you haven't really been to Paris. On our final full day in the City of Lights, Cornelia and I braved the RER line and la grève sociale to get to Versailles. The trip was well worth it.



Built when Louis XIV moved the royal palace to a former hunting lodge of one of his predecessors, Versailles palace is stunning. It is under renovation (something I understand from a French colleague is ALWAYS going on), but don't let that deter you.



Sunday was another resplendent day, and it only served to accentuate the beauty of the palace. This is one place where having the museum pass definitely helped. Sunday's are typically very crowded at Versailles, so being able to skip the ticket line and go right in was a relief.



The first place we saw was the king's chapel. Like the chapel at Les Invalides, it was a two-story affair, and the art work on the ceiling was amazing. Not to mention the gold everywhere (again, it's good to be the king).



From the chapel we toured the Royal Apartments - including some of the rooms of Marie Antoinette. I highly recommend using the audio tour - and here's a tip: if you have iPod headphones - or any type you can share - use them. That way two people can hear the tour at the same time without having to pay the extra 5 euros for another audio tour. It also means you get to snuggle up closer to your sweet thing when you are looking at great art - definitely a plus.



Speaking of great art, the Hall of Mirrors was everything it is cracked up to be (no pun intended). The ceiling decorations, the crystal chandeliers and the views of the gardens and Grand Canal make it something you will never forget.



We had packed a lunch - again - and one memory I will treasure is having lunch in the autumn cool under a brilliant sun at the palace with my lady. That's one for the books, y'all.



We walked to the Petit Trianon - Marie Antoinette's dwelling during the final years of her life - and toured the gardens and out buildings. We did not make it through the whole thing before it began to get dark. Apparently the French Queen liked to dress like a milkmaid and pretend she was a common person at the Dairy Farm part of the Trianon. But we didn't get to see that.



The autumn colors at the palace were stunning. The poplar trees had turned yellow and stood out like the roof of a cathedral against the blue sky. The pond and canal reflected the butterscotch sunlight and boaters rowed across the pond. We ate a light dinner and drank coffee at an outdoor cafe near the pond. The sun turned the castle orange and the moon was rising above some of the statues as we left.



We made it to the train with only minutes to spare. Had we missed the 1850 train we would have a two-hour wait for the next one!



In all the trip was well worth it. We have vowed to go back. Next time, we would like to stay longer. With two travel days (one of which - the last one - was made more stressful by the rail strike) we had a total of six days in Paris. It was not enough.



If you go, there are several options for lodging. I would recommend going with someone - Paris would be torture alone. And make sure you shop for your own food. Eating out one meal cost us $85 for two people. Some of the food was worth it. Buying the museum pass was a smart thing to do - they are offered in two day, four day and six day versions. We got the six day version. And don't think you can see it all in a week. You could spend that long at just one of the places we went.



But make sure you go there. It is something you will remember for a lifetime.