Versailles, Palaces and Gardens

Dear fellow AP members,
I was treated to a wonderful guided tour and conference in the south-side gardens of Versailles castle yesterday and thought I might share some pics with you (click to enlarge).

Bassin d'Appollon :


Bassin de Bacchus (Bassin de l'Automne) :


Bassin de Saturne (bassin de l'Hiver) :

Bosquet des Rocailles (Bosquet de la Salle de Bal) :



with the water games on :

Fountain in the Bosquet de la Salle des Marronniers :


Bosquet de la Colonnade :

Inside the Orangerie :


Parterre de l'Orangerie :


Parterre de l'Orangerie et pièce d'eau des Suisses :


I am going back to Versailles next saturday for a guided tour of the north side gardens and bosquets so more to come next week.

The photos are great, especially the ones of the Orangerie.

Could someone please give some information on the palace? I would love to see pictures, floorplans and anything else of interest. I looked around in some threads but there doesn't seem to be a specific thread about Versailles, and I thought there should be.

A French forum dedicated to the castle of Versailles (don't forget that Versailles is a town! )
http://versailles.forumculture.net/index.htm

here is a site with floor plans and photos, just click on the numbers on the floor plan and it will show the photo of the room

the Dauphine's and Dauphin's rooms:
http://720plan.ovh.net/~jardinsd/Chateau/Appt-2/Pages/00-PlanRdC.htm

the Queen's and King's rooms
http://720plan.ovh.net/~jardinsd/Chateau/Appt-1/Pages/00-Plan.htm

Floorplan of Versailles: (Thumbnail)



-Duke of NJ

 Hi, aussiechick12

There is a TV show which will interest you about Versailles

It is called Versailles Stories on Fridays - SBS channel - 7.30 pm - 30 minutes.
Next weeks episode is Foutains and Fireworks.
It takes you  into Versailles through the eyes of a tourist guide starting work there
It is a  french documentary series as there are sub titles - a BBC production

Worth checking out
Imperial Opal 

The links are great Perfercciona.. The date is 1715  next to the Cheateau and is that correct? Is this decor dating from 1715?

Thank you everyone! Everything is amazing. Imperial.Opal, thanks for letting me know - I will check it out 

Mari, I am not sure about the date of the rooms decor on that site. I remember reading the Queen's rooms, or at least the bedroom was as Marie-Antoinette decorated it, I don't know what year she moved into the Queen's apartments.
But if you click on 1715 on the websites i posted in my above post  it takes you to a model of the palace from 1715 during the reign of Louis XIV, (I'll post it below).  Click on the arrow and it takes you for a tour of the first floor of the palace in 1715.
http://720plan.ovh.net/~jardinsd/Chateau/Hardouin/Pages/00-Accueil.htm

I've read that Versailles' room style where changed every year in the summer and winter. I heard that MA's room style is the one she left when she went to the Tuileries.. So in late Summer / Fail. (only for the tapestries. )
Nevertheless, in 1722-1730 there were big works in Versailles, they made new woodworks.
So the decors aren't from 1715 (date of Louis XVI's death).

But as perfecciona said, there were a lot of changements. After Louis XIV's death, the priority was given to confort. They also had to solve some problem (too much people in Versailles' rooms.. and not enough room .. poor courtisans!) so they changed a lot of things in the 1st floor. They created new rooms, and living rooms.
The website is actually showing how was the 1st floor in 1715 and how is it now .. (ex : L'escalier des Ambassadeurs was destoyed)




... Now the Hameau de la Reine in Versaille is open :p (My favorite part of Versailles... )

http://www.chateauversailles.fr/en/