The Interiors of Versailles

~Versailles, Palais Royal~

One of our favorite sites that my daughter and I visited while in France was the Palace of Versailles. It was on my daughter’s “must-see” list and with it only being a 35 minutes train ride from Paris, we decided to devote a day to this World Heritage Site.

It did not disappoint…It was breathtaking!

Versailles was primarily built during the reign of Louis XIV, also known as The Sun King. In 1682, he moved the entire French court and government to Versailles, creating it as the center of their political power. Throughout the years, Versailles continued to grow and expand into a most lavish style.

One of the most impressive sights in Versailles is The Chapel Royal. Everyday at 10am, the court would attend the King’s Mass. Because the French Monarchy believed that the King was chosen by God, the paintings and sculptures in the chapel represent the idea that the king was God’s lieutenant here on earth.

The room below is known as The Mercury Salon. It is one of seven salons that make up The King’s Grand Apartment. It was designed to serve as a ceremonial apartment, becoming a place for people to be received.

The Mercury Salon was rarely used as an actual bedchamber. In fact, the bed was often removed to make room for game tables. The Brocade fabrics in the room were woven with gold and silver threads. Personally, I love the feather bouquets found on the corners of bed canopy.

Of course, one of the most awe-inspiring rooms was The Hall of Mirrors. The Hall is filled with 357 mirrors, gorgeous chandeliers and gilded bronze statues. It was used as a passageway and a meeting place for the courtiers and the public. It was only used for ceremonies on special occasions such as the masked ball for the wedding of Marie-Antoinette and Louis XVI.

The room below is called The Salon of War. The walls are covered with marble panels with gilded bronze detail. This panel depicts Louis XIV on horseback, trampling his enemies.

One of my favorite rooms is The Queen’s Bedchamber. This is where the queen slept and where royal births took place. In fact, nineteen “Children of France” were born here.

The queen’s bed is very ornate. The fabric is a rich floral pattern with feminine colors and style. Again, the room contains a large amount of gilding and the bed has the beautiful feather bouquets.

The large cabinet to the left was Marie-Antoinette’s jewel-casket. Do you see the door to the right? That’s the door that she escaped through when the palace was invaded by rioters at the start of the French Revolution.

The Queen’s Antechamber is definitely the way to “dine in style.” This is the room where public meals were eaten. The King and Queen sat in the two chairs at the table. Duchesses sat on the stools facing the King and Queen, while other members of court stood watching them.

Have you noticed the amazing paintings on the ceilings? Virtually every room has these wonderful works of art. Each one is more beautiful than the last.

Walking the halls and rooms of Versailles takes you back to a place of regal ambience and luxurious interiors. You can momentarily step back in time…to the days of Louis XVI and the French court.

Did you enjoy exploring some of the Interiors of Versailles? If you’d like, I can share some pictures of the The Grand Trianon and Marie-Antoinette’s estate. They are just as fabulous as the actual palace!

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