Pedaling Versailles

Versailles is fascinating. You step off the RER train into a bustling Paris suburb (apparently still occupied by the rich) but after a 10 minute walk, you are in a totally different world. Can only call it a world of beautiful excess - created by Louis XIV (with a little help from architects, painters, landscapers and Marie-Antoinette).

The Palace is suitably astounding, especially the Hall of Mirrors, and packed with gawking tour groups, as one would expect. However, the real sight for me was the gardens, still filled with 1700+ fountains, and Marie-Antoinette's pond side Hameau (or Hamlet) in the park. Beautiful on foot, but astounding by bike - since the sheer size means you really need transportation (or a lot of time and foot power) to get to the outlying areas, such as the end of the Grand Canal or Marie-Antoinette's estate. An estate which still includes a beautiful pond full of fish that fight with each other (and an occasional duck) for bread thrown from the pedestrian bridge, unusually calm swans, and a working farm with animals from the mainstream (chickens, ponies) to the exotic (peacock).

I spent 4 hours on the grounds, but could easily have spent 4 more biking around the incredibly quiet and serene grounds just 1 click away from tourist-central at the palace. In fact, I think I will - but no more attempted self-portraits while cycling.