The next morning, we awoke with hope in our hearts. It was a new day, the children had been read the riot act, we had a kiwi guide called Alex who was going to take us all to Versailles….it would all be different today – and it was! 
Alex met us at the door at 10am and led us to out local Metro station and guided us through the labyrinthine metropolitan train network to Versailles. Although a kiwi by birth, Alex is obviously a Frenchman in his soul. He has lived in Paris for 10 years as a tour guide and he inspired us with his passion and magnificent story telling. 

At the gates of Versailles he began his story about Louis 13th and 14th – explaining how Louis the 14th had been told he was a gift from God, became king at the age 5 and was pushed around by courtiers jockeying for power and watching the mean streets of Paris from his windows in his palace at the Louvre. Is it any wonder he decided to build Versailles – safe from the masses and from where he could control the world? Alex lead us through the amazing gardens telling us a bit more of the story and then leaving us with a cliffhanger before he moved on to another part of the garden to resume another part of the story. Nicholas was an entranced as the adults (sadly Michael was barely listening!) as Alex told us about the politics, the scandals, the funny anecdotes and significance of the sculptures based on Greek and Roman myths warning his courtiers of the terrible ends that came to people who tried to usurp power! We couldn’t get enough of the great stories and almost felt sad as he finished with the French Revolution and the abrupt end of the last of the royal family. We bid him farewell and walked through the magnificent palace and the hall of mirrors, understanding now the significance of the mirrors and chandeliers facing the western sun in the most amazing room I have ever seen (Louis the 14th fancied himself as the reincarnation of the sun god Apollo) 

After a drink at a nearby hotel, we stumbled home with that feeling you get when you’ve been to an amazing movie or a really great concert. Dinner that night was a success! The kids had sushi at home (lol!) while the three adults chose a different and much better restaurant for chateau briande, pommies frites and salad! Much, much better!