Château de Versailles and Marie-Antoinette's Estate: 2013-05

I've been to Château de Versailles a few times, but this was the first time I went with a guide. You always learn some cool things with a guide. I only took a few pics...

Versailles has dozens of marble statues and some of them are incredibly detailed. I took this picture of Henri François d'Aguesseau (left) because I found the hands and fabric and all the details most impressive. On the right is just one of several statues in the gardens.

The grounds of Versailles are quite massive and there are several fountains and groves. Above is a cool fountain. It is the Grove of Apollo’s Baths with groups of the Sun Horses and Apollo served by the Nymphs. 

This fountain was cool. It is the Enceladus Fountain in the Enceladus Grove. Enceladus was one of the Gigantes, the enormous children of Gaia (Earth). The subject is taken from the myth of the fall of the Titans who were buried under the rocks of Mount Olympus which they tried to climb in defiance of the prohibition of Jupiter. The volcanic fires of Etna were said to be the breath of Enceladus, and its tremors to be caused by him rolling his injured side beneath the mountain (similar myths are told about Typhon and Vulcan). In Greece, an earthquake is still often called a "strike of Enceladus".

Our next stop was Marie-Antoinette's estate and I had not been there before. Also known as Hameau de la Reine, served as a private meeting place for the Queen and her closest friends, a place of leisure. I thought the buildings were very cool and together it seemed like a 230 year old Disneyland. And it was just for the queen and her friends.

This is the farm looking across the pond.

This is a neat building - it is l'ancien moulin

This is the "main" building - it is the queen's maison and billiard house. It is two buildings connected by a covered walkway (which is on the left of the picture).

I don't know the names of these buildings, but I think they were in the area considered the farm. Thatched roofs are always such a cool touch and really add a sense of timeless craftsmanship. I can only imagine they take a long time to construct.

Just another shot of these amazing buildings. I live in a "farm house" like this.

This trip to Versailles was a good little voyage and the M-A Estate is definitely worth a visit.