18th June - 8th November 2015
3
Contents
Press release
4
The Ehibition
7
The Porcelain Trianon
8
The Marble Trianon under Louis XIV
th
The Grand Trianon in the 18
century
10
12
The Grand Trianon under Napoleon
14
The Grand Trianon under Louis-Philippe
16
The Grand Trianon museum
18
History of the Grand Trianon
21
Timeline
22
Partners
28
The sponsors
29
The media partners
30
Appendices
33
The Trianon application
34
Practical information
35
Press release
The Grand Trianon from Louis XIV to Charles de Gaulle
18th June - 8th November 2015
Grand Trianon
In par allel with the restor ation work on the Gr and Trianon, started in
January 2015, the Pal ace of Versailles is holding an exhibition that will tr ace
the history of the Pal ace from its construction up to 1960. Pl ans, engr avings
and dr awings evoke the history of the alter ations and changes made to the
building, while busts and portr aits depict those who lived in it.
The Grand Trianon: a private palace for the seat of
power
on
land that once belonged to a village purchased by Louis XIV, the current Grand Trianon
sits on the site of an initial palace built in 1670 by Louis Le Vau: the Porcelain Trianon.
This small palace was designed mainly as a venue for the romantic relations between
Louis XIV and the Marquise de Montespan, and got its name from the 'Chinese-st yle'
blue and white porcelain that covered it. It was destroyed in 1687 and replaced by the
Marble Trianon, later called the Grand Trianon, which remains today. The building was
the work of Jules Hardouin-Mansart and was given the name 'Marble' because of the Rance marble
columns on the portico and the red Languedoc marble pilasters decorated with white Carrara
marble capitals. The Grand Trianon was Louis XIV's private estate and a palace for leisure, where
he entertained the ladies of the court with shows and parties. It has retained its 17 th-century
decoration, wood panelling and paintings depicting the Metamorphoses of Ovid, in perfect
harmony with the light ambience of this country house.
Situated in the north-west corner of the park of the Pal ace of Versailles,
Press contacts
Hélène Dalifard
Aurélie Gevrey
Elsa Martin
Violaine Solari
+33 (0)1 30 83 75 21
[email protected]
All the images of the
exhibiton available at
presse.chateauversailles.fr
The Gr and Trianon was rel atively lit tle used by Louis XV,
who nevertheless spent a while
living there with the Marquise de Pompadour. During the French Revolution its collect ions were
dispersed. In 1804 it became the Imperial Palace, when Napoleon restored its lust re and fully
refurnished it for his marriage with the Empress Marie-Louise. The palace was inhabited for the
last time by King Louis-Philippe, who housed his entire family there and somewhat modified the
building to make it more comfortable. It was turned into a museum at the end of the 19th century
and fi lled with various motley objects, and it was only in the 20th century that the Grand Trianon
regained its splendour and historical furnishings. Most recently, the birth of the French 5th Republic
const ituted a turning point for this estate, transforming it into a presidential residence dest ined to
host foreign Heads of State.
5
Curator
Jérémie Benoît, Head
Curator at the Palace of
Trianon
Layout
Jérôme Dumoux
The exhibition
reveal the modifications and changes made
to the Grand Trianon over the course of history. Painted masterpieces from Trianon, commissioned
in 1688 by Louis XIV or in 1811 by Napoleon, and portraits of those who lived in the Palace recreate
the atmosphere of smaller rooms centred around furniture designed for intimacy, like for example
the Emperor's pedestal surrounded by the chairs from the Hall of Mirrors, or the chair belonging to
Princess Clémentine d’Orléans, the daughter of Louis-Philippe. Fascinating objects such as the
recently restored ivory kiosk by Barrau and the vase of the Imperial Hunt by Swebach embellish the
exhibition. Three desk chairs very similar in form are spread throughout the exhibition: two were
used by Napoleon and the third belonged to General De Gaulle. They are symbolic of the
permanent presence of power in the palace of Trianon and forerun the second part of the exhibition
that will be held in 2016, and will be devoted to the history of the Grand Trianon from 1960 to
today.
A collection of pl ans, engr avings and dr awings
and thanks to André Malraux, Minister for Culture at the time, General de
Gaulle decided to launch an extensive programme to renovate the palace in terms of its historical
furnishings, aiming to transform it into a presidential residence for the needs of the French 5th
Republic. The future exhibition will use various items and memories from the first President of the
5th Republic to review the major role played by Trianon in international relations. From the 1960s to
the 1990s the palace, which at the time hosted visitors to France in one wing, and housed the French
President in Trianon-sous-Bois, was the location of grand and sumptuous receptions. After many
years, in 2014, the tradition was renewed when the President of the Republic François Hollande
received the President of the People's Republic of China, Xi Jinping, for a private dinner.
During the 1960s
With the support of:
And the media partnership of:
Part I
The exhibition
8
Part I — The exhibition
The Porcelain Trianon
which was bought by Louis XIV and
knocked down in 1688, in order to incorporate it into the estate of Versailles to build gardens
there. Quick ly enamoured of the location, where he liked to walk, the King asked the architect
Louis Le Vau to build a small palace in honour of his mistress the Marquise de Montespan.
Trianon was named after a small medieval vill age
enraptured his contemporaries st raight away. Designed in
the 'Chinese st yle', both the central pavilion and its four smaller, secondary pavilions were
covered with blue and white faience and decorated with colourful sculptures, also in faience.
This harmony of colour was also found in the interior decoration and carried on into the
garden where the coping and bottoms of the fountains were covered with the same material.
This fantast ical decoration quick ly earned the little palace the name 'Porcelain Trianon'.
The elegance of the building
BUST OF LOUIS XIV 1638 - 1715
Designed by Antoine Coysevox
(1640-1720)
Marble
Bought by Louis-Philippe in 1844
Musée national des châteaux de
Versailles et de Trianon
called the Amours Room and the Diana Room
on either side of a lounge-vest ibule. The decoration was luxurious. The furniture was supplied by
the cabinet-maker Pierre Gole. It is very likely that a small ivory table with blue and white 'verny',
conserved in the J.Paul Getty Museum in Los Angeles, is a vestige of the palace. The silks in the
bedrooms were supplied by Duc, Monsollier and Le Roux. The interior decoration and the roofs
were the work of the sculptors Le Hongre, Mazeline, Legros, Houzeau and Caffiéri.
