Behind the Scenes in Versailles

Everyone knows Versailles: this palace that was the home of Kings such as Louis XIV, Louis XV and Louis XVI and which has become the symbol of the height of royalty because of its grandeur and that of its occupants. Few however know its secrets and hidden treasures. From Louis XIII's hunting pavili [...]
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Everyone knows Versailles: this palace that was the home of Kings such as Louis XIV, Louis XV and Louis XVI and which has become the symbol of the height of royalty because of its grandeur and that of its occupants. Few however know its secrets and hidden treasures. From Louis XIII's hunting pavilion to the wing where the Presidents of the 3rd and 4th Republics were elected, this palace keeps the secrets of history. In this book fascinating anecdotes are re-told by Pascal Bonafoux and accompanied by reproductions of paintings and never-before-published photographs to unveil Versailles as we have never seen it before. The book looks behind the scenes of the building of the chateau and its numerous renovations, life at court and its characters such as Kings, Queens as well as courtiers and the intrigues that go along with them, the annexes such as Marie-Antoinette's Farm, the chapel, the orangerie, the stables; the technical treasures so little-known by the general public like the pulley systems for the chandeliers in the Hall of Mirrors or the machinery for the great fountains and ponds.The underground vegetable gardens are disclosed, as well as the secret passage that took Louis XIV to his mistress and many other hidden gems.