I'm in France for a series of meetings. Before my first appointment on Monday, today I spent the day at Versailles. I have to confess I had not been to Versailles in ages, fearing wall to wall tourists and little to see within the palace itself. I had thought of returning for some time, and also figured that since we're in November, the palace and grounds would be a lot less crowded than during the peak summer season. I'm happy to report that Versailles looks better than ever. Many rooms and interior spaces have been renovated and opened to the public.

Versailles started out as a simple hunting lodge for King Louis XIII. Over the years, his successors (principally Louis XIV and Louis XV) added wings and structures on both sides of the original lodge, and transformed the original building into a colossal, breathtaking palace. Versailles is the space that gives you the best idea of what royal life was like in the 17th and 18th century France. Within Versailles, you can visit the royal apartments, various grand salons and of course, the¨ce de resistance - the Hall of Mirrors, or Galerie des Glaces, where many important historical events took place, including the signing of the treaty that ended World War I. From Versailles, you can take a tram that takes you to the Grand Trianon, a smaller, simpler , and very beautiful palace built by Louis XIV, as a place to escape the nobility and the courtiers at Versailles. This is a one story palace, now decorated mostly with furniture from the time of Napoleon, which over the years has hosted the Queen of England, as well as JFK and Jackie Kennedy. From the Grand Trianon you can walk to the Petit Trianon, originally built by Louis XV and eventually given to Marie Antoinette. Marie Antoinette loved the idea of the 'simple country life' (simple when you have a zillion servants taking care of everything) and Le Petit Trianon was her favorite retreat. The gardens, grounds and fountains of Versailles are phenomenal. In the Spring and Summer, the grounds come alive with beautiful trees and flowers in bloom. During summer, the park is open until 11pm and it's a fantastic place to come for long walks or a sunset picnic .

If your clients have seen Versailles and are looking for another chateau to visit near Paris for the day, I highly recommend Fontainebleau castle, South of Paris and easily visited in 1 day via public transportation. Take the SNCF train from Gare de Lyons to the town of Fontainebleau (less than 1 hour), and then when you exit the station, board the bus named 'Chateau', which drops you off at the entrance of Fontainebleau. Of all the palaces and castles in the Paris region, my favorite by far is the chateau of Vaux Le Vicomte, near the town of Melun. Unfortunately, getting to this castle by public transportation is not an option, but our destination specialists in France can arrange a car and driver for the 1 hour or so drive to the chateau -- well worth the trip.

Practical information: The easiest and least expensive way to get to Versailles is to take the RER train from either Orsay (opposite the museum) or Invalides stations. The ride takes about 30 minutes and drops you off at Versailles-Rive Gauche station, which is about 10 minutes' walk from the main entrance of Versailles. If you can, try to get to Versailles at 9am, when the Palace opens. This way you will avoid the crunch of the groups and motorcoaches, who start arriving around 10am and into the afternoon. If you want to see the palace, grounds, and Grand Trianon, buy a ticket called 'Acces total'. If you only want to see the exteriors, gardens, and fountains, then ask for a 'Acces Partiel' ticket. The town of Versailles has a great hotel, part of the Waldorf-Astoria collection, called The Trianon Palace. The hotel is perfect for anyone who wants to spend a night or two in Versailles and be able to explore the grounds (which are vast) and have a more leisurely visit. The Trianon Palace Hotel is known for its dining and has a gourmet restaurant by Gordon Ramsay that is a destination in its own right.

When visiting the chateauxs and palaces throughout France, take a look at the websites of the castles and palaces. Many chateauxs offer extended hours in the Spring/Summer. For example, on certain Sundays Versailles turns on the fountains - an attraction in and of themselves, and Vaux le Vicomte offers  outdoor concerts in the evening that can be enjoyed sitting on the grounds -- simply magical. The website for the Palace of Versailles iswww.chateauversailles.fr

In my next blog, I will be writing about some lesser-known museums in Paris and some favorite places in the City of Lights.