Versailles and the Tour Montparnasse

Thursday morning, Greg and I headed out on the metro outside of Paris to the city of Versailles, home to the extravagant Château de Versailles, where French monarchs like King Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette graced the halls.

It's almost an understatement to say that the French royals lived in excess.

Chandeliers adorned room after room, frescoes decorated the high ceilings, and the fireplaces were large enough for a family of four to sleep comfortably.

 The queen's bedchamber is exactly how its pictured in Marie Antoinette. The walls are covered floor to ceiling in pink and white floral, accented in gold and complete with a bust of Marie herself.

The palace is dwarfed in size by the French gardens laid out behind it.

The garden is geometric and symmetrical in the traditional French fashion. The trees are cut into triangles, cubes, and some have even been turned into art exhibits.

Can't you just imagine Marie taking a stroll through these gardens on a sunny summer day?

When we returned to Paris that afternoon, we stopped in a boulangerie for coffee, juice and a delicious French macaroon.

 We then made our way over to the Tour Montparnasse for some of the most breathtaking panoramic views of the city.

It was up here that I realized how quickly I fell in love with this city. While it was the perfect way to end my short stay there, it made me just as ready to return.

This is not goodbye, but à plus tard, Paris!