Experience the Magic of Versailles and the Paris Olympics

Intro

I had thrown myself in the middle of the 2024 Paris Olympics, as part of my Round the World Trip 2024, and had already seen a lot of these games and of this beautiful city. Now it was time to step out again (Yes, Disneyland Paris counts), and visit one of the best attractions, The Chateau de Versailles and go to see the Paris 2024 men’s football finale, the only Olympic event I had officially booked.

On the way to Versailles

Versailles is a little bit out of the city center, but it is easily reachable on the RER train at the Versailles Château Rive Gauche. We had booked our entry at around 10 am, so we woke up early and went straight to the palace.

The walk is manageable from the station, but the August sun in Paris wasn’t. Fortunately we had our umbrellas and went inside the check in area.

In there, we passed security, and got our passes scanned. This room seems a little chaotic, but it was manageable, and we liked the little model of Versailles. This place is huge!

Exploring the Château de Versailles

The Château de Versailles, commonly known as the Palace of Versailles, is a grand and historic royal residence located in Versailles, France, approximately 20 kilometers (12 miles) southwest of Paris. It is one of the most iconic landmarks in French history and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, renowned for its opulence, architectural splendor, and role in shaping European politics and culture.

The palace exemplifies the classical French Baroque style, with symmetry, grandeur, and intricate details. Designed initially by Louis Le Vau and later expanded by Jules Hardouin-Mansart, the structure is characterized by its vast wings, elegant columns, and dramatic facades.

The King’s and Queen’s apartments are luxurious living spaces adorned with fine tapestries, furniture, and artwork. They provide a glimpse into the daily lives of French royalty, particularly during the reign of Louis XIV, the “Sun King.”

Designed by André Le Nôtre, the gardens are masterpieces of landscaping, featuring geometric patterns, ornate fountains, sculptures, and grand avenues. The grounds also include the Grand Canal and numerous groves (or “bosquets”) that host elaborate water displays.

The Equestrian Stadium in Versailles, formally known as the Versailles Equestrian Park, was a modern venue constructed in the western part of the Château de Versailles’ grounds. It is designed to host equestrian sports and events for the 2024 Olympics and Paralympics, while blending with the historical and natural surroundings of the estate.

The beauty of this place is astonishing. You can opt for a self tour guide with headphones, explaining every room.

Versailles became the seat of political power and the French court under Louis XIV in 1682. It was a symbol of absolute monarchy and French grandeur. The palace played a key role during the revolution when Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette were forced to leave for Paris in 1789. Post-revolution, Versailles became a museum of French history, showcasing paintings, sculptures, and artifacts that narrate France’s past.

Hall of Mirrors (Galerie des Glaces): This famous gallery is perhaps the palace’s most iconic feature. It is a long, ornate hall lined with 357 mirrors that reflect the light from tall arched windows, creating a dazzling effect. The hall served as a ceremonial passageway and venue for important state events, such as the signing of the Treaty of Versailles in 1919.

Jardins de Versailles

But Versailles is not only the castle, it also comprises the Jardins de Versailles, and it was time to step out and explore them.

This park is huge, approximately 800 hectares (around 2,000 acres), making them one of the largest and most famous formal gardens in the world. It looks endless, and scared my mom a little bit lol. We were not going to go that far anyways.

I liked getting lost into these bosquets and finding amazing places like this one.

The gardens are home to more than 50 fountains and over 600 water jets, each intricately designed and representing mythological or natural themes. The Grand Canal, a massive artificial waterway, stretches over 1.67 kilometers (1 mile) in length and is around 62 meters (203 feet) wide at its broadest point.

Time to get back and we opted for taking Le Petit Train, a sort of tram that would take you to a few places in Versailles, but also the main entrance. The lines were crazy, and also they prioritize whoever booked the train in advance. This is a paid service, so if there’s space, they would allow extra people that can pay with a credit card before boarding.

The ride was nice, despite the long wait, but we were able to rest a bit and see other faces of this area, like horse by the Grand Trianon. These smaller palaces on the estate offered retreat spaces for the royal family. The Petit Trianon is particularly associated with Marie Antoinette, who used it to escape the formalities of court life.

And with that with said goodbye to le Château de Versailles, simply a masterpiece and a must-do while in Paris.

We walked back to the station and headed back into the Paris using the RER train. We had a football match later that day.

Arriving to the Parc des Princes stadium

We were about to go see one of the main events of the Olympics, allegedly, and the only ones we had tickets for. Tickets for foreigners like us were expensive, even when we bought them many months in advance, but hey we were excited to see the match. This event was so heavily security guarded that people had to walk from a station far away in order to get to the stadium.

After a long walk, and a few breaks, we made it to Le Parcs des Princes, a beautiful stadium located to the southwest of Paris, in the 16th arrondissement.

Everything was so well signaled, that it was very clear how to get inside all the way into your seats. Security was ok, although they did not allow the caps on any drinks.

Previa of the match

The final was between the host, France, and Spain. Two European countries were fighting for the precious Gold Medal. Unfortunately, not too many famous players would be out, since they are part of the under-23 national teams. Although, they could eventually become the stars of their national teams.

It was exciting being here, and with my mom felt really weird. It reminded me a lot of when I went to the 3 Colombia’s group matches of the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. But this stadium was massive. I was finally living the Olympics.

The Phryges, the Olympics mascot was present at the beginning. The time was coming, and the stadium was filling up. I was part of the final for the gold medal.

Gala Rizzatto, an Italian singer opened the event and after that all of the protocol started.

The gold medal was in play.

Both teams, France and Spain present now and about to start the match, let the ball go!

France vs Spain

I would have never imagined to be present at an Olympics gold medal event, but here I was, and part of of my Round the World Trip, and with my mom. It just felt very surreal.

France opened the score at 11′, then Spain had 3 consecutive goals at 18′, 25′ and 28′. Everything seemed lost for France. The crowd, mostly French obviously, was upset but still with a lot of hope.

The first part of the match ended at 45′, and now it was time to get some refreshments, which there were many to choose from. Also, time for a bathroom break.

The second part of the match started, and everything got so exciting when France scored at 79′. Not everything was lost!

At the extra time, more than 90′ into this match, France was able to get a penalty and scored for the tie. 3-3, they would now have to extend the match for 2 sections of 15 min each.

Another break means another bathroom break and maybe more snacks. From the stadium we could see the light rain, and the rainbow that appeared in the distance.

Spain wins the Gold Medal

After 2 more sections of 15′ each, Spain showed to be the best team by scoring 2 more goals, one at 100′ and the other one at 120′. The longest football match ever for me, but they deserved it. The French fans of course were upset. The match as an spectator was amazing, feeling all that energy definitely makes me realize why so many people get so passionate for these sports.

We had to wait a long time for the medal ceremony, but most people did, and the FIFA President Gianni Infantino awarded the Gold to Spain.

Morocco (Bronze), France (Silver) and Spain (Gold) listening to the Spain National Anthem.

I definitely had a lot of fun on this event. In the future if I go to the Los Angeles Olympics, I would definitely add Athletes to the mix, I know it would be as exciting. The exit was quick, but the return to civilization was difficult since we had to walk around 30 min to get to the station once again. At the end we made it to the hotel, and everything was fine.