Versailles

We've been watching the forecast for a good weather day to spend in Versailles.  I was hoping for something a little warmer but it is Paris in October so I shouldn't complain.  We had a great day!  Our best move was to listen to Rick Steves' advice and spend time in the gardens first while all the crazy tourists visited the chateau (well almost all).

There was an interesting sculpture exhibit going on in the garden.

Somehow the insulin pump throws the whole thing off.

A panoramic view of the orangerie.

On the top of Isaac's Paris To-Do List was ride bikes in Versailles.  We were glad to find a place that had bikes with training wheels.  Luke learned how to ride a two-wheeler this summer but we were pretty sure he would be involved in some type of bike/tourist accident if we let him ride without training wheels.  We'd planned to ride for about an hour.  Chris, Isaac, and Libby made it back in time.  Luke and I were a bit slower (it took us about an hour and a half).  The training wheel bike rental is not the best piece of machinery but Luke loved it and didn't complain.

Libby loved ringing her bell as she rode.

The bell was unnecessary for Luke since the basket
scraped the back tire loudly the entire time.

We started off together but pretty soon Luke
and I got left behind.

Chris and I were trying to get a pictures of both of us
while riding. It didn't quite work.

One happy kid.

Views along the way.

I was trying to find something to show how far we rode.  We
followed the path around the Grand Canal (the large cross shaped pond).  It ended up being a bit longer than we expected.

Trianon Palaces and Domaine de Marie-Antoinette

Bed chamber

Sitting room

Backpacks in the front are all the rage in France.

Temple of Love.  Do you notice the little head peaking through?

Isaac in a pre-teen moment sulking about his
parents making him go to Versailles.

 Marie-Antoinette had a hamlet built as a sort-of playground.  It was really fascinating.  It included 12 buildings and an actual working farm with a dairy.

Marie-Antoinette's caterpillar.    

Luke is returning the caterpillar to his home.

Now off to the chateau.

The chateau is really amazing.  It is hard to get a picture that captures the size.  (Inside they show videos from this website that give an overview of the building and expansion of Versailles.  In the garden video you can see our bike path.)

But first a snack break.

Gold!

One of many war paintings.

Hall of mirrors.

For Uncle Tim.

I was hoping to play something on the piano forte.

It was a really long day.
And this was before we walked to the train station and found out the
line was down for 2 hours and we'd have to walk to the next station.