The Palace of Versailles

[ahazen0822]

I don't know if people saw this new show/documentary called, "Versailles: The Dream of a King", it is on BBC. It is very interesting, it gives alot of insight into Louis XIV of France and how he came built the Palace of Versailles. Any insights, anybody?

[lucien]

Originally Posted by ahazen0822

I don't know if people saw this new show/documentary called, "Versailles: The Dream of a King", it is on BBC. It is very interesting, it gives alot of insight into Louis XIV of France and how he came built the Palace of Versailles. Any insights, anybody?

I absolutely love the series and look forward to the next episode.I was rather shocked really by Louis XV conduct and later life.....what degenerées....Louis XVI fell victim to the mistakes and ruin his immediate predecessors left France with.

[An Ard Ri]

Originally Posted by ahazen0822

I don't know if people saw this new show/documentary called, "Versailles: The Dream of a King", it is on BBC. It is very interesting, it gives alot of insight into Louis XIV of France and how he came built the Palace of Versailles. Any insights, anybody?

Loved it,the final episode was on BBC2 here earlier this week.

BBC Two - Versailles, The Dream of a King

[ahazen0822]

Originally Posted by An Ard Ri

Loved it,the final episode was on BBC2 here earlier this week.

BBC Two - Versailles, The Dream of a King

Are you from Britain, I actually was browsing the BBC site and I found the series. I found it on YouTube, it is truly sad that the US doesn't have a BBC program.

[An Ard Ri]

Reconstitution 3D: construction du château de Versailles

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FSHzMdfu-60#t=26

[CyrilVladisla]

In 1713 the village of Versailles was the "Ville nouvelle" where no building was allowed to be higher than the Palace of Versailles.

The Bull's Eye Salon gets its name from the oval window in the guilded stucco plastering.

[HereditaryPrincess]

I visited the Palace of Versailles today and I throughly enjoyed it. It's very OTT and I was saying to a friend that as much as I love royalty, I can understand why France wanted to become a republic. I enjoyed looking at all the portraits and walking in the Hall of Mirrors. I got lost quite a lot because it's so vast! I also went to Marie Antoinette's Petite Trianon (sadly her make believe village/farm was closed by the time I got there), which was lovely. I didn't particularly like the pink as it reminded me of my late great-aunt's bathroom, but it was nice and fresh inside. I think it would've been fun to be a courtier in Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette's courts. It sounds like a rather interesting time.

I've attached some photos of my visit:



Sent from my iPhone using The Royals Community

[Sun Lion]

Here is some practical information if you would like to visit Versailles, but would like to do it independently - which is cheaper, and gives you more time than an organised tour can allow.

The "Office du Tourisme et des Congres" has five locations across Paris, with the main one being in central Paris on the rue de Pyramides near the Opera.

They can sell you the Versailles ticket, valid for two years, and the train tickets, valid for a year, to get there and back.

Eighteen euros for Versailles and eight euros total for the return travel by Metro and the RER above-ground train.

(They will charge you 1.50 euros for the service, but once only, so get your Louvre and other tickets at the same time - also valid for two years.)

The train to Versailles leaves from the "Invalids" station - so take the Metro closest to your hotel down to there, stay within the station and follow the signs to the RER section and train "C" with the destination of "Versailles/Rive Gauche" - which is the last stop on this line.

Each of the two tickets, which look the same, "work" for an hour and a half from the first use - more than enough time for the journey.

Use one for the trip out and keep the other for the return trip at the end of the day. (Don't exit the station between the Metro/Paris underground and the RER above-ground or your ticket will be finished.)

Low season at the moment which means no fountain displays or flowers, but also, no queues at security or to get lunch.

Also, no crush in the corridors or the famous Hall of Mirrors.

Another plus is that it is dark early, so the lights in the Hall of Mirrors come on about 5.30pm and look wonderful if you are in the garden at the back.

Also, the gold work at the front of the Palace, and on the gates, has been restored and the flood-lighting comes on early at this time of year and is marvellous.

I would recommend taking the "Petit Train" shuttle to the Trianons as you will be doing plenty of walking anyway and this will give you more time for looking at the buildings or gardens.

