Paris Day 3

After a busy Saturday there was no let up the following day as we got up early to take the batobus to Les Invalides and from there took the train on a half hour journey to Versailles. The batobus was excellent value - just 17 euros each for unlimited use over 5 days - and the trip was straightforward even with the pushchair and baby.
The museum pass gave us free access to the palace of Versailles and an opportunity to escape the queue which was massive when we arrived. The worst decision we made was to try and get audio commentary headphones but the queue for that took ages. I guess the commentary was worth it eventually but it was a pain waiting so long for them.
I wanted to see Versailles because of the revolution and its association with it as well as being the site of the signing of the treaty ending World War 1 which many people feel led to the outbreak of World War 2. I studied the french Revolution as part of my degree many years ago and to be honest, the extravagance of the place allied to some of the portraits on display made you feel as if the revolution was fully understandable. The opulence of the place was incredible with the hall of mirrors a stand out. In addition the kings looked so arrogant in their portraits, much more so than the images of British kings I have seen. They appear to have been completely immersed in the belief that they were king because of divine right and failed to comprehend the need for change.
The gardens were fantastic too and full of hidden areas which would have been worth visiting on their own, never mind as part of a treasure trove of immense beauty. We spent the whole day in the house and gardens before taking the batobus from the Eiffel Tower all the way round to the Louvre which took over an hour but gave us the chance to see so many sites.