Bear visits Versailles

THANK YOU PBers for all your lovely letter orders. On Thursday Bear insisted we escape addressing envelopes briefly and do a quick run to VERSAILLES.

*ALERT! Do try to take the correct RER C to station VERSAILLES RIVE GAUCHE rather than station VERSAILLES CHANTIER. You will save oodles of time...over an hour vs. 38 minutes. We did get to sketch Louis-Philippe on the train to pass the time.

FYI bear in mind station Versailles Rive Gauche is a much shorter walk to the chateau too.

Since you'll be walking a hell of a lot anyway its best to take into consideration.

I always seem to hit the gift shop first. It puts you in a Marie-Antoinette state of mind don't you think? What we all need now is gold-covered chcocolate lollypops. A bright idea!

Someone in the comments asked about bougies. The French are obsessed with perfumed candles. The huge bougie on the left goes for 169€ Check out on Youtube, VERSAILLES' DIRTY SECRETS - TOUTE L'HISTOIRE, perhaps too much information on the use of perfumes in the 18th century.

Nina's fabulous Marie-Antoinette teas come in a luxe travel box. All you need take of you're flying over on Norwegian Air non?

Such pretty soaps etc. Perfect gifts for christmas if you're not sending letters from Paris...

Here is the top, top secret about Versailles! Go on a chilly winter day in the AFTERNOON.

You will have the place more or less to yourself. The morning mass of tourist coaches have left the premises.

When my back was turned (and the guard's) Bear hopped onto a l'interdit/forbidden settee.

We both would have loved to take a closer look at this gorgeous portrait but the velvet rope and the guard were looking.

No crowds. No one blocking your view. Definitely visit Versailles in the afternoon. And three hours is enough to see what you want before total exhaustion kicks in.

Besides you do not want to miss the town of Versailles a few blocks away on rue de la Paroisse.

Next year I promise to write JOYEUX NOËL on the Christmas letter and not Bonne Noël. Leçon learned.

Don't miss the big covered marché in town either, open everyday until 7:30 pm

I was compelled to buy the raspberry tarte on the right, since I resisted temptation in the gift shop.

Sketching another Louis on the correct RER train returning home...

You come out of St. Michel station to be greeted by the tree at Notre Dame!

Bear 🐻 wishes everyone all the best for the Holidays and the New Year !!!

From Paris with love ❤️ XXX