Now, there's lots to report from the recent trip to France with my daughter.
This had been delayed since 2020, when a far eastern lab accident got a little out of hand (ahem) and meant, amongst other things, that she had to end her student placement early...leaving much of her wardrobe in her French apartment at the time.
Now you're probably thinking...I mean it was a pandemic...how much wardrobe did she actually have out there that she had to leave when she was told to come home by the university? I would answer only by stating that two large empty travel bags were taken out with us.
Navy SeALs never leave a man behind; daughters never leave their highly fashionable and thereby obscenely expensive French Fashion wardrobe behind either...we went out there... to bring the guys home.
Soooo, there may also have been a trip to Versailles and Les Invalides (next post) as part of Operation Rat-on-a-Stick (of which more later).
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| At the entrance to beautiful Versailles - truly impressive, and a genuine French treasure |
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| The well appointed and superbly preserved chapel |
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| The originl paintings are superb, with fine detail and the ability to et close enough to actually see the brushstrokes |
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| Louis XIV and little brother |
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| The finery and artistry in the apartments knows very little equal - granted some of it has been re-furbished - but a lot of material is original |
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| The fantastic hall of mirrors - anyone forced to walk up this to see Louis XIV, would have been a little intimidated...that was the idea of course. |
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| A famous painting related to a certain Empereur |
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| His Marshals in evidence |
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| All French Marshals (including Berwick) are remembered |
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| The Hall of Battles - with massive original paintings of French victories - including Fontenoy |
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| The level of detail absolutely stunning |
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| Berwick |
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| The famous Marshal Turenne |
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| The breathtaking view outside the main palace |
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| Operation Rat-on-a-Stick takes its name from what we saw in the local 'exterminator store' on the way back to the train. I mean I am sure that these pieces of equipment are useful - I just don't want to know how... |
Thanks for the pics; Paris and Versailles are on the eventual to do list, but definitely not THIS summer! The rats are quite something, though! :-)
ReplyDeleteIt's super G - I thoroughly recommend. The French know how both to throw a party, and preserve their heritage. It's important to them, and it shows.
DeleteVersailles is awesome (including the grounds) and some of the paintings are truly massive.
ReplyDeleteSuperb yes. Les Invalides post to follow.
DeleteOne thing any photo can fail to convey is the sheer size of the numerous galleries (aircraft hangar sized !). Les Invalides is also superb albeit on much smaller scale, enjoy.
DeleteGranted, but the rat-on-a-stick pic is still awesome.
DeleteFantastic post - thanks for sharing. Hall of Mirrors - it occurs to me that if Louis had set out to walk along it, he would never have reached the other end.
ReplyDeleteI had trouble reaching the end myself (cue Carly SImon song) ;)
DeleteBut seriously, damned impressive ;)
Wow! How have I never made it to Versailles? Thanks for sharing your photos. Looking forward to the next post.
ReplyDeleteAt first I thought the rats on sticks were kebabs. Seriously.
Cheers sir. Yep - I thought at first they were an obscure French delicacy at first too. The difference with eating a rat on a stick in Paris of course, is that they do it only when fashionably elegant lol
DeleteExcellent post! Rat with Ketchup 10 Francs. Rat without Ketchup 12 Francs. Rat gourmets of the Pratchett persuasion will know what I mean. :-)
ReplyDeleteRegards, Chris.
Excellent - I know the Pratchett ref - I did once take a leak beside him at a sci-fi convention. A sad loss, who revolutionised how seriously we were taking sword and sorcery...then Game of Thrones made it ridiculous again LOL
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