I must preface this story with giving glory to God! I prayed last night that we would not have trouble getting to Versailles, but also that I would not get frustrated at not knowing where to go or with the lack of handicap accessible areas.
We set out to take the train to Versailles this morning. (The trains are underground and we needed to find a station with a lift or at least an escalator). We headed to a train that we had read online had a lift. We got there and no lift. I went down the stairs to find an employee that hopefully spoke English - yes we found an excellent young man who not only told us (in English) which station has a lift but he walked with us 3 blocks to help us get on the correct bus to take us to that train station! What a nice young man!
Then we get to the train station and ask where the lift is - no problem - we get on the lift and go below ground to the train platforms. There are no employees there to ask questions - either they don't work on Saturday, or it is a completely self-serve station. The screens telling you which train to take was well and good but it didn't designate a platform. While waiting we notice other trains stopping and see that there are 2 steps up into the train and no ramp for the scooter. While we wait, we meet another young man who spoke perfect English and he said he was a native Parisian. He helped us with the correct platform and helped lift the scooter into the train. He was amazing!
Half way through the trip there was an announcement completely in French and I didn't know what in the world they said, so I found the young man again and he said there was a bomb threat at a station ahead of us and we had to get off and catch the next train. He stayed with us and helped us move the scooter - lifting it down 2 steps and then lifting it up again - he even found another young man (who didn't speak English) and asked him to help us all the way to Versailles - which he did! (he also was going to Versailles).
So the third young man today helped us get off the train at Versailles and then we were on our own. I was thinking that there wouldn't be a way to get out of the station - most everyone just walks down the 10 or 12 steps, which Reed can't do. I investigate another exit and find a very long ramp to get down to street level! So, prob- lem solved!
It's a 5 minute walk from the village of Versailles to the Palace and grounds. On our way there, we meet a lady, Nancy, and her daughter, Katie, who are from Oklahoma. They are very nice and we walked with them and get to know them a little.
We get to the Palace grounds and Reed and I do not need to pay admission because he is disabled and I'm his caregiver. And we get special entrance near the elevators.
We take the self-guided tour with the recorded tour that everyone gets. The Palace is simply gorgeous! I cannot explain in words the opulence; everything gilded with gold, they spared no expense!
This was King Louis the XIV 's fantastic home he had built at the height of his reign as king of France.
2 more kings reigned here before the peasants got fed up with the richness of the upper class and stormed the castle Oct 6, 1789. This was when Marie Antoinette (Louis XVI's wife) fled the castle and hid in exile for a while. But eventually she and Louis the XVI were beheaded.
Maybe some pictures could help you understand just how much money was poured into this castle and how extravagantly the French nobility lived.
We leave the palace and walk into the town of Versailles, find a place to eat lunch and then go back to the train station to make our way back to Paris. Among the crowds, I find a train employee and ask him which platform will the train be on to return to Paris? He told me 3, so we went out to get on the train. Again, we didn't ask for help, but two young men volunteered to help us get the scooter up into the train. One was a native of New York living in Switzerland working on his PhD. The other was a Hispanic young man from Houston!
Our heroes got off the train before our stop. When we were ready to disembark, a gentleman came up to us and said a lot in French that must have been: "May I help you take the scooter off the train?" I said, "Aidee me?"( I meant to say "aide moi"), which I think meant "Help me?" Once again someone helped with the unloading, as well as taking Reed's arm to assist his stepping down off the train. We then approached the elevator (ascenseur) which was out of order! I approached a worker (probably a janitor) who indicated we would have to use the escalator. Reed thought he could just step on - no problem. well, big problem - he couldn't do that without losing his balance. So the gentleman took his arm and firmly stepped on to the escalator with him, and helped him get off at the bottom, and to hold onto a support. He then went back up, rolled the scooter onto the escalator and brought it down to Reed! Jan and Reed and his magical mobility scooter go from Paris to Versailles and back! There and back again!
Reed here - I am resting on the bed in the hotel room, surrounded by French treats - a large pecan brownie, an éclair café, and two kinds of freshly baked bread - raisin and sugar. Life is good. Am I hungry? No, but if ever there was a place to indulge in pastries, it is Paris. I feel empowered - with my mobility scooter, Jan directing and navigating, and so many people willing to help, I am king of the world, and so very thankful.
This is very wordy - but thanks for reading!