One giant palais, and more
Saturday, 13 October 2012
You’ve already seen photos of the main gates, the façade, the mirror room, paintings, etc. And have a distinct impression of the immensity of the principal buildings and the grounds.
On a day where overcast turned into intermittent rain, then drizzle, I could not hope to compete with those images.
Instead, I give you visual asides.
For me, these little islands of quiet were an antidote to the tide of tourists crushing through the rooms, many with audio equipment held to their ears, which seemed to induce dull, unfocused looks on their faces. Whatever the language was they were listening to.
The squirrel embroidered cushion stools were in the Hall of Mirrors, as was the chandelier (I think).
Despite the rain, we moved on to the Trianon lovelies, as only a few hearty explorers did on this day. I found it well worth the time. And getting soaked.
I can also see why the hubbub of the main palace would make you want to have a retreat…from that retreat from the heightened hubbub of Paris. Still, how the place was provisioned remains a bit of a mystery to me.
* In French, it’s not referred to as a palais, but as a château.