Wednesday 20th July

We had to get up early this morning as we had to get across town to the Fat Tyre Bike Company’s offices to hook up with our bike trip to Versailles. Two trains and we caught the first one at 8.00am and couldn’t believe that there were hardly any people on board. No problems finding the offices and we were early and it wasn’t long before the other 18 people arrived. Jannie had to try out a bike for size and then they told us that we didn’t have to take the bikes from the offices, instead they had a selection of bikes for us in Versailles at a basement garage. Whew – Jan was relieved that she didn’t have to ride the bike through the streets of Paris and then get the thing onto the train.

We got the train along with the others in our group. Some Aussies, us and the rest were Yanks. Bloody loud they were – know everything and had precocious kids. We were handed over in Versailles to Sadie by the young lady who took us from the offices – Sadie was to be our tour guide for the day. She took us down to the basement and got us organised onto our bikes. They are strange characters with big wide seats and handlebars that sort of swoop around and slope back towards the rider. Bit like apehangers of the old days but sloping back instead of upwards. The bikes had 3 gears and were worked a bit like a throttle on a motor bike. No derailiers here. Mudguards and chain guards.

Off we all set following Sadie out in front along the streets of Versailles. Left hand turns were a bit tricky but we eventually got to our first stop, the Market place where we purchased our lunch. First and foremost a bottle of red wine, baguettes, cheeses, sausisonne and salami, avocado, olives and a chocolate croissant to finish. All went into my backpack along with the raincoats. Meet up with Cate Maybey who was from Canberra, a lady in her late 40s who asked us if she could tag along with us as she was on her own. Sure. Next thing she handed us a coffee – great just what we needed. All gathered back at the bikes and we set off for the Palace but not the front gate. We sort of came in through the back gate. Sadie stopped us and showed us the peasant house that Marie-Antoinette had built for herself as she wasn’t happy living in the Palace. She was 14 years old when she married Louis and he was 15. Sadie gave us a history lesson on how she was betrothed and how it took her 22 days travelling from her home in Austria to Versailles. Stripped of all things Austrian at the border including her dog and became French and was married the next day. Wow!

We then biked passed another set of palatial buildings that Louis XIII had built for his “advisor” Madamme Pompodore. She kept the French economy running and kept Louis supplied with young girls. It was said that he boasted that he had had 5000 mistresses. Photos galore as these buildings are not seen by the public that pays to enter the Palace of Versailles. Next stop lunch on the grass at the head of the manmade lake that is built in the shape of a cross and the long arm is over 1 mile long. We could see the back of the Palace in the far distance. What a glorious setting for lunch. Cate, Jan and I were joined by Sadie and we learned a lot about the Fat Tyre Bike Company over our wine and food. Mike and Nic would be right in there element in this setting. Stu and Mike could run one of these operations easy. After lunch we pedalled up the other side of the lake – through bush and tree lined avenues to the palace.

Jannie and I had previously been to the Palace when we were here in 2006 and at that time the Hall of Mirrors was being refurbished so we were keen to see it all finished. The King’s State Apartment was remodelled several times with the last time being between 1771 and 1781. It consists of seven drawing rooms, each having a specific purpose. Billiards, buffets, games, dancing but from 1684 it was used for audiences and Court entertainment. The Hall of Mirrors or War Drawing Room is 73 metres long, 10.5 metres wide and 12.3 metres high. The vaulted ceiling are magnificently painted by Charles Le Brun and depicted the life of Louis XIV from the time he began to reign in 1661 until the Peace of Nijmegen in 1678. The King would pass through the Hall of Mirrors every day on his way to Chapel and used it as a hall between his and the Queen’s bedroom. The King’s Chamber is opulent in gold and silver brocades. The Queen’s Apartment consisted of four rooms and was where each Queen in succession lived. Marie-Antoinette had each of her four children in the huge canopied bed. I understand why the peasants revolted as the wealth that was spent from the peoples taxes at the time was as high as 80%.

We left Versailles and three trains later arrived back at our apartment. The day has been spectacular and being able to ride around a small part of the acreage was just great.
We changed and went up the road for dinner. Both had poisson (chicken) and of course some red wine. It’s good for you I am told.