Inside the Palace of Versailles: The Hall of Mirrors is the Grandest of Them All
Out of the 700 rooms inside the Palace of Versailles, the Hall of Mirrors is the grandest of them all! If you don’t find it stunning or be blown away by its frescoes and craftsmanship of everything inside, I’m not sure if you’re still human. LOL… 😀 It is here where I spent a long time gazing up at the frescoes from end to end. They’re just not interesting but they also seem to be alive!
The Frescoes. The paintings on the vaulted ceiling show the political successes of France under the royal leadership of Louis XIV. Their colors are as bright as they were before and you can’t help but look at them with great admiration.
No More Balcony
This 73-meter Hall of Mirrors used to be a balcony of the palace overlooking the royal gardens. It connects the Queen and the King’s apartments. But, because of bad weather, the design was changed in 1678 to become what it is today. It took 6 years to build it.
Inside the Hall of Mirrors. To protect the ornate walls and the ceiling of the palace from smoke, Jules Harouin-Mansart designed a large gallery to replace the terrace. He created 357 mirrors opposite 17 windows to allow natural light. At night, when a few of the huge candelabras are lit, the candles illuminate the whole room. Isn’t that brilliant? Who needs electricity for this?
Don’t Blink. And oh, don’t even blink your eyes when you look at those huge chandeliers! They’re really that ancient and it’s a piece of art itself. When you’re done looking up, don’t forget to look down. Walk along the line where the tall candle holders are. Each of them is unique and its artistry is so detailed and the statues look surreal.
Take Your Time
If you’re fascinated with art, this is your heaven. But, if you’re here for a photo op for your social media apps, move forward and hurry up. LOL… The crowd here can really be annoying. There are always people in the background whichever angle you’d take. You can’t take a decent photograph of the place and yourself.
Best time to Visit. I was there in the afternoon and it was really super crowded. Most of the visitors were on a day trip from Paris. Visiting in the morning should be fine – as long as you’re the very first human in the queue outside. 😀
Related: The Golden Gate of the Palace of Versailles
Inside the Palace of Versailles: The Hall of Mirrors is the Grandest of Them All
How to get to the Palace of Versailles
The palace is an hour’s drive west of Paris. Instead of taking a train, I decided to take the bus tour that our hostel arranged because there’s only a 3 euros difference. And the best thing about it was our own car dropped us off right at the entrance of the palace. Unlike the train, you have to figure out a ride to the palace when you arrive at Versailles station. Our driver gave us three hours and a half to explore the palace, which is enough unless you want to explore the whole acres of gardens.
Where to Stay in Paris
This is a medium-priced hostel that’s a few steps from the Gare Du Nord metro stop. The hostel is reachable to a lot of cafes, restaurants, and grocery shops. The hostel itself has a fantastic bar with bulging security guards. 😉 The rooms are sizeable, clean, and well-ventilated. The bunk beds are comfy with electrical pugs and lamps.
How to Save Time and Money in Paris
Paris has an excellent transport system. There’s nothing to worry about getting from one tourist attraction to another. If you have more time in Paris, then, you can do it all on your own. And it would be cheaper and less time-consuming if you are on the Hop-On and Hop-Off Bus. However, if you only have a short time staying in the city and you want hassle-free preparation (especially avoiding long queues), then joining a Paris Tour is always a good idea!
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