Posted by A Parisian Kickoff Fit for a King
Our summer 2024 adventure kicked off in a way that Louis XIV himself would have approved of: with chandeliers, gilded ceilings, and one child loudly whispering, “This place looks *fancier than Nana’s wedding.”
We spent our first morning outside Paris at the Palace of Versailles—and it delivered drama, decadence, and just enough sibling commentary to keep things humble.
Versailles: Where Ceiling Art Is a Sport
The second you walk in, you’re transported. The Hall of Mirrors is still somehow shinier than expected, and the gold? It’s everywhere. It’s in the trim. It’s in the furniture. It’s probably in the air.
The kids were wide-eyed—and surprisingly engaged. (Audio tours help. So do chandeliers the size of small cars.)
We wandered through throne rooms, war rooms, and enough marble to pave an airport. The kids kept asking, “Did one guy really need this much hallway?”
Answer: yes. Apparently, he did.
The Gardens: A Royal Playground
Outside, the scale doesn’t shrink. The gardens go on forever. Statues, fountains, tree-lined walkways. It’s the kind of place that makes even the youngest kid feel like royalty—or at least a high-ranking guest star in a period drama.
There was a moment that felt straight out of a storybook: one of our daughters sat on the steps mimicking a statue, deep in thought. It was quiet, simple, and somehow more moving than the room full of tapestries.
We roamed, we posed for dramatic photos, and we may or may not have said “bonjour” to strangers just to feel fancy.
Olympic Energy in the Air
Everywhere we turned, signs of preparation for the 2024 Summer Olympics were woven into the landscape. Banners. Fencing. Temporary structures being assembled near the outer gardens.
It gave the visit a strange kind of electricity: a mix of history and what’s about to happen.
Versailles, the symbol of France’s royal past, was being gently rewoven into something modern—a backdrop for competition, spectacle, and international guests.
We stood there, in a place built for kings, watching workers prep for athletes.
History doesn’t repeat. But sometimes it shares a location.
Travel Notes
- Pro Tips: Buy tickets ahead. Bring water. Prepare for some walking (and then more walking).
- Kid Survival Kit: Snacks, shade, and at least one joke about Louis XIV’s hair
- Best Unexpected Moment: The kids saying, “I actually liked the museum part.”
- Book Again? Only if we get to come back during the Olympics and pretend we’re there to compete in fencing. (Or synchronized ice cream eating.)
“Versailles is over-the-top in the best way possible. It’s not just a palace—it’s a personality. And honestly? The kids pulled it off better than we did.”
Family Adventures & Story Hub 