Splendor in the Train
The French, always innovating and creating, have done it again. The best way to get to the Versailles château is by taking the RER-C train, available throughout Paris. A new version of the RER-C to Versailles called, appropriately, The Versailles Train, was inaugurated in mid-May, and has been embellished in the stunning décor of the château. The newly redecorated train, replacing the boring, graffiti-laden daily train, will serve all 36 stations on the RER C line as it criss-crosses Paris on its way to Versailles. There will be five such trains in
The “library” car on the RER to Versailles
daily service by the end of the year.
A joint effort by the national rail company [the SNCF], the city of Versailles and the château itself, the project took less than a year from conception to completion. The new decor’s polished plastic-film panels were created using photographs of Versailles specially adapted to the dimensions of the train cars, glued to the walls and rounded ceilings of the double-decker trains. The train’s seven different decors include sections of the Chateau’s most renowned attractions—the Hall of Mirrors and the Battles Gallery—and lovely lesser-known corners: the Queen’s Chamber in the Petit Trianon, the Temple of Love and Belvedere of Marie Antoinette’s domain, the peristyle of the Grand Trianon, the library of Louis XVI and the decor of Charles X’s royal carriage.
Splendor on the ceiling
For many Parisians, the effort represents a marvel they hope to see repeated on the other lines of the RER (the A, B, and D); for others, the fear that graffiti will quickly ruin the efforts casts doubt on the initial success. It is hoped that about 20% of passengers who ride this train, both locals and tourists, will enjoy this free artwork. If you’re a tourist in Paris and want to ride this particular train, simply hang out in an RER-C station until you see it come through; it might take a while, but it will be worth the wait. It’s a stunning ride on the way to a stunning visit.
See the inaugural run here: www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=U1YmeQ45szE
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