The interior l ayout contained two chambers
However, the real charm of the estate l ay in its gardens,
thanks to whose lavishness the
palace was quick ly nick named the 'Palace of Flora'. Placed under the management of Michel III Le
Bouteux, nephew of André Le Nôtre, the Porcelain Trianon's gardens formed without a doubt a
whole kingdom of flowers and scents. The Duke of Saint-Simon described how "nothing was so
magnificent as those evenings at Trianon. Every day all the flowerbeds changed their flower
compartments, and I saw the King and all the court leaving because of the tuberose flowers, whose
scent fi lled the air and which were so numerous that nobody could remain in the gardens, in spite
of their size and the terraces on the banks of the canal". The gardener went to great pains in order
for the King to be able to enjoy a luxurious garden that was constantly in flower with rare, colourful
and highly perfumed species. He did not hesitate to order flowers from all over France (mainly
from Provence) as well as abroad (such as tulips from Holland, jasmines from Spain). Arranged in
colour coordination with the royal fleur-de-lys, the flowerbeds containing thousands of tuberoses,
daffodils, anemones, cyclamens and hyacinths were a palette of blue, white and red: the colours of
the King and the Virgin. The most impressive, however, were the orange trees planted in the ground
near the canal which had to be covered with glass panes every winter. The garden was framed by
two alleys of trellising, one of which led to the scents room, a small structure slightly separated
from the rest, in which to enjoy the scents of the flowers.
the Porcelain Trianon did not survive Madame de
Montespan, who was replaced by the Marquise de Maintenon. In 1687 Louis XIV, tired of his
fantast ical architecture, ordered it to be demolished and replaced by a more ambitious palace: the
marble Trianon.
Principally devoted to small celebr ations,
9
TrIANON
Anonymous
Coloured etching
Musée National des Châteaux de Versailles et de Trianon
This etching, dated circa 1670, shows the Porcelain
Trianon built by Louis Le Vau, with the two courtyards
in front of it. There is some divergence amongst images
concerning the first courtyard, which is either marked
with posts, as shown here, or encircled by railings. The
palace stood between the courtyard and the garden, with
two large pavilions positioned slightly further back for the
Seigneurs and two small ones for offices.
Just a single storey high, the central pavilion possessed a
tall roof covered with faience. It was sophisticated with
hints of Baroque style, and the palace very quickly became famous and a large number of aristocrats
wanted to build their own 'Trianon' at the bottom of their parks.
FrAGMENTS OF THE PORCELAIN TRIANON
Faience
Musée National des Châteaux de Versailles et de Trianon
Decorated entirely with blue and white faience ordered from factories in Delft,
Rouen, Lisieux and Nevers, the Porcelain, or "Pourceline" Trianon as it was
called at the time, imitated the blue and white Chinese porcelain. This faience
was, in fact, erroneously referred to as porcelain, since it was not yet known in
Europe how to manufacture the latter material. The palace was decorated with
these colours both inside and outside, as were the pots and cases of the shrubs
in the garden, sometimes in simple"verny" in imitation of the faience.
Very fragile during the harsh winters of the 17th century, the palace required
constant maintenance. During the demolition work in 1687 many fragments
were buried in the gardens, and decorative elements sometimes reappear
during excavations or levelling work.
10
Part I — The exhibition
The Marble Trianon under Louis XIV
to build a new palace that
would suit his tastes better than the Porcelain Trianon, and in which he could stay for
longer periods of time. The architect built a single-storey Italian-st yle palace that stretched
out in a series of gold and pink wings. The King, who monitored the work closely from a
tent erected in the gardens, preferred to do away with of the originally-planned central
pavilion in favour of a perist yle whose const ruct ion was entrusted to Robert de Cotte.
In 1687 Louis XIV commissioned Jules Hardouin-Mansart
was covered with pink Languedoc marble. The
sculptures for the windows were ordered from Coustou and Joly. The inside, which was
completely white, was decorated with wood panelling that was reworked several times,
from Coysevox, Le Gros, Lespingola, Magnier, Mazeline, Flamen, Hardy, Raon and van
Clève. The paintings on Metamorphoses by Ovid were done by Charles de La Fosse,
François Verdier, René-Antoine Houasse, Noël and Antoine Coypel, Louis and Bon
Boullogne, Bertin, Marot, Martin, Allegrain and Jean Jouvenet. The gallery was decorated
with views of the Versailles groves by Jean Cotelle. Provision of the furniture was entrusted
to the cabinet-maker Antoine Gaudreaus for the most part, but also to Domenico Cucci who
supplied the tables for the gallery. The upholsterer Doublet covered the benches and stools with
Savonnerie tapest ries and silks by Marcellin Charlier.
The main section of the pal ace
FRANÇOISE D’AUBIGNÉ, MARQUISE DE MAINTENON
1635-1719
Jean Mariette (1654-1742)
Coloured etching
Musée national des châteaux de
Versailles et de Trianon
Initially installed in the North
Wing, where he never slept, he then moved it into the South Wing, where he slept for the first time
in 1692. Later, after demolishing the concert hall that lead onto the Main Courtyard and in order to
be closer to the Marquise de Maintenon, whose apartment opened onto the King's Garden, he
const ructed his final apartment in 1703. It was for this room that the two Mazarine commodes by
Boulle were made. The Trianon-sous-Bois wing was reworked between 1704 and 1707 and another
storey was added in order to accommodate the royal family: the king's brother the Duke d'Orléans
and his wife Princess Palatine, the Grand Dauphin, the Duke of Burgundy and the daughters that
Louis XIV had had with Madame de Montespan. The place enjoyed a great family atmosphere;
there is a story, for example, that in Trianon-sous-Bois on the night 4th July 1694, the king's
daughters placed bangers below the Duke d’Orléans's room, who was woken with a start. He
complained of it to the king who calmed him down but who was doubtless in on the secret. It was
also in Trianon that, on 11th August 1715, the king felt the first pains of the illness that was to take his
life less than a month later.
The king changed the location of his apartment three times.
Although the building was r adically different to the Porcel ain Trianon,
the original
gardens changed little: André Le Nôtre, who was latterly placed in charge of Trianon, generally
respected the original layout. Vast flowerbeds built facing the new const ruct ion and leading onto
the canal extended west ward. Descending from the perist yle, one fisrt encountered the 'Top
Flowerbed', which was fi lled with thousands of flowers and embellished with two round pools,
before coming across the 'Lower Flowerbed' which was bordered with trellis arches covered with
jasmine.
