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Day 5: March 27, 2024
A royal palace, that of Versailles, the former home of King Louis XIV, beckoned, this morning! Our coach took us to the front of this impressive, immense and gold-leafed Palace, where we met our two guides. Split into two groups, we were guided through the Palace, learning about its former inhabitants and the many works of art and awesome paintings on display.
Next, the Galeries Lafayette, for a spot of shopping in the Gucci and Chanel shopping concessions of world-famous department store (!); - well, some of us bought cuddly toys and sweets but we did walk through those areas! We split into groups with our nominated teacher, getting some lunch and taking photos of the beautiful glass cupola, depicting a flower, and of the incredible views of many of the sights we had seen at ground level but now from the rooftop terrace!
We all met up again, to stroll down to the Tuileries Gardens, and on to the Louvre art gallery, for our date with Leonardo Da Vinci’s Mona Lisa, along with many other art exhibits. We then walked along the River Seine, past Notre Dame Cathedral, to a restaurant in the Latin Quarter, where we enjoyed a pork and rice dish, followed by a rhubarb tart.
This time, we took the overground RER train service - sitting upstairs - to take us back to the hotel, for some R&R before heading off to St Malo, on the Normandy coast, north-east of Paris.