Versailles

The palace of the Sun King is around an hour’s trip away from central Paris. Take the RER to Versailles River Gauche (not Versailles Chantiers), get down at the last stop, and follow the crowds for the next five minutes, before you are left awestruck by the large and sprawling palace. You need a couple of hours just to rush through the palace, and the whole day to do justice to the entire sprawling estate.

You could buy the ticket from the tourist office on the way, or the ticket counter on site. I see absolute no reason to buy it online, for everyone gets into the same security check line. The advantage of going off-season is an easy entry. We had to wait under five minutes in a line, which I am told, during summer months extends up to an hour or even more.

The palace and its exhibits allow you to get a taste of French elegance at its best. Especially awesome is the Hall of Mirrors, the venue of many a defining moments in world history, including the coronation of the Prussian king William 1 in 1861 and the treaty that ended World War 1. The gardens are equally spectacular.

If you have heard of Angelinas, and want to drink its famous hot coffee or savor their éclairs, you could save a trip to their main branch in Tuilliers as they have a branch inside Versailles. 

If you have the time, take the toy train that runs around the estate, with a hop-on, hop-off arrangement at the key attractions, which includes the Trianton Palace, Marie Antoinette's estate and the lake. If you are short of time, skip the train ride, and just spend some time in the garden behind the palace, and head back. We took the train ride, and it was worth it.

NEXT: Bruselles