Versailles, Palaces and Gardens

[duchesse de Chartres]

it truly is a beautiful building is it not?

was wondering if anyone has old plans of the property?

as in when it was used by Mesdames de Pompadour and Barry?

[Mari]

In the Architecture of Paris: an Architectural Guide it describes in detail Ange-Jacques Gabriel's Petit Trianon in the years of  Madame Du Barry and changes later. Unfortunately no drawn plans.

http://books.google.com/books?id=0eJxj9Xos_UC&pg=PA345&dq=Ange-Jacques+Gabriel+plans+for+the+Petit+Trianon,+Versailles+1762-68#v=onepage&q=&f=false

[duchesse de Chartres]

good morning. I have never found a plan of Versailles under the reign of Louis XVI, but a lot under the reign of Louis XIV and Louis XV.
Does someone have a plan of the appartments of the "aile du midi" and "aile du nord" under the reign of Louis XVI??thank you.

for the plan under Louis XIV and other informations about Versailles collections :http://www.photo.rmn.fr

This is true! i have plans from Louis XIV's and his successor but never Louis XVI..also, i know that during the reign of Louis XV, his daughters were bought up in the south wing overlooking in the Orangerie ..

[Trianon]

What is the green room, where was it! interesting I alwyas thought she slept in her "royal bedrrom", could you tell some more?

Hello! The "green room" at the groundfloor of versailles, next to the vestibule, with windows leading to the marble court, was her most private sleepingroom. It was decorated in the 1780s after the birth of her second son and the death of Mme Sophie. She slept there many nights before the revolution. The "royal bedroom" of the queen was only used for the ceremonies "lever" and "coucher". After the coucher, she leaved the state-bedroom and went to her private sleeping room.

[Trianon]

For me, the Petit Trianon is the most wonderful place in the world! I love these fantastic building so much, most because of the interesting architecture and of course because of the history.
When your looking for a plan of the groundfloor, I can help you.

[Lucien]

Chateau de Versailles has its Youtube channel now:

http://www.youtube.com/user/chateauversailles

[timfromengland]

quote Lisa
A French forum dedicated to the castle of Versailles
end quote

the  "castle "  of  Versailles  ?  thats an unusual  term,   should nt it be
the  "Palace" of Versailles  ?

[timfromengland]

what was the  phrase.....   a  wife at 14..... a Queen at  19 .....  or somthing like that..
  Marie Antoinette was also given the Trianon Palace  at age 19  so she  was mistress of her
own private domain.   
( Originally built for Mme Pompadour ( Louis 15th's mistress ) but she died before its completion
so  it  became  Mme Du Barry's residence.... Louis's next mistress.

[Soane]

quote Lisa
A French forum dedicated to the castle of Versailles
end quote

the  "castle "  of  Versailles  ?  thats an unusual  term,   should nt it be
the  "Palace" of Versailles  ?

I think you highlight an interesting point that often causes confusion. My apologies for appearing pedantic, but I feel I should clear the matter. To call Versailles a 'castle' is incorrect; the word chateau translates as 'country seat' (rather like an English stately home/country house) not as 'castle' (which is chateau-fort in French). Equally, to refer to the building as the Palace of Versailles is incorrect. The use of the term chateau to describe Versailles is in reference to the building's 'humble' beginnings as a hunting lodge and it remained the Chateau de Versailles despite it's monumental transformation by Louis XIV into the building we know today. Although Versailles is, in every sense, a palace it was never referred to as such during the ancien regime. In conclusion, I feel it is most appropriate to refer to the building as the Chateau of Versailles rather than attempting an anglicised 'castle' or 'palace'.

[timfromengland]

It must be a wonderful place to visit.... it would be nice if someone pays a
visit there... say in June , when the roses are in bloom....
and then uploads a zip to rapidshare with
 1000 photos of Versailles... the Palace and  gardens.

go here
http://celebheaven.freepowerboards.com/viewtopic.php?f=82&t=193


.

[Tony de Gandarillas]

In reply to Imperial.Opal, according to Albert Speer who accompanied Hitler on his tour of Paris, Hitler muses and says,"'It was the dream of my life to be permitted to see Paris. I cannot say how happy I am to have that dream fulfilled today."  This doesn't sound like a man who would destroy Paris.  Also, according to "Hitler Tours Paris, 1940," EyeWitness to History, www.eyewitnesstohistory.com (2008), Hitler was quiet taken by the Parisian sites, e.g. Paris' Opera House, Madeleine,' the Champs Elysees, on to the Trocadero, and then to the Eiffel Tower, where Hitler ordered another stop. From the Arc de Triomphe with its tomb of the Unknown Soldier we drove on to the Invalides, where Hitler stood for a long time at the tomb of Napoleon. Finally, Hitler inspected the Pantheon.'  He was impressed by the beauty and stateliness of Parisian architecture. 

[koloagirl]

Aloha from Kaua'i!

I just got back from Paris a month ago - and the hi-light of my trip was a one day visit to Chateau Versailles - even though some of the fountains were dry and it was very cold outside - it was incredibly wonderful and
overwhelming - just as I thought it would be!

I also visited Le Petit Trianon, and the Jardin store (as well as the Hameau) - I am a Marie Antoinette "buff" I guess you could say and I was open to getting almost anything from their gift shops tied into M.A. - I ended up with
a lovely tapestry bag that is a similar pattern (including the entwined "MA") as the Queen's bedroom at Chateau Versailles - and some other bits and bobs - but I didn't see any type of perfume at either
gift shop - I hope I didn't overlook it!  I would have purchased it in a heartbeat!

I did definitely get more of a "feel" of Marie Antoinette at Le Petit Trianon than at Chateau Versailles - which is so grandiose that it is very hard to get a "human" feel to any of the rooms - and the Hameau was charming as
well - we were the only ones there since it was late in the day and quite cold - everything was bare and wintry looking - it must be incredible during spring and summer!!

Janet R.

[koloagirl]

Aloha from Kaua'i!

I just visited Chateau Versailles, Le Petit Trianon and the Hameau a month ago - my first visit to Paris.

I have to say that you can get much more of a "feel" of Marie Antoinette at Le Petit Trianon than at Chateau Versailles - which is overwhelming and grandiose - but at Le Petit Trianon it is
a much more "human" scale and so light and lovely in all the patterns of the rooms and furniture - it is much easier to get some sense of her from this small place - at least it was for me!

A wonderful, wonderful place to visit!! 

Janet R.

[Naslednik Norvezhskiy]

I visited Paris and Versailles during Easter and can report that spring was now well underway there! Not much green on the trees yet, but the grass was really green and the spring flowers blooming. I can absolutely recommend Versailles, but the park more than the castle itself. I wanted to go to the Trianons, but my fellow travellers wanted to focus on the main castle, which was a disappointment for me who has visited a number of Baroque castles: The rooms shown in the castle itself are shockingly few, dull and empty. The mirrors in the Hall of Mirrors looked like they could use a real good spring cleaning! I was also very surprised by the "relatively small size" of Versailles: E.g. that Louis XIV's bedroom was directly behind the Hall of Mirrors. The most fascinating feature of Versailles was the Queen's Bedroom, totally covered in flower embroidery, and the gorgeous views of the park from the windows. You really get a feeling that you are in a country house.

[timfromengland]

I think I read that there is a kind of... Museum of France.... housed in Versailles... sounds interesting
I also heard that you can wander round the grounds of Versailles  totally free of charge !
Amazing if true... in England it would be £10 just to get thru the gates and a further
£8  to enter the  Palace.