11
The Lower Fountain at the end of the Perspect ive was enlarged several times. To the left there were
lines of orange trees planted in the ground; along the edge of the Trianon-sous-Bois wing there was
a rectangular pool, and the Spring Garden contained a clover-shaped pool.
the King also had a 'personal garden' (today called the 'King's Garden'), which
was a private, almost sacred area planted with the most delicate and intriguingly scented flowers.
Near the entr ance,
devoted to shows and parties. Operas by Lully and
Destouches were performed in the concert hall, and in 1702 the carnival, organised by the Duchess
of Burgundy, was also held here.
Trianon was a very private pal ace
VIEW OF THE FLOWErBEDS OF TrIANON WITH ZEPHYrUS AND FLOr A
Jean Cotelle (1645-1708)
Gouache with black lines
Musée national des châteaux de Versailles et de Trianon
Jean Cotelle, commissioned in 1688 for paintings depicting the gardens of Versailles to
decorate the gallery in Trianon, painted gouache works at first. In this one showing the
flowerbeds of Trianon, which was also produced as an oil painting for the gallery, we
can see that the palace was originally topped with groups of sculptures, which were
dest royed from 1810 onwards. The dense, bushy flowerbeds were planted in the colours
of the king and there were also trees planted in the ground. The presence of Zephyrus
and Flora, often depicted in the paintings in Trianon, accurately evokes the spirit of
this country palace, known as the Palace of Flora.
APOLLO AND THETIS
Jean Jouvenet (1644-1717)
Oil on canvas
Musée national des châteaux de Versailles et de Trianon
Commissioned for the Relaxation Room in Madame de Maintenon's apartment in the
Grand Trianon, this painting was finished in 1701. Artists painted on this same subject
several times for Trianon, with versions by Jean Jouvenet, François Verdier and Charles
de La Fosse. Indicative of the spirit of the palace, Apollo represents Louis XIV, the Sun
King, visiting his mist ress Thetis: Trianon was a palace for the king's love affairs, in
contrast to Versailles from which the sovereign ruled in all his splendour. The painted
decoration in Trianon was inspired by Metamorphoses by Ovid, focusing mainly on
goddesses transformed into flowers and thus adding an extra dimension to the
nick name 'Flora Palace'. This painting, like most of the paintings in Trianon, was
removed during the French Revolution. Initially exhibited in the Special Museum of
the French School that was created in Versailles in 1797, it was later sent to the museum
of Caen in 1804. Like all the other commissioned paintings, it only returned to Trianon in the 1960s
during restoration work carried out upon the request of General de Gaulle and André Malraux.
12
Part I— The exhibition
The Grand Trianon in the 18th century
Trianon nevertheless played
host to Tsar Peter I of Russia in 1717 upon the invitation of the Duke of Antin, who
succeeded Mansart in the Royal Estates Bureau. During the early years of his reign Louis
XV stayed there very little. He went there on 8th March 1723 to hunt fallow deer, and on
2nd May 1724 to watch the solar eclipse with his the ast ronomer Jacques Cassini. In 1741 he
gave the palace to his wife, Queen Marie Leszczynska, in order to distance her from the
court.
Although unused after the death of Louis XIV in 1715,
LOUIS XV
1710- 1774
École française
Marble
Musée national des châteaux de
Versailles et de Trianon
From 1750 he wanted to give the estate a new lease of life and made a few modifications to
Madame de Maintenon's apartments, where he established his own apartments and those
of the Marquise de Pompadour. A small chapel was also built and the last room belonging
to Louis XIV became a dining room. Pieces of furniture made by Bernard Van Riesen
Burgh, Antoine Robert Gaudreaus and Gilles Joubert were added. In spite of these changes
Louis XV did not come any more frequently to Trianon. He did, however, retire there with
his family after the death of Madame Henriette, his favourite daughter in February 1752. Several
apartments were at that time created for the Queen, Madame Adélaïde, and the Dauphin and
Dauphine.
In 1768 the king lost interest in the Grand Trianon in favour of his new const ruct ion projects,
notably the more private Petit Trianon that was being made. A botany enthusiast, he did however
create several gardens on the estate for growing specific plants. These included a vegetable garden,
flower garden, fig orchard and greenhouses, an innovation that was still a rare at the time. Trianon
thus gradually became a location for experiments and horticultural studies. In order to be able to
work amongst his flowers and greenhouses, Louis XV also asked Ange-Jacques Gabriel to build the
French Pavilion in the heart of a small French garden. The garden was one of the last of this st yle,
and was replaced not long after by the tendency for English-st yle informal gardens.
Although the architecture of the Marble Trianon remains intact,
the botanic gardens did
not survive beyond Louis XV. In 1774 Louis XVI gave the estate to Marie-Antoinette who, little
interested in horticulture, decided to transfer the scientific collect ions from the King's Garden in
Paris (Now the Jardin des Plantes) in order to create a new, English-st yle park. A few pieces of
furniture, including a writing table stamped by Jean Henri Riesener and Adam Weisweiler, were
nevertheless delivered to the Grand Trianon in 1782 to be used by the Dauphin, who stayed there
when the queen was in the Petit Trianon with her daughter Madame Royale.
The French Revolution left lit tle impact on the decor ation of the two Trianon pal aces,
which were nonetheless stripped of their furniture, sold between 1793 and 1974. A large number of
the paintings were removed and sent to Versailles, where they formed the basis of the Special
Museum of the French School, opened in 1797. The royal symbols were destroyed in 1795, but in the
end the palace suffered little during this difficult period.
13
VIEW OF THE Gr AND TrIANON FrOM THE AVENUE SIDE
Pierre-Denis Martin (1663-1742)
Oil on canvas
Musée national des châteaux de Versailles et de Trianon
Commissioned in 1721 for the Palace of Choisy, this painting depicts
the Regent Philippe d'Orléans giving orders for the arrival of Louis
XV's carriage in the Main Courtyard of the palace. On the right, the
old enclosure of the King's Garden, removed by Napoleon, can clearly
be seen. As a child Louis XV rarely stayed in Trianon, only moving
there in 1750.
THE BUFFET D’EAU FOUNTAIN IN THE TrIANON GArDENS
Charles-Nicolas Cochin le Jeune, designed by Pierre-Denis Martin
Etching
Musée national des châteaux de Versailles et de Trianon
Louis XV returned to Trianon a few times during the 1720s, accompanied by the Duke of
Antin, Superintendent of the Royal Estates. In this etching he is depicted walking near the
Buffet d’Eau Fountain, a work by Jules Hardouin-Mansart built in 1700 on the site of one
of the waterfalls from the Porcelain Trianon, in the Trianon-sous-Bois Perspect ive.
