can see the glass top outside across from the glass pyramid entrance to the museum. We walked past the shops and up some stairs to the street level. The exit came out across the street from the Louvre entrance.
We walked through a small garden area back to the street that ran along the north side of the Louvre. Now it was time to see Notre Dame, even if it was just going to be the outside. It was a twenty-minute walk, and we saw more of Paris this way. We commented on the different sites and buildings we saw as we went. The walk was pleasant and was mostly along the Seine River. We came upon Pont Neuf, and I knew this bridge from the first Jason Bourne movie. I love those movies and had to get a picture. We cross and continue on to the cathedral. Somehow, I never knew Notre Dame was on an island. Its called Île de la Cité. When we arrived, there was a fence surrounding it and a couple of cranes due to the construction. We still get pictures and admire it from where we can.
Later, we plan on meeting our friends, who saw us a couple of days prior, at the Arc de Triomphe. It won't be until the evening, so we have some time to kill. We start walking toward the arch but make some stops along the way. It's getting late in the afternoon, so we get some packaged sandwiches at a grocery store. A small park close by, and we go there to have dinner. It has large bushes and lots of greenery, and one feels surprisingly secluded in the middle of the city. We eat, relax, and talk about the day. After we are done, we continue on our way. Since we're in Paris, we have to get some crepes. We find a small crepe stand on a side street just off the main one. It has high ratings and a short line. The crepes are good-sized, so we only get two to split. One was cinnamon sugar, and the other was chocolate, and they were quite delicious.
When we finished our crepes, we walked over to the Jardin du Luxembourg or Luxembourg Gardens. The kids want to rest on a bench while Tanya and I explore the gardens. The gardens are huge with lots of space for people to sit, jog, picnic, etc. We walk to the rear of the Luxembourg Palace, which has a pond and sectioned-off green spaces. There were lots and lots of chairs randomly around the pond and green areas. The walking paths were very wide, and despite all the people, it felt open. It felt easy to sit somewhere and relax. Tanya and I enjoyed the atmosphere and strolled around, taking it in. We found a large Paris 2024 sign and took some pictures. Many people are jogging, and tennis courts are on the other side of the gardens. Walking paths go through open and tree-covered areas with fountains and statues. Tanya and I would love to spend more time here, but we must leave soon.
We walk over to the Arc de Triomphe. Since it's in the middle of a huge roundabout, there is an underground path to get to it. The ticket office for the arch is underground as well, so we get our tickets. We come out next to the arch a little early for our meet-up. Up until we decided to meet our friends, I never knew you could go inside the arch and up to the top. I would have been fine seeing it from across the street until I learned that. We walk around the arch, taking it in up close. After a short wait, we see our friends. We all hug and greet each other excitedly. The tickets are time-specific, so we all get in line to go up. Our friends are old enough to be Tanya and my parents, so they get in the elevator line, and we go up the spiral staircase. The staircase was really cool looking. Looking up from the bottom, the walls and underside of the stairs are all white, with a black railing spiraling upward.
The first room we enter is where the elevators end and has a gift shop. From here, we go up some stairs to another smaller room with placards that display historical facts about the arch and bathrooms. At the other end of this room, two staircases are going up to the right and the left. These are one-way stairs for going up and coming down. We all go up and get to see a fantastic view of Paris. The day became cloudy, which was nice since it kept the temperature comfortable. There is a prominent view of the Eiffel Tower and great photos of the streets leading to and from the arch. We walk around the top, taking pictures and enjoying the scenery. The cloudy day resulted in a gorgeous sunset sky, which led to more pictures.
One of the main reasons we, and most of the crowd, were there at this time was to see the Eiffel Tower light up. We secure a spot to get a good view and catch up with our friends. This was a wonderful place to do so, and we soaked in the time we spent with them. The sunset colors are getting richer, and we are so lucky to be up here to see them. While we were waiting, we were privileged to see a guy propose to his girlfriend. Happily, she said yes. The sun has gone down, and the daylight is starting to fade. The Arc de Triomphe closes at 11 pm, and it's getting close to that. Since it's late June with longer days and the fact that Paris is farther north than the USA-Canada border, the sky is still light when the arch closes. When we get to the bottom of the arch, we say goodbye to our friends. It was great seeing them.
We got good views of the Eiffel Tower but wanted to see how it looks lit up at night. Place de Trocadero is less than a thirty-minute walk to the Arc de Triomphe, where we first viewed the Eiffel Tower. We walk over to it, and the place is absolutely packed. Making sure we stay together, we squeeze through the crowd to get a better viewpoint. It is almost midnight, so the sky is dark now, and the Eiffel Tower looks really cool. At midnight, the tower does a short light show where it seems like it is glittering. It was very neat to see this effect on the entirety of the tower. Our daughter loves it the most. There is music playing from somewhere, and the atmosphere is just a fun party. We have a good time and leave after the light show is done. This was a full day, for sure!
The next day, we went to the Palace of Versailles. Since we had such a late night, we got a late start on this trip. The palace is far enough away that we need to take a train there. After arriving, we caught a bus that dropped us off close to the palace. Tanya and I really liked the neighborhood and area we had to travel through. The homes were very nice; we liked the design and layout of the neighborhood where we waited for our bus. We guessed it was a more "well-to-do" area since it was near Versailles. Based on how it looked and felt, it would be a nice place to live.
The palace quickly gives you an impression of luxury and royalty when you first arrive. The entrance gate and fence are painted gold, and the trim on the roof is either gold-plated or painted. This same color adorns the top windows and upper balcony balustrades. The gate stretches between two large stone-columned buildings, and we must have our bags checked here to enter. On the other side is a huge open courtyard paved with stone. I imagine large ceremonies were held within this area because it can fit hundreds of people. There is a line forming for tickets, and we hop in. We reserved tickets online for a specific time frame and get to enter ahead of those who haven't once our reservation is confirmed. When we get our tickets, we also get a couple of devices for an audio tour and a map. Time to explore the palace.
