Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
the king and his gardener decided that God had planted it in the wrong place to
begin with. Work continued on the
Palace of Versailles
over a period of 50 years.
The Sun King made certain that nothing from the outside world would be impor-
ted for Versailles if it could be created or found in France. The result was an ex-
traordinary showcase of French culture.
Urged on, first by Madame de Pompadour and then by Madame du Barry, Louis
XV (1710-1774) also ordered additions to the palace, including the Petit Trianon,
which Louis XVI (1754-1793) gave to his wife, Marie Antoinette, when he came to
the throne.
Despite the splendor of this edifice, Marie and her courtiers were drawn to the
fantasies of a hamlet erected for her by her loving husband. There, among oth-
er rural objects, stood a dairy barn complete with cows, among which Marie and
her companions would cavort—much to the consternation of the bovines, who had
never observed such carefree antics before among the peasants of the land.
Versailles is an extraordinary complex of marvels where the kings of France
were insulated from the distant horrors of the Revolution. Its restoration to the ori-
ginal is a marvel in itself—a testament to the heirs of its tradition.
Let your imagination run by visualizing throngs of court favorites, courtiers,
teams of prancing horses pulling royal carriages over the cobblestones of the
courtyard, chambermaids scurrying about, valets rushing about with the linens of
the gentry, and butchers carving the roasts for the banquets under the surveillance
of the king's hounds—all of this 17th-century tumult, cacophony, and frenzy taking
place on a scale many times greater than that of any Cecil B. DeMille production.
It is impossible to see Versailles completely in one visit—three, perhaps, but
nothing less than that. Consequently, set priorities (and this may sound silly) by
going there the first time and just wandering around. Go back the second time and
take the tour. Return the third time to see the things you missed or wanted to see
again from the times before.
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