Crowned with figures in bronze of Neptune and Amphitrite, the Buffet d’Eau is the only
fountain in Trianon with decorations from mythology.
THE DAUPHIN'S TABLE
Jean-Henri Riesener (1734-1806) and Adam Weisweiler (1744-1820)
Rosewoods and amaranth wood
Donation from the Count de Royère, subject to usufruct, 2006
Musée national des châteaux de Versailles et de Trianon
Produced for use by the Dauphin in the Grand Trianon in 1782, this little table,
ordered from Riesener, was in fact subcontracted to Weisweiler.
Dauphin Louis-Joseph-Xavier, the eldest son of Louis XVI and Marie-Antoinette
born in 1781, died in June 1789. When his mother was in the Petit Trianon, the
'women's palace', he would also return to stay in the Grand Trianon, which had
become the 'men's palace'.
14
Part I — The exhibition
The Grand Trianon under Napoleon
the Grand Trianon was refurnished twice
by the Emperor. The first instance was in 1805 for his mother, Madame Mère. He gave
her the South Wing while he took the North Wing with Joséphine. The Petit Trianon
was given to Pauline Borghèse. Guillaume Trepsat, Architect of Versailles, was in
charge of the work and the furniture was provided by Jacob-Desmalter. However,
Madame Mère refused to settle there, considering that it was lack ing the necessary
comfort. Because of this the Emperor also renounced the idea of living there and only
went a few times to hunt.
After becoming an imperial residence,
Napoleon decided to move there
in 1810 with Marie-Louise, after his divorce from Joséphine. The architects had
supplied plans for radical changes, but these were disregarded and the palace did not
change in appearance. New furnishings were simply supplied by Jacob-Desmalter and
Marcion, while works in bronze were provided by Claude Galle. In the end the palace
did not really lose its Ancien Régime spirit, even after the addition of paintings
commissioned in 1811 on subjects linked to Napoleon.
Alter ations were made for a second time when
BUST OF NAPOLEON 1769-1821
François-Joseph, Baron Bosio
(1768-1845)
Marble
Signed on the left: Bosio
Musée national des
châteaux de Versailles et de Trianon,
the old apartments belonging to Louis XV and Madame de Pompadour for
his use; he transformed the first part in 1812 in order to create his private chamber, the only room in
the palace decorated on an Imperial theme. The Petit Trianon and the Hamlet were also
refurnished for Marie-Louise. To connect the two palaces, Napoleon dest royed part of the enclosing
wall of the King's Garden, which was linked to the gardens of the Petit Trianon via an iron bridge
spanning a sunken pathway. He also cut down the Spring Grove.
Napoleon arr anged
a grand party was held at Trianon to celebrate the birth of the King of Rome,
Napoleon's son. Several pieces were performed in the Petit Théâtre, music by Paër was played in the
gardens, which were lit up, and the day ended with a grand dinner given in the gallery. This was the
only party held there, however. The Emperor barely returned to the estate, except in March 1813 to
rebuild the Great Army and establish his war plan after the disaster in Russia.
In August 1811
was given to the palace for the
most part, with only the Napoleonic paintings and imperial symbols being removed. However,
during the Revolution of July 1830, Charles X, on his way to exile, held his last council with his
ministers here.
At the restor ation of the Bourbon monarchy, lit tle interest
15
DESK CHAIr BELONGING TO NAPOLEON IN TrIANON
Jacob-Desmalter
Mahogany, gilt bronze and green leather
Bought in 2006
Musée national des châteaux de Versailles et de Trianon
Made to a design that Napoleon was particularly fond of, this desk chair was delivered in 1810
for the Council Room in Trianon. However, records show that it was in the Emperor's Private
Chamber in 1812. It is the only one of Napoleon's chairs to have conserved its original leather.
THE FrENCH ArMY CrOSSES THE SIErr A DE GUADArr AMA
Nicolas-Antoine Taunay (1755-1830)
Oil on canvas, December 1815
Musée national des châteaux de Versailles et de Trianon
In 1811 Vivant Denon, the Director of the Napoleon museum (Louvre), asked the
Emperor to commission paintings destined to decorate some of the salons in the Grand
Trianon, situated around the Emperor's Grand Cabinet. This painting, which is without
a doubt the masterpiece of the series, depicts Napoleon followed by the Great Army
crossing the mountains block ing the way to Madrid. The epic work, dated from early
1813, shows the difficulty of the ascension to the summit. It was removed from Trianon
in 1814 on the return of the Bourbons. It is currently on display in the Palace of
Versailles, like the rest of the commission.
LUNCH SErVICE BELONGING TO EMPrESS MArIE LOUISE
Manufacture Impériale de Sèvres
Hard-paste porcelain
Musée national des châteaux de Versailles et de Trianon
Delivered in 1810, this purple lunch service with bright gilding was originally
composed of four unique pieces: teapot, bowl, milk jug and sugar bowl. It also
included six teacups and saucers, three of which have been broken. The shape of
these cups was innovative for the late Empire period.
CHAIr FrOM THE HALL OF MIrrOrS
Jacob-Desmalter
Ivory, ebony, box, various precious woods
Musée national des châteaux de Versailles et de Trianon
In 1805 the palace was partially refurnished, notably with the delivery of the chairs for the Hall
of Mirrors, which were covered with lampas called the 'Four corners of the world', woven by
Cartier. Since Madame Mère refused to move into Trianon, it was the Emperess Marie-Louise
in 1810 who benefited from this furniture. Sold by the Estates in 1881, it has for the most part
been bought back and was restored in 2006.
16
Part I — The exhibition
The Grand Trianon
under Louis-Philippe
from which he could oversee the work to turn
the Palace of Versailles into the Museum of the History of France. In 1835 he chose the
Grand Trianon, moving in with his family and establishing his work apartment in a
wing opening onto the Grand Canal, which until then had never been used. The
apartment was recently refurnished by the Conservation of the Palace of Versailles. The
king's sister, Madame Adélaïde, moved into part of South Wing, his daughters took the
Emperor's apartments, and his sons moved into Trianon-sous-Bois, where a new chapel
was created in place of the former Billiards Room. In October 1837 the marriage of
Princess Marie d’Orléans to the Duke of Wurtemberg was held here. A banquet was also
given on 8th December 1840 in the Main Gallery for Queen Marie-Christ ine of Spain,
who had been evicted from the throne.