Upon entering, the first thing we see is the royal chapel. It's two stories with wonderfully carved, etched square white columns and a beautifully painted ceiling. We can only see it and take pictures from the rear doors, but it is magnificent. I would love to hear a choir in here. Next, we went through a series of rooms, the State Apartments I think, which had different uses. The wallpaper is different but vibrant in each room; all have paintings on the walls and various decorations. These were drawing rooms, bedrooms, sitting rooms, and the like. We go up some stairs and see the second level of the chapel. This part has Roman-style columns, and we get a better view of the painted ceiling. We can also see the stained glass windows, which adds to the majesty.
Continuing down the hall, we admire the detailed work all around us. It's in the corners of the rooms, the baseboards, the doors, the wall sections, and the fireplaces. We come to a large room with a display of three horses with knights mounted on them. This is the Hercules Salon or Hercules Drawing Room. The horses and knights are in full armor. The armor is in great condition, and it's very interesting to see how different pieces were made for the horses. A room this size has a massive ceiling and is painted with a beautiful celestial scene. It has people in robes, some on horses, a few carrying weapons or in armor, and all among the clouds. Around the edge of the ceiling are statues painted in amazing detail to look three-dimensional. In the right light, they look like sculptures mounted up there. The painting is called The Apotheosis of Hercules.
Moving to the next room, we find another large space with an ornate ceiling. This is the Venus Room. It has picture frames built into the ceiling following the sloping edges that curve up and toward the center. There are paintings within these frames and other scenes around the frames. The room has a full-size sculpture of King Louis XIV in what looks like Greek armor and a bust on either side. The busts are made of different types of marble and look so neat compared to the white ones we usually see. There are also various types of marble adorning the walls. One of the next rooms is the Mercury Room. It has red wallpaper, red drapes, and red curtains around the bed. The maroon glow in the room makes for an interesting feel. The picture frames and crown molding are either gold painted or plated. This room has another gorgeous ceiling with various painted scenes inside built-in frames.
We come into the Hall of Mirrors next. It's a long corridor that used to be an outdoor veranda but was later enclosed. The windows inside the hall reflect the light shining in from the outer windows and gives a mirror effect. The painted ceiling with gilded frames attached, gold plated decorations, gold painted crown molding, marble adornments on the walls, and glass or crystal chandeliers lining the entire corridor all make for a spectacular site. With so much light pouring in from outside, the hall really shines, literally. We enjoy the walk down this room and taking pictures. We next go into the Queen's Bedchamber. White and gold are the primary colors here. The room is still ornate even though there aren't pictures on the wall or a painted ceiling. The design of the wallpaper and the bed curtains match. This, with the chandeliers, really looks like a queen's bedroom.
The next room we go through has a large tapestry on the wall with red wallpaper and chandeliers throughout. This room also has a beautiful gilded and painted ceiling. The antechamber after this has blue and white walls with marble lay-in, large paintings, and another ornate ceiling. The next huge room is the Coronation Room. Three walls are dominated by gigantic paintings dedicated to Napoleon Bonaparte. One is the coronation of Napoleon, another is the Distribution of the Eagles, and the last is the Battle of Aboukir. On the ceiling is another large painting called France Saved. In the center of the room is the Austerlitz Column commemorating Napoleon's first imperial victories. The sheer size of the paintings makes an already massive room seem even more so.
We leave here and go downstairs to the gardens out back. The gardens are nearly 2,000 acres in size. They have an event today where classical music is playing throughout the gardens, and fountains are putting on a water show at certain ponds. A large pond with an ornate tiered fountain is one of the first things we see. There are other smaller ponds at a diagonal to this with smaller fountains. It's wonderful to hear the music as we patrol the walkways. We have a map and find out which ponds are doing fountain displays and what times. With this knowledge, we plot our course through the gardens. Much of our walks are along hedges 15-20 feet high. It's a sunny and warm enough day that we seek the shade wherever we can. We come up to one pond just as the music is starting and run over to where we can get a good view. The show is done to classical music, lasts about ten minutes, and we enjoy it.
Walking through more of the gardens, we time our arrival at another pond by walking through sections that seem most interesting to us. The tall hedges are arranged in squares and have two or three entrances depending on what's inside. In one square is a pond with small fruit trees on an island in the middle; another has a Roman-looking circle of stone columns about 7-8 feet tall connected by arches and a sculpture in the center. Inside another square is a garden with a ring of lattice tunnels, which we can walk under, and various vines and plants growing on them. There are benches set in lattice alcoves along the walkway. Inside the ring is a pond with the Enceladus fountain. The kids want to rest here while Tanya and I walk over to the next grove to catch another fountain show. We get there in the middle of one and wait for the show to begin. When it does, we get good footage and pictures. I liked this show better than the first.
After the show, my wife and I collected the kids and walked to the east entrance/exit of the gardens. We walked along a long dirt road lined with trees to get to the main street. Up the street from this entrance is an LDS temple we wanted to see since it was so close. We walk to it and enjoy the design and layout of the grounds. The boys, Tanya, and I get changed because we will do a baptism session. There is a couch at the entrance where our daughter can wait. Another family is doing the same thing, and they have a daughter who is close to ours in age. They hit it off, and I'm glad she will have a friend to wait with. After we're done, we get changed and walk through the grounds some more before leaving. Our return journey is catching a bus to the train terminal and then a train back to where we are staying. We leave Paris the next day and it feels like our time here had been fulfilling.
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