This costs 7.50 euros, but is worth it to get the most out of your time.

Another plus for this time of year is that the queues for this "little train", at this time of year, are not great and hardly anyone is left waiting for the next pickup. (Keep your ticket safe as they check it each time you re-board.)

There are free toilets in the Palace in at least three locations, and also at both the Trianons.

The baguettes in the kiosks within the grounds today were fresh and a good price, plus there were tasty hot Mexican potatoes at the Grand Trianon - which is acutally outside the grounds.

(You'll need your Versailles ticket for both Trianons, and to go through another bag check, but nothing time consuming.)

The staff were very, very helpful.

I lost my husband for a couple of hours within the Palace, but a young man took me down a grand staircase not normally open to the public, handed me over to another man who handed me over to another man, who called upon a woman, who called upon another woman who then took me to another woman and they put an announcement out throughout the Palace for my husband to come to the information area, and within a few minutes he was back.

Also, the audio-guides are free and you don't need to leave any ID as security.

I hope if you want to visit this stunning place you don't feel you need to speak French, or to have a professional tour operator take you.

Once you do it like a local, you will see you can go several times throughout your stay here - and it will take several day-long visits to cover everything.

I hope you get the opportunity to see it for yourself if it is a place that interests you.

I'll try and post a few photos when I'm back home.

P.S. There are other stations where you can take the train from central Paris to Versailles of course -from Montparnasse and Saint Lazare - or Austerlitz where the "Invalids" train originates.

PP.S. When you reach the "Versailles/Rive Gauche" stop, just cross the road in front of the station and walk right, then turn left and a little way up you will see the main, front entrance of the Palace complex.

[An Ard Ri]

Originally Posted by HereditaryPrincess

I visited the Palace of Versailles today and I throughly enjoyed it. It's very OTT and I was saying to a friend that as much as I love royalty, I can understand why France wanted to become a republic. I enjoyed looking at all the portraits and walking in the Hall of Mirrors. I got lost quite a lot because it's so vast! I also went to Marie Antoinette's Petite Trianon (sadly her make believe village/farm was closed by the time I got there), which was lovely. I didn't particularly like the pink as it reminded me of my late great-aunt's bathroom, but it was nice and fresh inside. I think it would've been fun to be a courtier in Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette's courts. It sounds like a rather interesting time.

I've attached some photos of my visit: Attachment 292455
Attachment 292456Attachment 292457Attachment 292458


Sent from my iPhone using The Royals Community

Wonderful Photos Hereditary Princess,did you have a favourite part of the palace on your recent trip?

[Duchessmary]

Versailles has to be seen to be believed. Pictures in books aren't even close. The royal chapel is breath-taking, along with the Hall of Mirrors. I would urge anyone who hasn't seen it to go!

[HereditaryPrincess]

Originally Posted by An Ard Ri

Wonderful Photos Hereditary Princess,did you have a favourite part of the palace on your recent trip?

Thank you An Ard Ri, I'm glad you liked the photos. The main Palace was a little on the large side for me though I did like the Hall of Mirrors. But, my favourite part of the Palace was the Petite Trianon. It's beautiful inside and is a much more ideal size compared to the main parts of Versailles.


Sent from my iPhone using The Royals Community

[Sun Lion]

It's not far to walk to Marie Antionette's hamlet from the Petit Trianon and is well worth seeing if you have the time to fit it in.

Here are a few of the photos I took.

[Valerie Rose]

Sun Lion - thanks so much for posting these lovely photos. What a great experience you must have had!

[dbarn67]

Originally Posted by HereditaryPrincess

I visited the Palace of Versailles today and I throughly enjoyed it. It's very OTT and I was saying to a friend that as much as I love royalty, I can understand why France wanted to become a republic. I enjoyed looking at all the portraits and walking in the Hall of Mirrors. I got lost quite a lot because it's so vast! I also went to Marie Antoinette's Petite Trianon (sadly her make believe village/farm was closed by the time I got there), which was lovely. I didn't particularly like the pink as it reminded me of my late great-aunt's bathroom, but it was nice and fresh inside. I think it would've been fun to be a courtier in Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette's courts. It sounds like a rather interesting time.

