I had the amazing opportunity, this week, to go to Versailles with a small group of journalists, and to walk around with almost no-one around – We were 5 journalists and some security guards and staff persons were with us. The palace of Versailles is one of the most beautiful architectural creation on earth. It is also one of the most visited place on earth – that’s why when I received an invitation to go there as a journalist I couldn’t resist. This palace is situated in Versailles, a small city located near Paris and where Louis XIV – surely the more important ruler in French history -  decided to build a new castle for his family. It was at the end of the XVIIth century. But the palace was built from the reign of Louis XIV (starting around 1680) to the reign of Louis Philippe in the middle of the XIXth century. So this castle, like Le Louvre, situated in the center of Paris, is very interesting cause every ruler from Louis XIV to Louis Philippe made something in there (Louis XV, Louis XVI, Napoléon Bonaparte, ..). We’ll post something, later, about Napoléon Bonaparte in Versailles.

Anyway, the palace of Versailles is a beautiful mix of styles and periods. All those elements work amazingly together. Now, the castle is a museum. I always loved to visit this place, I went there often when I was a kid, but I didn’t return there for few years before this week. I went few years ago to Russia and visited some amazing palaces – mostly in and around St-Petersburg – that have been built on the model of Versailles under or after Peter the great’s reign. I have to say that the other day, when I was there almost by myself, I thought that the palace of Versailles wasn’t that huge – compared to what I saw in Russia – but that it was an amazing ensemble that only history could have built – what I saw in Russia was amazing, but it wasn’t the same. I also felt and realized how much history there was between those walls: Louis XIV almost designed this place, Louis XV and Louis XVI grew up there and lived in there, the whole French monarchy was spending time in this palace, and then revolutionaries came there to get the king and his queen. Bonaparte went there, and every French rulers after him too.

This visit was organized with the goal to show us a newly renewed room in Versailles: “Le grand couvert”. This room was originally where the queen’s guards were staying. Then, Louis XIV decided to have lunch in there, with his family, everyday, in front of an audience. Everyone was allowed to come, to stare at the king and his family.

Take a look at our pictures:

The king is still in Versailles!

One of the palace’s wing

“Le grand couvert”. Kings loved gold!

Mars, the god of war, is all over the place.

This is what the king and the queen’s table looked like. They were eating in front of a big audience.

And those were the chairs where they were sitting. Those are very rustic, it is funny cause even until Louis XVI – the last real French king – Louis XIV’s norms and furnitures were kept intact. Louis XIV was eating there everyday, with his queen and his kids. But with Louis XV, then Louis XVI, this public lunch was only taking place twice a week. Marie Antoinette, Louis XVI’s wife, wasn’t even eating anymore during those lunches, she was keeping her gloves on all the time.

Marie Antoinette and her kids.

There are some amazing elements in the top of this room’s walls.

The palace’s front is really pure and simple, but sophisticated at the same time. The castle’s gardens and woods are huge and really typical of the French  tradition.

This is a “small side” of the palace. This was the queen’s apartment.

“Le grand couvert” is full of amazing pieces.

The queen’s bed, two rooms away from “le grand couvert”. Like every French kings and queens’ quotidian moments, every bed times were taking place with an audience – but unlike the lunch at “le grand couvert”, only important personalities were allowed.

The queen’s bed room.

The famous “galerie des glaces”. I think this is the biggest room in Versailles.

Louis XIV, “le roi soleil”.

The French’s crown symbol.

When architecture and art are gathering….

A small detail like We love them.

This is a beautiful but an old building. That’s why the museum is always working on saving it.

Those lions are guarding this room.

In “la galerie des glaces”: “the king governs by himself”. Don’t forget that Louis XIV once said, “the state it’s me”. This is in that room that big events were taking place and where the high society was dancing. The ruler had to show to everyone who was in charge.

Adam and Eve? They’re a bit to young…

Versailles is not made of paper!

Louis XV.

A more recent part of the palace, built under Louis Philippe I guess? ( LP for Louis Philippe?).

The French revolution almost killed every members of the monarchy in France. The Palace of Versailles also lost, after the revolution, its importance. Napoleon, for instance, didn’t live in it.

A detail on a door.