#342: Delft (pg 246; 2nd Ed pg 233)

 

July 5, 2025

Walking along the canal on Oude Delft.

The spires of the Old Church peeking above the tree-lined canal.

Our first windmill sighting since arriving in the Netherlands!

The Prinsenhof, a former 15th-century residence where William lived and was assassinated in 1584.

It's hard to tell from this picture, but the tower leans.  I've never seen the Leaning tower of Pisa, but when I saw this, I said "It's the leaning tower of Delft!  At least now I've seen a leaning tower!"  And turns out, it actually is often referred to as the leaning tower of Delft.

Inside the Old Church.

Johannes Vermeer, the great Dutch golden age painter (his most famous work is The Girl with the Pear Earring)  is buried here.  He was just 43 when he passed away.

And then we made our way to the New Church which is in the town square overlooking the Markt.  Here is the tomb of the beloved Dutch ruler, William I of Orange (which explains the Netherland's signature color).

Verdict:  This is a quiet, charming, sleepy yet notable town.  It's worth the visit if you ever happen to be in Amsterdam (a nice easy day trip from here and very accessible by train) but I wouldn't call it a "must do" before you die. 

#14: Versailles

I first came here in August 1999 as a single 22-year old with my friends.

So, it was fun to return here 26 years ago with my family!

The triumphant entry to Versailles!

And the gilded gate surrounding it's entrance and courtyard.

Inside the courtyard - it's massive!

The Royal Chapel

Can you imagine having a home big enough to house a Chapel??!

And of course..... the ornate Hall of Mirrors!

Every square inch of this place from floor to painted ceiling is a sight to behold!

It's official.... we've kissed in a palace!

And just when you think you've seen all the opulence you can imagine..... head out to the immaculately landscaped gardens which go on as far as the eye can see!

Versailles is a Must Do.  There's just nothing like it.  And if you get the Museum Pass, then it's "free" in the sense that it's included in that!  But make sure to reserve your entry time in advance.  If you fail to do this, then depending on the time of year you go, you will either wait in line a LONG time or not be able to go at all.  So this is one you definitely want to plan for in advance!

And with that..... here's a little look at my original visit here in 1999.....

Sept. 4, 1999. Versailles, more formally known as "Chateau de Versailles" is just a hop skip and a jump away from Paris (13 miles to be exact). We spent the afternoon walking all around the gorgeous gardens of this beautiful palace, built by the French monarchy in the 1600's. It is France's most-visited chateau and for good reason! I wrote in my book that the grounds were so amazing that I would have been satisfied without even going inside. But, of course, you must go inside! And the most famous room is the Hall of Mirrors, 236 feet long and the site of where Louis XVI married Marie Antoinette as well as location of where the Treaty of Versailles was signed in 1919.
Verdict: Unbelievable. A must do in your lifetime! Page 122 in 1000 Places to See Before you Die.

#341: Giverny (pg 113); 2nd Ed: Impressionist Normandy (pg 109)

 

April 2025

The tulip gardens in front of Monet's home.

The famous Japanese bridge.

Stop and smell the roses.... or the tulips as the case may be.

After visiting Monet's home and gardens, it's worth the trip to walk a mile or so through the quaint village to Monet's church, where he is buried, along with his family.

VERDICT:  Monet's home and gardens were lovely and I thoroughly enjoyed this day-trip from Paris (although I recommend driving if you're able - public transportation is a bit of a pain as it's a long train ride that only gets you to Vernon, and then you have to shuttle from Vernon to Giverny; much easier just to drive directly there if able.  Parking is plentiful and free) but I don't necessarily think it's something you have to do before you die unless you're passionate about Art/Impressionism.  

Cost: This is not included in the Paris Museum pass, but cost is reasonable.  It was $57 for our family of six and this included the house and gardens.  You don't have to get tickets in advance; anyone can just show up and wait in line to get in.  But it's advisable to get tickets in advance so that you don't have to wait in line.  We didn't get tickets in line and waited in line for about an hour. 

Admission:  

Adult: 12 Euros

Child >7: 6.50 Euros

Child < 7: Free

#340: Cathedrale Notre Dame de Chartres (pg 121)

 

April 2025

Chartres is a doable day-trip from Paris or from the Loire Valley.  And definitely worth the stop in order to see this Gothic masterpiece, the Cathedrale Notre Dame.  It's the third largest Gothic Cathedral in the world, only behind Rome's St. Peter's and the Canterbury Cathedral (both of which I've been to!).

The windows were created by 12th and 13th century master glass artists and were saved from both World Wars by people painstakingly removing each piece and hiding them for safe keeping.  I love hearing the stories of what the citizens  of European towns did to protect their treasures and culture and history during those dark and destructive times.

The nave, 427 feet long, 20 feet wide and 120 feet high, is the widest of any church in Europe. 

It's main "claim to fame" is this relic, a birthing gown supposedly worn by Mary when she gave birth to Jesus, which the church acquired in 876.

Easter Mass

The cathedral is beautiful by day and by night!

VERDICT:  The town of Chartres is charming and seemed like it came right out of a set for Beauty and the Beast. But this cathedral is certainly the main attraction.  If I had to choose just 1000 things in the entire world to see before I died, I'm not sure this would make the list (of note, it was removed from the 2011 2nd edition), but Paris is a "must do" and the Loire Valley is a "must do" and this is close enough to both, that it's absolutely worth the stop on your way to/from Paris or the Loire Valley!

#339: Loire Valley and Domaine Des Hauts De Loire (pg 126); 2nd Ed: Loire Valley (pg 122)

 

April 2025

We rented a car to explore the Loire Valley, which has the highest concentration of castles anywhere in the world.  We decided to head to Chambord, the largest of all the castles, boasting 440 rooms and 365 fireplaces! 

One of our favorite things was to climb to the rooftop and see the views from up there.

Views for days!

We also loved learning the history of this chateau, including the fact that it was used to store many pieces of the Louvre, including the Mona Lisa during WWII!  This was especially meaningful to us, since we had just been to the Louvre a few days before.

Frncois I's bedroom

More exploring.

Verdict: Yes!!!  We absolutely loved the Loire Valley and left wanting to see more and wishing we had more time to spend here.  That's always a mark of something that truly deserves to be in the book!  My husband and I always discuss the "verdict" after we experience something from the 1000 Places book together.  Sometimes we're in agreement and sometimes we aren't, but in this we were both in agreement that this is absolutely something to see before you die and hope we're lucky enough to see it again before we die - and more of it next time!!