4th of July à Versailles!

Yesterday Guillaume had the great idea to go to Versailles for the Grandes Eaux spectacle. The gardens of Versailles, normally free, jumps up to a 20€ entry once a week during the summer months. The extensive gardens, full of normally dormant but elaborate fountains, comes to life at 9pm on these days and poses as garden party / special effects attractions for all ages.



We started by hitting the refreshment stand, passing on the 10€ glasses of champagne and 8€ macaroons for cans of cool beer.


Then we strolled through numerous bubble machines down the right side of the gardens where abstract art of lit up white inflatable tentacles showed us the path.



Music was pumped over speakers all through the gardens playing a variety of Marie Antoinette-esque melodies.


The theme of each fountain was well played out. Specific music for each from light and playful to booming and eerie.


A group favorite was of the giant being engulfed by molten earth. The Versailles team was there feeding the water with dry ice around the sculpture and amongst the lava rock like fountains that surrounded it.

As we passed from one side of the garden to the other, we found ourselves facing a row of flame throwers placed all down the center of the greenway. These too were animated, throwing up fire balls and flames in time to the music.




After a quick pit stop at the bathrooms and refreshment stand we continued to the second half of the fountains on the right side.


My favorite here was a circular inclosing surrounded by lit fountains. In the center stood a life size sculpture of two figure reaching dramatically into the sky. Two laser light projectors were placed an either side providing an invisible ceiling that reacted brilliantly to the smoke machine at the base of the statue that blew clouds on smoke into that lasers. Thais made for a fantastic eerie effect of a billowing green cloud above the statues.

We finished the evening sitting in rows on the gravel at the very beginning of the great man made lake that runs down from the chateau.


Just after 11pm, still perfectly choreographed to music, we watched one of the most elegant fireworks displays I've ever seen. My favorites were the criss crossing streams of light and the large explosions that left the sky full of sparkles.



I don't think I was the only American taking advantage of the fireworks display to full fill my 4th of July needs as I seemed to notice plenty of American accents around me.


The fire throwers made another appearance here and the contrast of the dark sky and the bright flames made our eyes water.

By 11:30pm we were filing back up to the chateau all pleasantly satisfied with the evening well spent.