by Frenchie on November 20, 2008
This park comprises glasshouses, computerized fountains, waterfalls, a wilderness and themed gardens featuring different coloured plants and sounds. An impressive park for far off, it gets better the closer you get to it, and if you plan to spend a weekend away in Paris, make sure you rent Paris accommodation or Paris apartments nearby.
The paved area by the fountains is perfect for walking around the park and really getting a feel for the postmodern design which is so characteristic of this park. The South edge of the lawn is bounded by a monumental canal — the “Jardin des Métamorphoses” — composed of an elevated reflecting pool that reaches through granite guard houses, lined by a suspended walkway. On the North side are two sets of small gardens: the six “Serial Gardens”, each with a distinct landscape and architectural design, and a “Garden in Movement” that presents wild grasses selected to respond at different rates to wind velocity. A 630-meter diagonal path cuts through the park, which constantly changes in its nature.
In addition to this, the park is home to a moored gas balloon operated by the Eutelsat company, which allows visitors to rise above the Parisian skyline. The balloon is filled with 5,500 cubic meters of helium. It is 32 meters high and has a diameter of 22 meters. It is moored to the ground with a hydroelectrically-activated cable. It can rise to an altitude of 150 meters and has a carrying capacity of 30 adults, or 60 children. The balloon provides a view of the Champ de Mars, the River Seine, Basilica of the Sacré Cœur and the Notre Dame de Paris Cathedral.
Finally, a bit of history. The park was created on the site of the old Citroën factory, built in 1915 by André Citroën on the banks of the Seine, operating it until it closed in the 1970s.
by Frenchie on November 13, 2008
Everyone knows about France’s rich and colourful history with regards to the monarchy. The bloody decapitation in 1793 of King Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette, infamous for her line “Let them eat cake” and of course, the proclamation of the French revolution in 1789.
Central to the French revolution was the city of Paris. The place where the hunger was epidemic, people were angry, and the symbol of power and wealth of the few, poverty for the masses. The King and Queen were safe in their Palace in Versailles, and as you can imagine, with the power, wealth and well documented greed of Marie Antoinette in particular, Versailles was the height of luxury. So much so in fact, that Versailles has become, over the centuries, the most sumptuously clad château in the world, absurdly over the top, but a definite must see on a trip to Paris.
This beautiful place is perfect for a weekend trip if you are staying in Paris accommodation, as it is not far away (roughly an hours drive) and means you can get away from the hustle and bustle of inner city Paris. Ostentatious does not really describe the luxury of the palace and gardens, with beautifully decorated rooms inside, walls embellished with tapestries and gold leaf and the “Hall of Mirrors” – a dazzling 73 metre gallery overlooking the garden, hung with chandeliers. Commissioned in 1678 by Louis XVI and decorated by Le Brun with scenes from the emperor’s reign, it has a staggering 357 mirrors lining its walls.
Another interesting sight to see in Versaille is the Grand Trianon, Petit Trainon and Domaine de Marie-Antionette. This is where in 1678 Hardouin-Mansart built the pink marble Grand Trianon in the north of the park, away from the court. Louis XVI took his mistress and secret second wife here. As well as this, The Petit Trainon, built for Louis XVI’s second mistress, is beautiful and definitely worth seeing. Finally, and perhaps most interestingly is Marie Antoinette’s Domaine. This hide away given as a wedding present to Marie Antoinette by the King in 1774, was where Marie Antoinette escaped from court to play in her little model village and included a chapel, a theatre and a farm and dairy where she pretended to be a humble milkmaid. This is now open to the public and iPod guides are available.
So, make sure you leave your apartment in Paris or hotels Paris for the day and take a trip to this fantastic place!
