Paris Je T'aime – A City that He Loved (Day 2)

Paris Je T'aime – A City that He Loved (Day 2)
(Journal of a Trip to Paris from Toronto between September 26, 2007 to October 5, 2007)

Day 2 – September 28, 2007 (Rainy, then Cloudy)

Going to Chateau de Versailles from Paris was not as complicated and difficult as I thought.  In fact, it was super easy.  Paris has a wonderful public transportation network --  Metro, RER, railways and trams are conveniently linked up.

We took Metro from St. Marcel Station to Gare de Austerlitz to connect to an RER going to Chateau Versailles Rive Gauche.  Special attention, though, must be taken to take a VICK or a VERN train (trains start with a 'V' go to Versailles).  The fare was only Euros2.8 each and the journey took half an hour only.

The Chateau was about fifteen minutes' walk away from the train station.  It was one of the most visited attractions in Paris so almost all the passengers getting off the train were heading to the same direction.  One would not miss it.

It was a rainy cool day.  The stone-covered square outside the Chateau was uneven thus walking to the Ticket Office to meet with Jade and Eva was a very unpleasant experience.  A big warning to girls who are planning to go to the Chateau that they should not wear high-heel shoes.  We were supposed to meet with Jade and Eva in front of the Ticket Office at 10 a.m. , but finding our way to the train station and to the right train had made us late again.  This really made me to feel bad.

When we arrived, Jade and Eva were already in the line.  

Admission fee to the Palace was Euros13.5 for adults.    After getting our tickets, we decided to make a tour of the garden first because it was where Gorgor had filmed some scenes of his musical drama "Sunset in Paris".  The palace could wait until later.




Chateau de Versailles

The garden, or what the French called Le Parc, was designed by André Le Nôtre(1673-1700) who was an expert not only in botany but also in architecture and painting.  He worked for the king on many other sites, including Jardine des Tuileries.  The grounds were laid out geometrically around a main axis, secondary axes, radiating pathways, and circular (or semi-circular) pools known as basins. Everything was symmetrical, if staggered on several levels. Trees were rigourously pruned to create a veritable architecture of vegetation. Closer to the chateau were flowerbeds, or parterres, which would not mask its architectural features and could be enjoyed from the upper floor. The south flowerbed, or Parterre du Midi, was composed of low boxwood hedges bedecked with flowers, while the Parterre du Nord was all boxwood and lawn. In between them, the two ornamental pools of the Parterre d'Eau were ringed with masterpieces of sculpture, namely reclining statues representing the rivers of France.









The story of Apollo illustrates the solar myth and governs the subjects of statues and fountains along the main axis of the gardens. The large basin at the western end is adorned with Apollo's chariot, the sun god can be seen emerging from the waves at dawn, beginning his daily path.



Nearer to the chateau is Apollo's mother, Latona, who dominates the central fountain.





If one remember Leslie's musical drama "Sunset in Paris" well, the spot we were standing now was the same spot where Maggie stood in that drama.  


The garden was huge, yet every single inch of it was attended to carefully. Greek mythology statues could be seen everywhere. It was a very pleasant place to wander around.

We were hoping to find the bench that Leslie and Cherrie Cheung sat on in "Sunset in Paris".  It was the scene when Leslie and Cherrie Cheung were waiting for Maggie Cheung to come.  Unfortunately, we failed to do so because there were too many statues in the garden than we expected.  





In order to catch a 5 p.m. train back to Lyon, Jade and Eva left Chateau de Versailles at around 2 p.m. to go back to the hotel in Paris to pick up their luggage.


Hall of Mirrors

After visiting the Palace of Versailles until late, Chris and I wandered around the small town of Versailles and enjoyed its quiet beauty.