Royal walk, the quintessence of french palaces, home of the high kings of France.
THE LOUVRE
Once the Royal Palace, it has housed several lineages of French monarchs including the Valois and the Bourbons. It has been home to some of France’s greatest monarchs, notably, Henri II, Charles IX, Henri IV, Louis XIII, Louis XIV… The construction of this masterpiece lasted for eight centuries. The monumental entrance is known as the Colonnade de Perrault (Charles’ brother, famous for his tales). Here one can find : the world’s oldest square courtyard, the foundations of the former guard towers are well worth seeing and can be found in the basement of the Sully wing, the west wing (also called the Lescot wing) is full of different sculptures and adornments made my Jean Goujon, one of the greatest French sculptors of the Renaissance. Napoleon’s courtyard, the Pyramid, the Tuileries’s gardens. Several days must be taken to fully discover this dazzling testimony of Paris’ rich history. Official website
CHÂTEAU DE VERSAILLES
Just outside of Paris, one must not miss out on the chance to visit this fantastic place, the most luxurious of France’ palaces it was built to celebrate the glory of Louis XIV. Versailles’ gardens are just as amazing, with their meticulous lines and beautiful ornaments. The Grand Canal, the Latona lake, the treasure hunt, the ballroom, the Bacchus fountain, the Marronniers room, the Colonnade’s grove, Appollo’s fountain, the court of three mountains, the Neptune pond, the royal Orangery and the Queen’s Hamlet, to name but a few. Official website