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Living at Versailles…. a hungry court
If you think of Versailles, you will think of tables full of the most delicious things. Glorious roasts, spectacular centrepieces, fabulous cakes and sugary glory. This applied to the tables of the royal family, not so much to the general courtier. Getting something to eat at Versailles was a proper hassle for them and many, especially those with little means,…
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Living at Versailles…
To live like a King or Queen… or even better, to live like a King or Queen at Versailles. A golden palace of dreams, where everything seems possible. Doesn’t that sound great? In reality, we have more comforts in our flats and houses of various sizes than the Sun King had in Versailles and he would envy us for it.…
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La journée des Dupes
The journée des Dupes aka Day of the Dupes is an important event in French History. Actually it was not just one day, but stretched out over several days and it was the first major event to, partially, take place at the château de Versailles. Things were tense between Louis XIII and his mother Marie de Médicis in early…
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La Galerie des Glaces
The chateau de Versailles has a lot of places and rooms that make one look around in awe, but the most impressive of them all is most likely the Hall of Mirrors aka the Galerie des Glaces. If you have been to Versailles, you probably remember very well what you thought the first time to stepped into the massive hall…
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L’escalier des Ambassadeurs
L’escalier des Ambassadeurs, also called Grand escalier de Versailles, was one of the château’s main attractions and of great political importance. This monumental staircase was the place, where ambassadors from all around the world were waiting to be received by Louis XIV and to present him their credentials. As Louis XIV took into mind to made Versailles the very centre of France,…
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La ménagerie royale de Versailles
Not much is left of it today, but back in the days the ménagerie royale was one of the major attractions of Versailles. The court loved animals, which can already be seen when looking at the vast amount of pets that lived at the palace. Louis XIV and his court were especially fond of dogs. The Sun King loved Great Pyrenees,…
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Ten things you probably did not know about the château de Versailles…
Versailles, home to Kings, Queens and a whole lot of nobles. Millions of people visit the château every year and are in awe at the sight of its splendour. Here are ten more or less known facts about the château de Versailles. -The Opéra royal de Versailles was designed by Ange-Jacques Gabriel and inaugurated on 16 May in 1770 as part…
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Le potager du roi
One of the most important places of Versailles was the potager du roi -the King’s kitchen Garden- for it ensured the Sun King always had enough of his favourite vegetables and fruits on his plate. He did enjoy them quite a lot. Louis XIV enjoyed to eat. A lot. He loved all sorts of fancy culinary delights, but he also loved…
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Le Trianon de Porcelaine
In the 1670’s, as the palace of Versailles was still in the making, its park bordered on a little village called Trianon. Trianon, or Triarnum as it was called in a papal bull of Alexander III, was small but a quite old settling. While Louis XIII left it untouched as he outlined the original plans of Versailles’ gardens, Louis…
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Le Appartement du Roi
The more private version of the Grand Appartement du Roi, faces the cour de marbre and served as the living quarters of Louis XIV. While the Grand Appartement was open to the nobles during the day and certain evenings, getting into the Appartement du Roi was an entirely different matter. Who could enter and proceed how far was strictly regulated, while today we (humble peasants)…
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Le Grand Appartement du Roi
Setting one’s fashionably heeled feet on the polished parquet of the Grand Appartement du Roi was the highlight of every noble in 17th century France. Today, when visiting Versailles, the usual personal highlight of the visit is the Hall of Mirrors, but to get there one has to stride through the former State Apartment of the Sun King himself. The Grand…
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Dining with the Sun King….
Louis XIV enjoyed to eat. A lot. Although, as he said himself, he never really felt such a thing as hunger and could go the whole day without eating anything, once the first drop of broth made contact with his royal tongue, he developed an appetite that was hard to satisfy. The King was one of very few people…
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The Silver Furniture of Versailles
As Louis XIV developed his dream of Versailles, his dream of a grand and glittery palace that people will look at in awe, he of course meant for the inside to be just as impressive as the outside. To achieve this, the best of the best were hired. The ceilings were painted magnificently, the parquet floors of the best wood and…