I've attached some photos of my visit: Attachment 292455
Attachment 292456Attachment 292457Attachment 292458


Sent from my iPhone using The Royals Community

I was just there in Nov. and I felt the same about Versailles. It's gorgeous
but you can see why there was a revolution.

[Sun Lion]

Originally Posted by Valerie Rose

Sun Lion - thanks so much for posting these lovely photos. What a great experience you must have had!

It's amazing to actually be somewhere you've only read about Valerie Rose.

There is a small, very decorative, goat cart - under glass - in the hallway of the Petit Trianon, that the Dauphin used to ride about in.

And Marie Antoinette's bedroom in the main Palace is still as she had it.

The door next to the bed is left ajar - it is through here she escaped from the mob that descended on Versailles.

When you're there, it brings everything you've ever heard, or read, really home to you.

[CyrilVladisla]

Originally Posted by HereditaryPrincess

I visited the Palace of Versailles today and I throughly enjoyed it.

I've attached some photos of my visit: Attachment 292456


Sent from my iPhone using The Royals Community

HereditaryPrincess, Who are the children in the painting?
Who is the artist?

[HereditaryPrincess]

Originally Posted by CyrilVladisla

HereditaryPrincess, Who are the children in the painting?
Who is the artist?

I do believe the children are Princess Victoire and Princess Marie Adelaide de France. As I visited Versailles in October I can't remember who the artist was, but I don't think the artist was mentioned.

Originally Posted by dbarn67

I was just there in Nov. and I felt the same about Versailles. It's gorgeous
but you can see why there was a revolution.

It does have some beautiful rooms but I think I definitely prefer Schonbrunn in Austria. The Hall of Mirrors was my favourite, but with the latest selfie craze it took me a while to get past everyone taking selfies (I must admit, myself included ).

The French Royal's life was also very much a "secret" to the "normal" French citizens which I think is another reason as to why the revolution started. Royals also seemed to not really get involved with the public and problems in their country as much as they do now. Charities weren't as large as they are now then, so royals couldn't really become patrons of charities, meaning that they couldn't connect with the public that way.

[wyevale]

French Royal's life was also very much a "secret"

As someone with a lifelong fascination with Versailles, and the Ancien Regime, [and some little knowledge] I cannot let that pass.. The lives of the French Monarch, his wife and family, as well as collateral 'junior' branches of the Bourbon Family, such as the D'Orléans, de Bourbon-Condé et de Bourbon-Conti,[who resided in the palace] were lived practically ENTIRELY in Public. They got up, went to Chapel, dined, played cards,hunted and went to bed in public, and [although some the closest access was restricted to the great nobles] Versailles was far more 'open to the public' than it is today.

Anyone decently dressed was admitted, and although [for men] wearing a sword was obligatory, one could be hired at the gates.

Day trips to Versailles [to gawp at the Royal Family] in its splendid Palace were as popular amongst both the French populace, and tourists as they are today, and the activities of the Royal Family and the Court were minutely detailed in publications such as the 'Mercure de Versailles'.

It was only during the reign of Louis xvi, when Marie Antoinette sought to restrict access, and live a more secluded private life that the public began to question the set up at Versailles. That, and many complex reasons [far too many to enumerate here] led to the reduction in respect for the Monarchy, and contributed to the revolution.

[Lee-Z]

Originally Posted by CyrilVladisla

HereditaryPrincess, Who are the children in the painting?
Who is the artist?

The children are the two eldest daughters (twins) of Louis XV Louise Elisabeth and Henriette, painter is Pierre Gobert
http://www.madamegilflurt.com/2013/0...abeth-and.html
Madame Elisabeth, Duchess of Parma, daughter of Louis XV « Versailles and More

[Lady Nimue]

Originally Posted by An Ard Ri

Reconstitution 3D: construction du château de Versailles

Wonderful video! Thank you, An Ard Ri. I've been watching this in detail again-and-again.