It’s early evening in the Hall of Mirrors and Versailles is on fire. Not literally, of course, but as golden light pours through the vast windows of the 73-metre gallery, it sets the chandeliers ablaze, illuminating the golden adornments, and flickers across the mirrors – all 357 of them. It’s a dazzling display, and exactly the theatrical flourish that Louis XIV, the self-styled Sun King, had in mind when he had the place built in the 17th century just outside Paris as a monument to his absolute power.

But what makes it particularly special is the crowd – or rather, the lack thereof. There’s no need to jostle for a selfie amid the gilt and gold with some of the seven million tourists who flock through the Palace of Versailles’ gates every year. Tonight, there’s only 200 of us, all passengers of Silversea’s world cruise. It’s just us.