VERSAILLES, Interior

From the outside the palace looks fairly homogeneous and coherent, but when you see the interior apartments you have to make a lot of mental leaps between different dates, styles and French kings. From the Sun King to the Revolution, Versailles has hosted sovereigns for 107 years, and you'll soon learn to distinguish Louis XIV's legacy from the lighter taste of Louis XV in the mid-1700s. Some of the rooms were further modified in the 19th century, when Louis Philippe had them furnished in the decidedly inappropriate "neo-gothic" style.

The first room you enter is the bright Chapel consecrated to Louis IX, the king who was canonized, beautifully designed by architect Hardouin-Mansart. Light enters through the great windows, and the white and gold tones of the decor make the architecture seem lighter. Looking at the balconied gallery it's easy to imagine the Sun King attending daily Mass in this very spot, which had a direct connection with his own apartments.

From the sacred to the profane - take a diversion and go and visit the Opera....