👑 Versailles Palace, chestnut cake, and that French morning 🌰

Versailles in the early morning possesses a golden stillness.

I started my jog from the entrance next to the Waldorf Astoria Versailles – Trianon Palace, along the straight, tree-lined avenue.

This path belongs to the Parc du Château de Versailles, and the cobblestone path leads all the way to the Petit Trianon – Queen Marie Antoinette's secret garden.

🌿 The shadows of the trees on both sides are so neatly arranged, as if measured with a ruler.

A gentle breeze carries the scent of grass and earth, and sunlight filters through the leaves onto my face.

I ran all the way to the Petit Trianon,

along the way, only birdsong, the shadows of trees, and the golden domes of the palace in the distance.

That tranquil rhythm is the most captivating scenery of Versailles.

👑 After my jog and a shower, I headed to Versailles Palace.

Light shimmered and danced between the mirrors and crystal in the Hall of Mirrors,

footsteps echoed through the corridors,

and for a moment, one could almost feel the atmosphere of bygone court life.

Stepping out of the palace, what unfolded before you was

another Versailles of local life—the Notre-Dame Market (Marché Notre-Dame).

🧺 Built in the 17th century during the reign of Louis XIII,

this market remains the most vibrant area of Versailles.

Most of the town's restaurants surround the market, from brunch stalls serving croissants and soups,

to French bistros overflowing with oysters and white wine,

all exuding a French charm that lies between elegance and everyday life.

🍰 I especially want to introduce my favorite dessert shop, Aux Merveilleux de Fred.

I first discovered this shop in Lille,

and fell in love with it from the very first bite.

The soft meringue and smooth whipped cream were as light as clouds,

it's said to "taste like a cloud."

The aroma is delicate, sweet but not cloying, and when you encounter that familiar taste again in Versailles, it's like meeting a long-lost friend on a journey.

The brand was founded in Lille in the 1980s by French pastry chef Frédéric Vaucamps,

named after Le Merveilleux, an 18th-century French aristocratic dessert.

This dessert, with meringue wrapped around whipped cream, symbolizes the lightness and luxury of that era.

I ordered a chestnut cake; it was smooth, rich, and melted in my mouth.

A three-day, two-night trip to Versailles offers more than just the quiet of the Palace of Versailles in the early morning; staying in the town allows you to experience a different side of tourist life.

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