King Louis-Philippe needed a pal ace
began in 1836 under the management of the architect Frédéric
Nepveu, and continued until 1838. In the gardens, a set of outside steps with iron railings
were built. Stoves were installed in the basements, as well as a large kitchen for serving
the king. Over the main entrance door of the South Wing, a clock with a bell by Vagner,
the Clock maker to the King, was installed.
The alter ation works
BUST OF KING LOUIS-PHILIPPE
1773-1850
Georges Jacquot (1794-1874)
Gypsum, signed and dated 1834
Musée national des châteaux de
Versailles et de Trianon,
The furniture from Napoleon was kept but the silks were changed, and more comfortable
furniture was also added, made by Alphonse Jacob-Desmalter, Lemarchand and Jeanselme. Royal
portraits fi lled the empty spaces left by Napoleon's paintings. The king brought Napoleon's bed from
the Tuileries into the bedroom in the South Wing, and a billiard table by Cosson was placed in the
music room.
but, like Charles X in 1830, Louis-Philippe
stopped at Trianon when he left for exile after the French Revolution of 1848.
This period was not marked by any major event
17
TrIANON VASE
Manufacture Royale de Sèvres
Hard-paste porcelain
Musée national des châteaux de Versailles et de Trianon
This vase is one of a pair; the other one shows a view of Versailles. On this one the South
Wing of the Grand Trianon can be seen, with the balust rade on a set of steps by LouisPhilippe next to the gardens. The vase bears the number of Louis-Philippe topped with a
crown and is dated 1848. It arrived in Trianon during the Second Empire.
LOW CHAIr BELONGING TO PrINCESS CLÉMENTINE D’OrLÉANS
Louis-Edouard Lemarchand (1795-1872)
Rosewood inlaid with holly, silk
Musée national des châteaux de Versailles et de Trianon
This low chair with channelled legs ending in little wheels and a handle in the back,
called 'to hand', demonst rates the carefully designed level of comfort in furniture during
the reign of Louis-Philippe.
Clémentine d’Orléans (1817-1907), his youngest daughter, was the mother of Ferdinand,
Tsar of Bulgaria. She was the longest-living survivor among those who had occupied an
apartment in Trianon.
DESK CHAIr BELONGING TO BArON CAMILLE FAIN
Attributed to Jacob-Frères
Mahogany
Musée national des châteaux de Versailles et de Trianon
While travelling down to Spain in 1808, Napoleon established an imperial palace in
Bordeaux, which was rapidly furnished. This chair is from that palace, having been sent to the
Furniture Store-House in 1832 and then to Trianon in 1837, for use by Baron Camille Fain
(1799-1858). An unusual design, it dates from the French Consulate. The chairs used by the
Emperor were usually fully covered with green leather, in contrast to this one (whose
cushion, also originally in leather, needs restoring).
18
Part I — The exhibition
The Grand Trianon museum
sent a large number of items to Trianon, and the palace was turned into
an assorted 19th-century museum, which nevertheless retained its Louis-Philippe decor. Two
important events marked the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century. In 1873
the trial of Marshall Bazaine, defeated in Metz in 1870, was held under the perist yle. It was presided
over by the Duke of Aumale, son of Louis-Philippe. Later, in 1920, the peace treaty with Hungary
was signed at the end of the First World War in the gallery. The very tense ceremony lasted only 20
minutes.
From 1851 Napoleon III
there were plans to restore the palace's original spirit by refurnishing it
historically. In 1910 the perist yle, closed up with windows on both sides since 1810, was reopened
and the Trianon estate, having been independent from Versailles since Napoleon, was at the same
time reconnected to the larger palace. Then in 1913, the Cotelle paintings that Napoleon had
removed from the gallery were returned to their places.
In the early 20 th century
but was
only carried out in the 1960s, upon the wishes of General de Gaulle and André Malraux, the
Minister for Culture, who turned Trianon into a presidential residence, inaugurated in June 1966.
The Grand Trianon became a place for host ing foreign Heads of State, who were accommodated in
specially prepared prest igious rooms in the apartment once belonging to Louis-Philippe. The
Trianon-sous-Bois wing was reserved for the French President. Between 1966 and 1981 it was used
by three different Presidents (General de Gaulle, Georges Pompidou and Valéry Giscard d’Estaing)
to host Queen Elizabeth of England, Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands, King Hassan II of Morocco,
King Hussein of Jordan, King Fayçal of Saudi Arabia, the Shah of Iran Mohammed V and his wife
Farah Diba, as well as various presidents and prime ministers from countries with good relations
with France, including the American Presidents Richard Nixon and Jimmy Carter and the leader of
the USSR Leonid Brezhnev. In 1982 President François Mitterand hosted the G7 summit
delegations, who stayed in Trianon. In 1992 Boris Yeltsine was the last official visitor to come and
stay in Trianon.
A much more ambitious restor ation progr amme was directed by research work
the Trianon-sous-Bois wing and the
rooms for the guests of France to the Public Institution of Versailles, by the Presidency of the
Republic and the Minister of Foreign Affairs in 2011, a new programme of historical refurbishment
has been developed for the Grand Trianon, which is a museum once more.
On 27 th March 2014, for the 50th anniversary of the recognition of the People's Republic of China by
General de Gaulle, a dinner was given by President François Hollande in the Gardens Room for the
Chinese President, Xi Jingping and his wife. This event allowed the Grand Trianon to return to its
Republican past.
Since then, and thanks in particul ar to the return of
As for the gardens, their layout has barely changed over the centuries. The successive gardeners
have always prioritised flowers, whether out of a desire to preserve the spirit of the place by using
the original varieties of plants, or to follow a more contemporary line, taking inspiration from the
tendencies of the horticulturists.
19
VIEW OF THE FACADE OF THE Gr AND TrIANON, COUrT YArD
SIDE
Archives of the Palace of Versailles
Here we can see the perist yle, closed up from 1810 and only
reopened in 1910, and, on the left over the front door, the clock
by Vagner installed by Louis-Philippe.
We can also see the steps bordered by an iron balustrade built
by Louis-Philippe.
THE CLOCK PAVILION IN THE Gr AND TrIANON
Archives of the Palace of Versailles
In this postcard we can clearly see Vagner's clock, installed in
1836, which sat over what is now the front door to the museum.
