May 19th, 2024 – Paris and Versailles, France
Tim and I are fortunate to have visited Paris several times over the years, dating back to my first visit in the early 1980’s. There have been minor changes between visits due to renovations or disasters (Notre Dame Fire) or policy changes (more bike lanes, fewer car lanes plus the lock bridge being removed), but nothing even remotely as significant as what we witnessed this time.
Wanting to impress the world, as well as ensure safety, a great number of streets and even entire areas have been closed or roped off to allow renovations, beautification or huge stadium style bleachers to be installed.
Read more: Paris Like We Have Never Seen Her BeforeThis has certainly made it much more challenging for our local tour guide as well as our bus driver to navigate through Paris to get us as close as possible to be able to get a glimpse or hopefully snap a somewhat decent photo of one famous landmark after another.
But I’m getting ahead of myself just a little…
My body has not caught up with local time normalities, and after getting a solid five hours sleep, I was wide awake at 2:00 this morning, and by 3:00, gave up any hope of getting back to sleep. The bright side is that it gave me a chance to write and post yesterday’s blog write up.
After a fabulous buffet style breakfast this morning (included in our package), we loaded onto the bus. Ana, greeted us warmly and introduced us to our bus driver, David, who will be with us all week. Also joining us for the day was our local guide, Jocelyne who turned out to be informative and impressively funny.
I think it might be easiest to simply show pictures some of the major places that we drove past. You will catch glimpses of barricades, bleachers, and blockades in many of the shots.
The afternoon was spent at Versailles Palace and gardens. The last time we visited, the Hall of Mirrors was getting a face lift which had prevented fully appreciating how beautiful it is. This visit we could properly view it, but much of the garden was being replanted so that everything will be at its peak for the Olympics.
Here is a variety of shots taken inside the palace:
The ceilings were quite magnificent and usually the first thing I noticed when entering each room.
And the Hall of Mirrors:
The last part of our visit we were on our own to explore throughout the gardens. This was where the numerous “still to be planted” areas were most evident.
There was still a great deal of beauty to see however.
Back to our hotel for a short nap before going out to dinner. Tonight we found a small cafe, again within a short walk of our hotel.
In search for another electrical adapter, we explored the shopping area within the train station and were impressed by the helpful guide for those with impaired vision.
I had hoped to knock this out quickly, but it is now 12:30 and my alarm is set for 5:30. Going to be another short night…
GRATITUDE MOMENT: Tonight I am grateful that I got short nap in before dinner 😄. And of course loving being back in Paris. It will be really fun watching the Olympics this summer and spotting many sights that we got to see while preparations were in full swing.
A Note From Abroad 
Fascinating! THANK YOU for sharing these amazing pictures. Enjoy!
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Thank you Mary!
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Tim and Joanne – Nice Pics!!! – As an architect (recovering), I have always wanted to see Paris. We did China in 2015 and are planning to do Italy. We just hope we have enough good years to do that.
All the best!!!
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What contrast you will find between the architecture of Italy vs China. Thank you for your kind comment 👍
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Great photos of favourite sites in this awesome city. I loved Versailles! Always so many people but still an amazing place.
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Darlene, it was crowded at Versailles, but our guide said we were quite lucky, that it was actually a light day. 😊
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Tim and Joanne,
Let me know if you would rather I respond from the blog than via email. I liked the pictures, and I was especially impressed with the raised lines for use as a guide for cane users.
John Love
cell: 714-306-4462
fax: 714-530-2949 (not always on, call before faxing)
http://johnlove63.wordpress.comhttp://johnlove63.wordpress.com/
http://johnedwardlove.wordpress.com
john.love@live.com (preferred email)
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Hi John, when we are traveling, it is easier for me to see and respond here on the blog as I don’t seem to check my emails as frequently. I believe I remember from our correspondence from when we visited here last time that your father had been a photographer for three campaigns. I don’t know if there are any new images that I posted from Normandy that would interest you, but perhaps seeing that they were in the process of preparing for the 80th anniversary might be something different. As always, it is wonderful hearing from you.
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What a fabulous day!!!
The breakfast at our hotel is 5 stars! SO beautifully presented and absolutely delicious!!! The variety (roasted carrots for breakfast? 😋) of cheeses and meats, dumplings, pastries… and oh my gosh-the chutney!!!!!!!! Best I’ve ever had.
Jocelyne, our local guide, was quite the character -in the best way possible. Extremely knowledgeable and informative, and SO funny! I felt like I was at a comedy club, but surrounded by the best art, history, culture scenery around.
Joanne, your pictures are fabulous! I love seeing them! You captured our day, and the beauty we saw, so well.
Versailles was magical, and the gardens so captivating! I love the photo of you and Tim with the gardens in the background. We also got lucky with the timing at the fountain for the water show.
I love our “side” trips. Seeing the train station was really interesting, and how they have assistance for the blind, was such a bonus.
Today was educational, and so enjoyable.
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