The Royal Palaces of Western Europe – 2023

After an early start we cross the channel by Eurotunnel and visit the fabulous garden the Château du Champs de Bataille. This may be new to you, but it won’t be a disappointment!
We venture on to our overnight hotel at the Hôtel le Louis Versailles Château, only a few hundred yards from the Château itself.

We have the day to visit this large palace and extensive grounds built by Louis XIV, the ‘Sun King’, to create a sense of power and awe amongst his Court, foreign dignitaries and the public looking in from outside (presumably whilst eating their cake!) If you choose, you can explore further into the town later in the day and evening. We overnight at the same hotel.

Traveling north into Belgium, we visit the battlefield site and museum dedicated to this day in history where another great French Emperor was finally defeated and eventually sent into exile.
We will stay in the Novotel, Brussels City Centre tonight and tomorrow.

We visit the palace of the Belgian Monarchy, which is usually open from 24th July. If time permits, we will drive past some of the new seats of power within Europe, the offices and chamber of the EU Parliament.

Ever heard of the Treaty of Utrecht? It was where the war of the Spanish Succession was brought to an end and our old friend from Versailles, Louise XIV, conceded the limits of his power and also marked the rise of British global power.
We will enjoy a boat tour of the city, and I’m sure we’ll discover more of this history in the town.
We spend tonight and tomorrow night in the NH Amersfoort hotel.

The Glorious Revolution in England marked a great constitutional step forward as it became clear that, in England, rule was only by consent of the people. Parliament and the country were in uproar at the fact James II of England (VII of Scotland) was a Catholic and therefore of questionable loyalty to the country. James was forced to flee; his protestant daughter, Mary, was invited to take the throne and co-rule with William of Orange.
At the time, William was a Stadtholder (ruler of a Dutch Province) but also effectively ruler of the then Dutch Republic and embroiled in a war with – guess who? – Louise XIV of France! To him, England was to be a source of cash for his war; to the English, a king with limited powers.
Possessing only a hunting lodge on the site William felt the need to express his new power with a new palace with beautiful gardens and architecture.

Having enjoyed our tour, we wind our way gently back to Calais and England, possibly stopping for chocolates in Belgium!