VIEW OF THE INTErIOr OF THE PErIST YLE IN THE Gr AND
TrIANON
Archives of the Palace of Versailles
The perist yle, fully closed up from Napoleon's time, and where
the trial of Marshall Bazaine was held in 1873, was used as a
palace gallery. Among the sculptures are, in the foreground,
Amour by Chaudet in bronze, the group by Vincenzo Vela
representing France and Italy, currently in Compiègne in the
centre and, in the background, the bronze statue of Louis XIV
on horseback, by Cartellier and Petitot.
Part II
History of the Grand Trianon
22
Part II — History of the Grand Trianon
Timeline
THE POrCELAIN TrIANON
the Porcelain Trianon.
1668
1688
The village of Trianon was bought by Louis XIV
and a garden with trellising was created in its
place.
22nd January.
1670
The first palace, the Porcelain Trianon, was
const ructed by the architect Louis Le Vau.
Completed by François d’Orbay, it was destined to
accommodate the King's love affairs. The gardens
were designed by one of Le Nôtre's nephews,
Michel III Le Bouteux.
1671-1672
The north branch of the Grand Canal was dug,
allowing a direct supply to the Porcelain Trianon.
1685
Visit of the Doge of Genoa, Francesco Maria
Imperiale Lescari.
1686
Visit of the ambassadors of Siam.
THE MArBLE TrIANON
First royal meal in Trianon.
Commission of the Trianon paintings on
Metamorphoses by Ovid.
13 th November. The Marquis de Dangeau noted
in his journal that the palace was finished and
furnished.
18 th December . Performances of Thésée in the
concert hall.
1689
Performance of a ballet, Le palais de
Flore, by the ladies of the court, before James II of
England, in exile in Saint-Germain.
10 th February. Performance of Thétis et Pélée by
Fontenelle and Collasse.
5 th January.
1690
Performance of Atys by Lully and Énée et Lavinie
by Collasse.
1692
The king created his new apartment in the South
Wing of the palace.
18 th March. Engagement ceremony of The Duke
of Maine to Mademoiselle de Charolais, which
finished with a grand dinner in Trianon.
1687
Demolition of the Porcelain Trianon and
const ruct ion of the Marble Trianon by Jules
Hardouin-Mansart, which was soon modified by
Robert de Cotte (creation of the Perist yle). André
Le Nôtre was put in charge of the gardens of
Trianon; few changes were made to the gardens of
1694
28 th April .
Louis XIV slept in Trianon for the first
time.
1695
20 th June.
Performance of Galatée by Lully.
23
1697
17 th September.
Performance of Issé by
order to get away from his fiancée, the Infante
Marie-Anne-Victoire, who had measles.
Destouches.
1724
1698
2nd May.
Installation of the Duchess of Burgundy's room in
the Couchant Room (now the Malachite Room).
Trianon with the astronomer Jacques Cassini.
Solar eclipse, watched by Louis XV from
1740
1700 - 1701
Alterations to the garden by Mansart, who
succeeded Le Nôtre after his death in 1700.
1702
Carnival celebrations were
held in Trianon, organised by the Duchess of
Burgundy. Montesume, by Ferrier, was performed
as well as Le grondeur by Brueys and Palaprat and
the opera Omphale by Destouches.
The former King of Polond, Stanislas
Lescszynski, the Duke of Lorraine, and his wife
Catherine Opalinska, slept in Trianon. Stanislas
returned in August 1743, April 1747 and August
1748.
June.
26 th to 28 th February.
1741
August. Louis XV gave Trianon to his wife, Queen
Marie Leszczynska, in order to distance her from
the court.
1705-1707
1744
Modification of the Trianon-sous-Bois wing
(addition of a storey).
13 th December .
1708-1709
Delivery of two commodes by Boulle, known as
the Mazarine commodes, for the king's bedroom,
currently st ill conserved in Versailles.
1713
Final changes by Louis XIV in Trianon. New wood
panelling was fitted in the Spring Room, dest ined
for Madame de Maintenon.
The king retired to Trianon for a
few days to mourn the death of his favourite,
Madame de Châteauroux, who died on 8th
December. A few close friends were also present.
1747
December . The arch itect Gabriel presented an initial
report concerning maintenance work to be
executed in Trianon. Work was carried out until
1750.
1750
May.
1715
11 th August. In Trianon, the king felt the fi rst
pains of the illness that was to take his life on 1st
September.
rEIGN OF LOUIS XV
1717
May-June. Tsar Peter I of Russia stayed 10 or so days
in Trianon-sous-Bois.
1751
13 th September .
1722
6 th July.
The king spent several short stays in
Trianon, essentially to supervise const ruct ion work
(the French Pavilion, Menagerie) by Gabriel, on the
new plots of land that were to become the gardens
of the Petit Trianon.
The Marble Trianon was renamed the Grand
Trianon.
Renovation work on the Grand Trianon and
creation of a small chapel in the Salon des
Colonnes.
Louis XV stayed in Trianon for the first
time.
1723
8 th March.
Louis XV came to hunt fallow deer.
Louis XV slept in Trianon in
23rd December .
Upon learning in Trianon of the
birth of the Duke of Burgundy, his first grandchild,
Louis XV was taken ill and had to be carried to his
carriage to be taken back to Versailles.
24
1752
Sultan of Mysore, slept in Trianon.
3rd February.
Madame Henriette, the king's
favourite daughter, felt the first symptoms of the
illness that took her life on 10th February. The king
and his family retired to Trianon.
THE rEVOLUTION
1793-1794
Sale of the furniture collect ions from Trianon. A
large number of the paintings were removed and
February. Presentation to the king in Trianon of the sent to Versailles.
La Création du monde clock by the clock maker
Passemant.
1795
1754
The sculptor Boichard chopped up the palace's
royal insignias.
1757
5 th January.
The king was stabbed by Damiens
as he was entering his carriage to go to Trianon.
NAPOLEON'S rULE
1761
1805
March-April . The future Louis XVI and his brothers
13 th March,
stayed six weeks in Trianon, at the death of the
Duke of Burgundy, their elder brother, on 22nd
March.
1764
28 th November .
A party was given in Trianon in
honour of the Duke of Berry (future Louis XVI)
and his brothers. A piece by Poinsinet was
performed.
then 22nd March. Napoleon visited
Trianon. He decided to give the South Wing of the
Grand Trianon to his mother and to take the
North Wing for himself and Joséphine. The Petit
Trianon was given to his sister. Guillaume Trepsat,
Architect of Versailles, was entrusted with the
work.
6 th May. Madame Mère, on a visit to Trianon,
refused to move there.
