For our last full day in Paris we did an all-day cycle tour to Versailles, some 20kms southwest of central Paris. Versailles is a very wealthy area outside of Paris, and probably most famous for its chateau (more on that below). Versailles was the capital of the kingdom of France between 1682 and 1789, during the reign of the King Louis's (XIII, XIV, XV, and XVI who was mobbed and dragged to the guillotine along with his wife Marie-Antoinette). We were told all about the Louis's and Marie-Antoinette in particular. They were loved by all at first but then apparently started to lose the plot and live in fantasy-land while the country fell to pieces (more on that later too). Louis the XVI was an ugly git, and Marie-Antoinette was no oil painting either apparently, and definitely not deserving of being played by sexy Kirsten Dunst in the movie on her life. The shots above were taken within the 800-hectare Grand Parc.

Just like every other bike we'd hired, this lot got screwed as well, and Jared eventually hit the deck hehe.

A few buildings that were of significance during the Louis's reign. Again, we were told all about them, and I remember none of it.

After some lunch in Grand Parc along the 23-hectare Grand Canal, we headed for the chateau via a few back-streets.

The massive Château de Versailles! Built in the mid-17th century during the reign of Louis XVI, the palace is 580metres long and split into several wings, each with its own array of grand halls, wood-panelled corridors, and numerous bed chambers (which I'm sure were pretty impressive back in the day, but now just look somewhat over the top). Louis had this monster built to project the absolute power of the French monarchy, and lived here until he was dragged out and executed.

Random naked chick.

He liked it.

This guy prefers the back door ;)

The palace is huge inside, with massive ceilings and paintings and a myriad of artefacts throughout.

Ummmmm?

Painted ceilings...

Big fireplaces...

And big beds!

The chateau's Hall of Mirrors - 75 metres long with 17 huge mirrors along one side with windows looking out over the back yard on the other. In the 17th century, mirrors were among the most expensive items to possess. When the revolutionary mobs stormed the palace and dragged Louis and Marie out by the scruff of their necks, this room shocked and appalled pretty much everyone who could now see for themselves the kind of luxury Louis and his crew of flunkies were living in while elsewhere poverty was rife (many of that mob would have never even seen their full selves in a mirror before!).

This here is the back yard I mentioned above - not bad huh!

Looking back over the Grand Canal in Grand Parc.