Versailles is home to a pricey gift shop and a cafe with pastries supplied by the luxurious Parisian patisserie “Angelina.” All of this pays homage to the exclusivity Versailles once had in France. The museum continues this legacy by offering guests a luxurious visit. The gardens were the most incredible facet of my visit to Versailles in September. The fountains were turned on, as they usually are in the warmer months, and visitors walked along pebble paths alongside perfectly manicured shrubbery.
Beyond being home to the palace, Versailles is also a critical piece of the Parisian suburbs. It is home to a very traditional and often wealthy older French population. The city itself was built to be a utopia by Louis XIV, and those who still live there are tied to this ideal. During my visit I noticed the streets were cleaner, the grocery stores were a bit more expensive, and the pace of life was slow in comparison to Paris. The biggest plus of Versailles in comparison to Paris though is the French-speaking staff will not switch to English. As I ordered my pastry in the boulangerie down the street from the train station I was pleasantly surprised that my French speaking skills were accepted as “ca va” (Okay). This interaction made me realize that the reputation of Versailles as an elitist safe haven is not entirely accurate. However, the grandeur of the palace is proof that centuries ago this was an accurate assumption.
