Those of you who know me know that I adore Marie Antoinette. I absolutely loved the book "Marie Antoinette: The Journey," by Antonia Frazer and naturally I was in love with the movie. It is so exciting for me being at Versailles once again. It is surreal to imagine her having been here as I am now. It had started to snow on the way there but it didn't hamper my spirit at all.
With tickets in hand, we entered the magnificant and immense palace. We went from room to room with an audio guide and listened to the commentary. As each room reveals itself to you, you can't help but picture her life as it unfolded here. It is so very beautiful and quite ornate. The details, fabrics, colors, size and grandeur is hard to imagine and must be seen to be appreciated. Here is the link: http://en.chateauversailles.fr/homepage
I belong to a group of artists the "Marie Antoinette Mail Art Group." It is a group of very talented artists who undertake all different forms of media and all devoted to the theme of Marie Antoinette. They all share with me their love for Marie. I could not help but think of them while I was walking through the very home of Marie Antoinette. I wondered if a field trip here for the group ever would be possible at some point. How wonderful that would be for everyone!
There is just so much to see with over 1200 rooms, countless corridors, it's own Royal Chapel, the Grand Trianon, the Gardens of Versailles outside which bursts with flowers in warmer weather, it is just too amazing to describe. Yes, I was lucky this time that the Petite Trianon had reopened after having been closed for a little over a year while under renovation. The last time I was able to walk through her little hamlet as well as the Queens Gardens. The Petite Trianon is what Marie loved, although a mansion, it is cozy, beautifully decorated and beyond what you could imagine. You can read more about it here: http://en.chateauversailles.fr/marie-antoinettes-estate
The Hall of Mirrors is incredible to walk through with its French History and of course, our American History, including the history of Thomas Jefferson when he was the Ambassador to France, Benjamin Franklin visiting King Louis XVI, and the signing of the Treaty of Versailles took place in this very room.
The photos above are from inside the Palace looking out over the gardens as it is snowing. My son getting ready (bending down on the floor) to take a picture of the Hall of Mirrors. I couldn't resist this one, a mounted policeman heading toward us in the snow, and the bedroom of Marie Antoinette.
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