Caught the Metro with no trouble to Bir-Mirkin at 7.56am.
( Blue line ... Number 6 .... Emily.)
At the cafe Le Pont de Seine.
Had a croissant and orange juice.
Got the check when they delivered the food.
( Saves time, Emily.)
Met Victor, our tour guide.
Ready to go!

What a great day.

(It's now 5pm and I have my only pair of jeans soaking in the bath. I sincerely hope the drier works in the Laundrette here.)

Left Versailles about 4pm.
Two trains to get back to the Place D'Italie.

Checked emails as soon as I walked in the foyer. Thanks for all the comments everyone and your emails from the airport Emily.
You have about another hour before you land in Abu Dhabi. Hope your flight was great.
One more leg to go.

I was met by Victor our Tour Guide for Versailles
at the cafe just opposite Bir-Mirkin Station.
We set off, 20 of us by train.

He told us so much of the history so it made the tour wonderful.
Too much to impart here.
But again, we were told....
Louis XIV .... Made it all.
Louis XV .... Enjoyed it all.
Louis XVI ... Lost it all.

Not a long stroll to Versailles and a wonderful 2 hour tour of the gardens.
They are magnificent!
They take your breath away.
And the weather was absolutely perfect!
The long vistas....
And the colourful close up garden beds...
And the perfume from the blooms ....
Beautiful!

(Jeans Update....
Instructions all in French.
Mastered that.
Now in drier...
I presume they are spinning around.
No window.)

Versailles ....
I loved the garden.
Went to many different parts of the garden ...
A story with each one.
A lot of fun.
Then we headed down this Avenue...
And at the end was the magnificent Apollo Fountain.
Apollo is on his chariot being pulled along by these magnificent horses.

Now, I had seen pictures of this when I was researching to put a fish pond in my garden.
( I know. I know....
Just a touch ambitious.
I was thinking 'big'.)

Anyway,I loved the pictures of this fountain.
Didn't realise that it was here.
Love it.
See the photos.

Then we went for the inside tour.
Of course, it is just amazing.
And the views out to the garden, magnificent!
Saw the secret doorway that Marie-Antoinette fled through when the Palace was attacked.
Apparently, King Louis and Marie-Antoinette had a chance to get away prior to when the Palace was attacked, but, dressed as peasants, they took the Royal Coach....
And they sort of stood out.

And the magnificent 'Hall of Mirrors'.
Just beautiful.
I was fascinated by the 'War Gallery'
A huge, huge hall... With huge paintings either side depicting various battles through French history.
This gallery was enormous.

( You know, if the horses had unionised, I don't think these battles would have happened!)

Saw the magnificent bedrooms.
And the guide was saying that all the furniture was looted during the Revolution.
Amazingly,slowly but surely, some pieces are being returned.

Wandered outside again.
Bought a baguette, a drink and some popcorn and ambled down to sit and study Apollo's Fountain.
None of the Fountains were operating.
Victor was saying that to operate the fountains for a day uses almost as much water as Paris consumes in a day.
They are only used now sparingly for special occasions.
Even in Louis' day, one of his ministers was concerned about how much water was being used. So he set up a team of 'Whistlers'.

Whenever the King went for a walk towards a certain fountain, a 'whistler' would whistle and gardeners would race to turn on the fountain.
Apparently, the King realised what was going on but thought it was very amusing so it continued.
There are 50 fountains at Versailles.

( Hey, 3 day old chocolate croissants are OK, aren't they?
Seem to be... Oh b***** it. I'm eating them.
On your bed, Emily.
Don't want to make a mess of mine.)

Watched people rowing boats on the Grand Canal.
Walked the Orangerie.
Didn't hire a golf buggy, Brooke.
Could see why it was a 'must' but the queue to get one was enormous so I let it go.
Looked at hiring a bike, but couldn't eat that triple decker ice cream and peddle at the same time.
So the ice cream won.
( Was there ever any doubt?)

Headed home.
Had a great day.
Loved it.

You will be all pleased to known jeans are dry.
Sort of.
Just been to the Lobby to get Wifi connection.
Bad news is.... Jeans not 'quite' dry.
Good news is ... They still fit me!

Had the best day!
Loving this.
Emily and I had an absolutely fantastic time in Paris.
Wouldn't have missed it.
Now I'm doing this.
And having a ball too!

Onward and upward!