Versailles is one of the most visited sites in France, with several million visitors each year. Both tourists and locals come to the gardens to experience the serenity and beauty it offers. The gardens and the Château were inscribed on the UNESCO world heritage list in 1979 and are today seen as one of the…
Versailles is much more than Château and Gardens. A film shot from a drone gives a bird’s-eye view of the organisation of the royal city as composed by Louis XIV and André Le Nôtre. From above, the ties between the town and the château become clear.
We visited Chambord (the castle) in the off season on a cold and rainy day. The largest crowd-occupying space was the usual queue outside the ladies toilets, a common sight at most French tourist attractions. I wondered how long the queue would be in Summer.
Château du Clos Lucé was home to Leonardo da Vinci for the last three years of his life, and it is here that he died in 1519. The current owners aim to make le Clos Lucé the top European site for the knowledge of Leonardo da Vinci and the interpretation of his work.
A place of residence for French kings from the 15th to the 19th centuries, its destiny is inextricably linked to the history of France. Numerous literary figures and artists were invited here, like Leonardo da Vinci whose tomb is preserved at the château.
Adjoining the Petit Parc, the estate of Trianon is home to the Grand Trianon and Petit Trianon palaces, as well as the Queen’s Hamlet and a variety of ornamental gardens.