The City of Versailles

Thank you all for providing such great comments on Monday's post.  It's been awhile since I've tackled more serious topics on this blog and it's always a little nerve-wracking pressing 'Publish' but your support and discussion was completely worth it!  

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Versailles is the well-known home of Château de Versailles but not many realise that it's actually a city all in it's own.  Well before the famous château came to be, the area was hosted a small medieval village while today, Versailles boasts a population of over 86 000 residents and is a fully functioning city in itself.

I'd venture to say that of the 4 million visitors Versailles receives each year, the majority of them visit the palace grounds and return to Paris, missing the rest of the city which really is a pity.  Where Paris is a busy metropolis often feeling like it's busting at the seams with tourists, Versailles (away from the château) feels like a normal, French city with cafés, quiet streets and plenty of green space.

Choosing to spend a few nights in Versailles was one of the best decisions I've made.  Not only did we get to stay at that fabulous hotel, we really were able to take our time touring the palace and it's grounds.  We weren't rushing to get an early train from Paris in the morning nor were we commuting back to the city with the rest of the tourists after a long day exploring.  We could wander back and forth between our hotel and the château as we saw fit and returning the next day just to spend time in the gardens at a much more relaxed pace was certainly worth it.

On top of that, the city was quite endearing.  Both nights we dined in town amongst the locals at small restaurants and took long, leisurely walks back through the quiet streets.  While Versailles wasn't brimming with activity, we enjoyed the time away from the crowds at a slow and relaxed pace.

{PS. Our Stay at the Waldorf Astoria Trianon Palace, A Look at Château Versailles and Marie Antoinette's Hamlet}