Versailles Palace (Chateau de Versailles)

Having access to grand pieces of fine art on a daily basis must be entirely rewarding, but living in one is a totally different affair. Louis XIV certainly knew what he was doing when he moved to the court of Versailles in 1682. Today the gilded royal apartments, the breathtaking Hall of Mirrors, the intimate cabinets, and the dazzling enfilade of other rooms - all of them masterpieces in their own right - as well as the meticulously manicured garden straight from a fairy-tale make for not only an awe-inspiring symbol of absolute monarchy, but also the finest example of artistic creation, and one of France's foremost tourist attractions. To double the impact, ask your guide to tell you about the complex court etiquette.