• The Sun King, Louis XIV, built the Château de Versailles as his escape from Paris. In 1682, during his reign, it became the center of French government. It was also home to Louis XV and Louis XVI. Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette were the last of the French royals to live here, leaving in 1791 during the French Revolution.

• The public side of the Château is characterized by gold trim

• Château de Versailles

• A view of the private side of the Château that overlooks the fountains and gardens

• Versailles

• Versailles

• Versailles

• Versailles

• Versailles

• Versailles

• Versailles

• Versailles

• Versailles

• Versailles

• Chapelle du Château de Versailles - The Royal Chapel

• Chapelle du Château de Versailles - The Royal Chapel

• Chapelle du Château de Versailles - The Royal Chapel

• Chapelle du Château de Versailles - The Royal Chapel

• Chapelle du Château de Versailles - The Royal Chapel

• Chapelle du Château de Versailles - The Royal Chapel

• Edouard Vuillard, La chapelle du Château de Versailles - 1917-1919, reprisen 1928

• Versailles

• Versailles

• Versailles

• Hall of Mirrors

• Hall of Mirrors

• Hall of Mirrors - Chandelier

• Hall of Mirrors

• Hall of Mirrors

• Doug Collins, Portrait of Couple in Mirror - 2009

• The King's Bedroom

• The King's Bedroom

• The Council Study

• The Queen's Bedroom

• The Queen's Bedroom

• The Queen's Bedroom

• Curtain fabrics in the Queen's Bedroom

• Curtain fabrics in the Queen's Bedroom

• Curtain fabrics in the Queen's Bedroom

• The Salon of the Nobles

• A 'foot shot' at Versailles. Might this be blood from the Revolution?

• The trees in the cubicle planters are orange trees. They are moved inside during the winter and outside in summer.

• This building, the L'Orangerie, is a greenhouse that protects the orange trees during the winter

• This fountain at Latona Basin tells the story of the birth of Apollo and his sister Diana. It is on the axis of the Royal Drive, which stretches nearly eight miles. The Grand Canal can be seen in the distance.

• The Grand Canal with the Colonnade in the foreground

• The Grand Canal

• Latona Basin fountain

• Latona and her children Apollo and Diana are featured at the top of the fountain

• Latona, Diana, & Apollo

• Here is the Latona Basin fountain in action the afternoon of our visit

• Latona Basin fountain

• The centerpiece of the Apollo Basin shows the Sun God Louis XIV in his chariot

• The Sun God fountain and the Grand Canal

• During Louis XIV's reign most of the fountains were only turned on when the king approached. The Sun God fountain, however, was always on.

• Doug at the Sun God fountain

• Within the dense and manicured foliage of the gardens are many pathways that lead to additional courtyards and fountains

• One of the many smaller fountains found throughout the gardens

• Kathryn at one of the many smaller fountains found throughout the gardens

• Marie Antoinette's fan club

• Grand Trianon, the king's private residence away from the main palace

• Grand Trianon interior

• Grand Trianon interior

• Grand Trianon interior

• Grand Trianon interior

• Detail of Grand Trianon pool table

• Grand Trianon interior

• Grand Trianon interior

• Grand Trianon

• The flower gardens at the Grand Trianon were changed daily for the king's pleasure

• Grand Trianon

• Petit Trianon, built by King Louis XV at the urging of his first mistress Madame de Pompidour and home to his next mistress Madame du Barry

• Louis XVI gave the Petit Trianon to his young bride, Marie Antoinette, as a refuge from the rigors of court life

• Portrait of Marie Antoinette in the Petit Trianon

• Petit Trianon interior

• Petit Trianon interior

• Marie Antoinette's bedroom in the Petit Trianon

• Detail in Marie Antoinette's bedroom

• Detail in Marie Antoinette's bedroom

• Detail in Marie Antoinette's bedroom

• Petit Trianon kitchen

• Petit Trianon gardens

• Temple of Love at the Petit Trianon

• The Queen's Hamlet, a complex of twelve buildings in which Marie Antoinette acted out her romantic vision of peasant life

• The Queen's Hamlet, a complex of twelve buildings in which Marie Antoinette acted out her romantic vision of peasant life

• The Queen's Hamlet

• The Queen's Hamlet

• The Queen's Hamlet

• The Queen's Hamlet

• The Queen's Hamlet

• The Queen's Hamlet

• The Queen's Hamlet

• The Queen's Hamlet

• The Queen's Hamlet

• Water lilies at the Queen's Hamlet