1808
1768
Louis XV abandoned the Grand Trianon in favour
on the new Petit Trianon, built by Gabriel.
6 th December. Visit by the King of Denmark,
Christ ian VII.
New projects concerning Trianon. The architect
Fontaine proposed a project that was very quick ly
abandoned.
March. The arch itect Alexandre Dufour was made
Vice-Architect to Trepsat and began work in the
Cotelle Gallery.
rEIGN OF LOUIS XVI
1809-1810
1780-1782
Work was carried out in the Grand Trianon and in
the gardens.
1782
Delivery of pieces of furniture for use by the
Dauphin.
The acroteria of the balust rade began to be
removed, while windows were added to both sides
of the Perist yle. The Emperor created his private
apartments in the apartments once belonging to
Madame de Pompadour and Louis XV.
1809
Napoleon, having just
announced his divorce from Joséphine, came to
Trianon. They spent the New Year there together.
15 th to 25 th December.
1787
9 th June. The death in Trianon of Madame Sophie,
the daughter of Louis XVI and Marie-Antoinette.
1788
9 th August.
The ambassadors of Tipu Sahib,
25
1810
The estate of Trianon, which included the Grand
and Petit Trianon palaces as well as the Hamlet,
was separated from Versailles and made
independent. General Klein was made its
Governor. A road, known as the Impératrice road,
was made leading to two guard pavilions built in
1810, situated at the entrance gate to the Trianon
palaces. The Petit Trianon and the Hamlet were
also refurnished by Marie-Louise.
9 th May. Stendhal visited Trianon as Inspector of
the Furniture Store-House.
21st June. Napoleon and Marie-Louise visited
Trianon.
July. Napoleon decided to place models of war
vessels from the Imperial Navy in the gallery.
Specially made, their const ruct ion was managed by
the Naval Engineer Sané, ('Trianon Collection' of
the Musée de la Marine).
5 th August. A decree was signed in Trianon
increasing taxes on English products, as part of the
Continental Block ade policy.
9 th August. Les Femmes savantes by Molière was
performed in Trianon during a celebration that
lasted several days in honour of Marie-Louise,
before the Emperor and his young wife.
11 th August. The Franconi circus gave a show with
a performance by a stag named Coco.
Hortense.
rESTOrATION OF THE BOUrBON
MONArCHY
1814
Louis XVIII visited Trianon, and
considered it was furnished in poor taste. The
imperial insignias were chopped up by Boichard.
The Napoleonic paintings were removed.
10 th August.
1815
July.
Part of the Emperor's library was removed
from the Maps Cabinet by Barbier, the Emperor's
Librarian, to be sent to Sainte-Hélène.
1825
19 th June. A ball was given in the gallery for the
coronation of Charles X.
1828
Transfer of the model ships in the 'Trianon
Collect ion' to the new Musée de la Marine, in the
Louvre.
1830
30th July.
Charles X held his final Council with
his ministers as he was leaving for exile.
1811
The malachite stones given to Napoleon by Tsar
Alexander in 1808, incorporated into items of
furniture by Jacob-Desmalter and dest ined for the
Tuileries, were placed in the Emperor's Grand
Salon (the Malachite Room), the former room
belonging to the Duchess of Burgundy, or the
Couchant Room.
July. Napoleon stayed in Trianon. On the 12th, he
had the rest ructuring and refurbishing plans for
the Palace of Versailles presented to him by
Fontaine and Dufour.
25 th August. A grand celebration was given in
Trianon in honour of Marie-Louise and the King
of Rome. Several pieces were performed in the
Petit Théâtre, music by Paër was played in the
gardens, which were lit up, and the day ended with
a grand dinner in the gallery.
1813
7 th to 23rd March.
Napoleon stayed in Trianon
for the last time, with Marie-Louise and Queen
rEIGN OF LOUIS-PHILIPPE
1835
11 th July.
King Louis-Philippe, who needed to
oversee the works to turn the Palace of Versailles
into the Museum of the History of France,
visited Trianon and decided to establish his
private apartment there.
The refurbishment work began in 1836, managed
by the architect Frédéric Nepveu, and lasted
until 1838. A new chapel was built in the place of
the Billiards Room. The king brought Napoleon's
bed from the Tuileries to the bedroom in the South
Wing. The Emperor's furniture was kept but
covered with new silks, and other furniture from
elsewhere was added. The gallery, as Napoleon had
arranged it, did not change its appearance.
26
1837
June. The royal family of Orléans st ayed in
Trianon for the first time.
17 th October . Marriage of Princess Marie
d’Orléans, the king's daughter, to Duke Alexandre
of Wurtemberg, celebrated in the new chapel.
Music by Paër was played in the Petit Théâtre, as
well as extracts from Moïse and L'italiana in
Algeri by Rossini.
9
th
remained in Trianon were sent to the Elysée, where
they formed the basis of the library of the
Presidency of the Republic.
1910
The estate of Trianon was abolished and reattached
to Versailles.
The Perist yle was opened up once again.
1913
1838
6 th to 16 th October .
The Cotelle paintings were put back in the gallery.
The royal family stayed in
Trianon, using the vast Family Room for the first
time.
1840
8 th December .
A banquet was given in the gallery
in honour Queen Marie-Christine of Spain,
evicted from the throne.
1920
The Treaty of Trianon was signed with
Hungary in the Cotelle Gallery at the end of the
First World War. The very tense ceremony lasted
only 20 minutes.
4th June.
1924-1927
First research work by Charles MauricheauBeaupré, Curator at Versailles, concerning
July. Louis-Philippe decided to create a room for his historical refurbishment of the palace.
daughter Louise-Marie, the Reine des Belges. The
bed belonging to Joséphine in the Tuileries and the A PrESIDENTIAL rESIDENCE
furniture from her Grand Salon were used.
1845
From 1959
1848
Louis-Philippe's final stay in
Trianon on his way to exile.
25 th February.
The Grand Trianon was chosen to become a
Presidential Residence.
1963-1966
THE MUSEUM
The Grand Trianon was fully restored and
historically furnished.
1851
Devoted to official ceremonies, in the South Wing
June. A large number of items were sent to Trianon. it contained apartments reserved for foreign Heads
of state and their entourage, while the TrianonSculptures, works in bronze and furniture
sous-Bois wing was reserved for the French
gradually transformed the palace into an assorted
President.
museum, which nevertheless retained its LouisPhilippe decor.
2011
1873
6 th October to 10 th December .
