| If you have several days in Paris, we suggest you | | | | that formed the League of Nations and ended World |
| take time to visit the Palace of Versailles. A visit to | | | | War I. |
| the Palace at Versailles is a glimpse of the rich and | | | | Spend time strolling through the gardens. You can |
| opulent world of Marie Antoinette and King Louis XVI. | | | | also rent a row boat in mile long lake, called the |
| There are several day tours you can book from Paris | | | | Grand Canal. You can also walk in the nearby woods |
| that include transportation and admission. If you | | | | to visit the Grand Trianon which was home to Louis |
| prefer to do things on your own, you can take the | | | | XV's favorite mistress, Madame de Maintenon, and |
| RER (Reseau Express Regional) train from downtown | | | | the Petit Trianon which means home away from |
| Paris to Versailles and arrive in about 40 minutes. The | | | | home for Queen Marie Antoinette the wife of Louis |
| train station is approximately a five minute walk from | | | | XVI. It is said that she would go here when she |
| the Palace. | | | | wanted to get away from royal treatment and |
| The beautiful Palace and Gardens of Versailles are | | | | formalities, and just be herself. Nearby you can visit |
| famous as a symbol of the system of absolute | | | | the Queen's Hamlet, which was intended to be a play |
| monarchy in France. It was the official residence of | | | | village where the Queen could see how it would feel |
| the kings and queens from 1682 until 1790. Versailles | | | | to live as a peasant. This area offered cottages, a |
| has one of the largest formal gardens ever created, | | | | lake and watermill for her amusement. Can you |
| with fountains, extensive flower gardens and canals. | | | | imagine? Oh yes, and if the Palace and all these areas |
| It was designed by Andre Le Notre. | | | | weren't enough, on the grounds there is a Royal |
| Visit the Museum of History of France to enjoy | | | | Chapel, Royal Stables and an opera house, which is |
| paintings and sculptures. While touring the inside of | | | | one of the largest in Europe still today. |
| the Palace, make sure to see the Hall of Mirrors, | | | | If you visit the Palace in the summer months, make |
| which is a ballroom more than 230 feet long ballroom | | | | sure and enjoy the fountains. When on, the fountains |
| lined with 17 large mirrors. Many historical events took | | | | are accompanied by classical music, and the water is |
| place in this room including the crowning of Kaiser | | | | synchronized with the tempo. |
| Wilhelm I, and the signing of the Versailles Treaty | | | | |