Roses to Paris

My understanding of history is superficial at best.  It seemed to me that in French classes I'd heard that Louis XIV built Versalles out of competitiveness after he'd seen his finance minister Fouquet's Estate with a magnificent gardens, Vaux-le-Vicomte.  Perhaps the machinations of Colbert to bring about Fouquet's downfall were more a source of this inaccuracy ( https://vaux-le-vicomte.com/decouvrir/lhistoire/nicolas-fouquet/ )... My Paris family contact, well-read in French history, said the move of Louis XIV from Paris to Versailles was first a matter of security after a revolt, "La Fronde", to get out of Paris, out of the Louvre--and Louis XIV had fond childhood memories  spending time at the   Versailles   hunting Lodge (oldest part of the current palace) of his father Louis XIII. From the time Louis XIV moved there until his death in 1715, the entire place was a construction site with marble dust and scaffolding, carpenters, painters everywhere, not fini...

Any idea what above red flowers are? Local bumblebee  

In one of the world's most beautiful and diversely entertaining places, (France) I find it difficult to say no after two events a day, and I am trying to slow down. Three days in Reims was like being hit by a fire hydrant of champagne and history.  A fraction of the sights I took in: Oui, la Pucelle, the Maid of Orléans passed this way to see Charles VII crowned King of France. Not long before her martyrdom in Rouen.  In Reims next weekend is a huge festival on the anniversary of her death. Bubbles of sculpted bushes mirror pleasure of such gardens. Urban renewal view of Basilique de Saint-Rémi, where a few French kings were crowned. Doggie rest area--park beside the Basilica. Limestone that makes for tasty champagne grapes soft and erodes badly, many statues have been restored, but this guy had shelter. Tasting, perhaps the Blanc de Blancs or the Blanc de Meunier Cathedral of Notre-Dame where Joan of Arc crowned her king, and most other kings crowned here as well, including C...