Trial of
Marshall Bazaine, defeated in Metz in 1870, led by
the Duke of Aumale, son of Louis-Philippe. The
proceedings were held in the closed-up Perist yle.
The Marshall was accommodated in Trianon-sousBois. He was sentenced to death, but immediately
reprieved and and given a life sentence.
He escaped.
1881
The books from Napoleon's library that had
The Trianon-sous-Bois wing and the rooms for the
guests of France were returned to the Public
Inst itution of Versailles by the Presidency of the
Republic and the Minist ry for Foreign Affairs.
Launch of a new historical refurnishing policy.
2014
27 th March:
President François Hollande received
the Chinese President Xi Jinping and his wife for a
private dinner for the 50th anniversary of the
recognition of the People's Republic of China by
General de Gaulle.
Part III
The exhibition partners
29
Part III — The exhibition partners
Media partners
which provides the leading stories
from national, international and local news. It is divided up into regional newspapers through an
exclusive partnership with major French daily regional press groups including Sud Ouest, La
Dépêche, La Voix du Nord, La Provence, Le Progrès and Midi Libre.
With over 900,000 copies* dist ributed in France's biggest cities and 195 communes (Paris Ile-deFrance, Montpellier, Lyon, Marseille/Aix-en-Provence, Bordeaux, Strasbourg, Lille, Nantes,
Toulouse, Rennes and Nice), Direct Matin attracts more than 2.5 million readers every day (One
2013/2014).
Established in 2007, Direct Matin is a free daily newspaper
and its mobile applications for smartphones and tablets,
Direct Matin is available at all times throughout France, offering a digital service with the latest
news in real time, digital analysis and a consistent visually-orientated approach making it simple
and intuitive to use.
*Source: OJD November 2014: 913,548 copies printed.
Thanks to its website DirectMatin.fr
Since 1955 L‘Œil has been THE magazine for arts news in Paris,
France and all over the world.
Every month L'œil passionately provides its readers with evaluations and reviews of more than 100
exhibitions on themes from Antiquity up to modern creations. Consistently broad-minded, it
covers all the arts including painting, drawing, sculptures, photography, architecture and design.
L’œil provides dynamic, in-depth art news from a team of passionate journalists and art critics,
working under the management of Fabien Simode.
30
Since its first issue
hit the shelves in 1997, the magazine has been a prominent supporter of artist ic creations aimed at
younger audiences: theatre, cinema, visual arts, publications, music etc. Paris Mômes is also a
partner of various cultural events which are suitable for families.
Paris Mômes is a cultur al guide for parents of children aged 0 to 12.
helps young readers to discover everything from modern
art to traditional crafts, in the firm belief that art can st imulate the imagination of kids of all ages.
The magazine also organises its own events, including the Fête de la Musique for children and at the
Cité de la Musique, the Nuit Blanche for kids and a whole host of act ivity guides for the latest
exhibitions, making it easier for parents to take their children with them to galleries and museums,
with a few pointers to help youngsters understand the works on show.
The magazine's Exhibitions section
Guided by the principle of cultur al openness,
the editorial line at Paris Mômes is strongly in
favour of original artist ic endeavours, and initiatives which call for collect ive involvement and a
spirit of citizenship. Deeply involved in the cultural life of its region, Paris Mômes offers a new
perspect ive on Paris and the Ile-de-France.
Part IV
Appendices
33
Part IV — Appendices
The Trianon application
Visit the Trianon palaces thanks to a new app
from the Temple
of Love to Marie-Antoinette's estate... the 'Trianon' app offers visitors the
opportunity to discover the in-depth history in photos and videos of
these bucolic places.
From the Gr and Trianon to the French Pavilion,
Your Trianon visit
Visitors can choose
their tour and identify the different stages of
their visit on a map.
The tours:
Screen adaptation
- The Independent tour: the Belvedere, the Temple of Love, the
Queen's Farm... set out to explore Marie-Antoinette's estate through 16
geolocalised, iconic locations.
- The Gr and Trianon: travel through four centuries of history, from the Trianon of Louis XIV to
visits by Charles de Gaulle.
- Looking for Marie-Antoinet te: parents and children must find the Queen as they go around
the estate she created to escape the Etiquette of the Court.
and application
created thanks to
Free app, avail able in French and English on the AppStore and Google Pl ay
the skills
Avail able in summer 2015
sponsorship of
ht tp://www.chateauversailles.fr/application-trianon
Camineo
34
Part IV — Appendices
Practical information
For more
information
Access to the Grand Trianon
www.chateauversailles.fr
From Paris:
Château de Versailles
facebook.com/chateauversailles
@CVersailles
twitter.com/CVersailles
A13 motorway (direction Rouen) 2nd exit signposted "Versailles Notre Dame". Entrance
via Porte Saint Antoine. Admission is charged and is from 7 am to 7 pm in high season and from 8
am to 6 pm in low season.
From the pal ace: 25 minutes on foot via the gardens, Petit Trianon and Grand Trianon stops on
the miniature train.
Château de Versailles
plus.google.com/+chateauversailles
Chateauversailles
inst agram.com/
Opening times
chateauversailles
Photos Souvenir
fl ick r.com/groups/versaillesfamille
Château de Versailles
youtube.com/chateauversailles
Versailles Media
The Grand Trianon is open every day except Mondays:
- from 12 pm to 6:30 pm in high season, last admission at 6 pm (tills close at 5:50 pm)
- from 12 pm to 5:30 pm in low season, last admission at 5 pm (tills close at 4:50 pm).
(High season: 1st April - 31st October / Low season: 1st November - 31st March)
media.chateauversailles.fr
rATES
Admission to the exhibition with a 'Châteaux de Trianon' or 'Passport' ticket, and the "1 year at
Versailles" card.
Free for EU residents under 26.
'Châteaux de Trianon' ticket: €10, discounted rate €6, free for EU residents under 26.
'Passport' ticket, granting access to the Palace, gardens, Trianon palaces, and to MarieAntoinette's Estate and the temporary exhibitions:
1 day: €18 / €25 on Grandes Eaux Musicales Fountain Display days
2 days: €25 / €30 on Grandes Eaux Musicales Fountain Display Days
Guided tours of the exhibition
5th, 17 th, 25th and 30th July; 2nd, 6th, 14th, 18th and 29th August; 6th, 19th and 25th September
Book online at www.chateauversailles.fr or by telephone on 00 33 (0)1 30 83 78 00
At 2:30 pm:
Families
Games booklet:
free for 6-12 years, available at the exhibition entrance.