February 29, 2020
I was already on my third train of the day. Having to pay close attention to the station announcements, I sat, alert, listening. But instead of the usual announcement, there was a rapid-fire and confusing mix of French over the intercom. Then the doors of the train opened – even though we hadn’t even left the station. As I looked around for someone to explain what was going on in English, the intercom spoke once more. All passengers were asked to leave the train, as there had been a landslide up ahead. I sighed heavily and followed the crowd off the train. Without a working phone, I would have to rely on my extremely unreliable French and the English skills of others to try and find my way to Versailles Palace.
After spending the entirety of my time in Paris, so far, following others around, I was sick of it. I wanted to explore the famous city, and I wanted to do it at my pace, without fear of getting lost. Unfortunately, as my SIM card refused to cooperate with me, getting lost was a risk I had to take if I truly wanted to explore.
Last night, I had stayed at the Disneyland Resort in Paris with a friend. She had been lucky enough to have a membership that allowed her to book a room at a low rate, and kind enough to ask me to join her. Although the ride to Disneyland had taken an unexpected delay (we later learned that there had been fires and fights that had caused major traffic jams), the room was lovely and the wings and cocktails we enjoyed were enough to satisfy us for dinner.
My friend had decided, quite reasonably, that she wanted to go to Disneyland. But for me, I couldn’t bear to leave Paris without visiting Versailles – which had been at the top of my bucket list for Europe since high school. As such, armed only with a phone that worked with wifi and meticulously taken screenshots of Google Maps, I left the resort, determined to find my way to Versailles on my own.
However, after my second train forced us to exit due to the landslide, I was quite lost. Thankfully, there were others like me heading to Versailles, and the station arranged for a bus to take us close to the famous palace. At least, I think it was supposed to take us close because there were no clear station announcements and I was absolutely and utterly lost. So lost. Without wifi or data or anyone I knew. Deciding that desperate times called for desperate measures, I started to move around the bus asking groups in my extremely spotty French if they spoke English. By sheer luck, I ran into a British couple. I was so very lucky that they were wonderful people that were more than happy to let me tag along – with another American study abroad student we met at the gate. The four of us ended up sticking together throughout the entirety of the tour. It’s amazing how much more secure I felt, now that I had people near me that I could actually understand.
And what a tour. First off, we were given audio guides that narrated and explained each of the rooms we entered. And the audio was very well done – complete with sound effects that were quite dramatic. During the first portion of the tour, I could truly appreciate the beauty and wealth that decorated the walls and ceilings. Every piece was furniture was clearly meticulously chosen, every pattern on the wall carefully engraved, and every Greco-Roman painting on the ceiling carried symbolism and history. Absolutely beautiful and breathtaking.
Then the tour went one. And on. And the more I saw, the more I could begin to understand why Versailles had been stormed with angry peasants during the French Revolution. The wealth that gilded every surface of the palace was almost obscenely decadent. It was clear that the authority of the French royal family had been illustrated through the rare materials, the gold, and the rich art – and that had ultimately become its downfall.
And of course, the crowning jewel of this gilded symbol of royalty was none other than the famous Hall of Mirrors. The hall was magnificent and overwhelming. The walls were covered with mirrors, and fittingly so, and with the rows and rows of chandeliers, the glistening glass and lights made for an impressive picture.
Our little group took a brief break for lunch, then wandered into the gardens. The sprawling gardens were certainly impressive – if only by their sheer scale – but as it was February, the grounds looked almost bleak. We took a quick walk around the gardens, stopping to admire the fountains that were decorated with sculptures.
After a pit stop at the gift shop, we decided to start heading back. Again, I was so very lucky that the British couple was also staying at the Disneyland Resort – I wouldn’t have to rely on my screenshots to make it back! It was definitely a blessing that I had been able to meet them, and speak with them – without them, my trip to Versailles may have been 1) unsuccessful and 2) if successful only proved by sad and repetitive selfies. We had the chance to chat on the long train rides back, and I learned a bit about the British education system, particularly in terms of university. It was strange because I could definitely recognize bits and pieces that were similar to the U.S. but in their full-year internship and loan repayment system I could only relay my envy. If only we also had a system that was more sympathetic to university students graduating with mounds and mounds of debt.
After saying our goodbyes (with so much gratitude on my end), I set out to find dinner. For whatever reason, I was really craving a good old thick American-style burger. And as the CityWalk for this particular Disneyland seemed to be Hollywood, I was in luck. I suppose. I talked myself into getting a very overpriced burger that I would normally never get because I didn’t really have other options, and wanted to reward myself for bravely venturing out on a solo trip 🙂
I returned to our hotel room exhausted but very satisfied and proud that I had made this trip work. The gilded beauty of the palace definitely fulfilled my bucket list dreams but also illustrated the decadence of the royals in an era where many were starving.