Versailles is not just a palace and park ensemble, elegant fountains and court life; it is a real cultural phenomenon, the crown of which was the figure of the most outstanding king of France — Louis XIV. Under him, not only Versailles, but the whole of France became a magnificent, powerful and advanced country, and all thanks to the monarch. When the courtier got to Versailles, he immersed himself in the carefully calibrated interiors, followed strict rules of etiquette and tried to get the favour of his Highness — we will talk about all this in detail during the tour.

The greatest French monarch

The main figure of the Palace of Versailles is King Louis XIV, who ruled the longest of all kings in the history of the country — 72 years, and most importantly how! Under him, France not only did not lose a single war, but also developed economically and culturally: the Royal Academy of Dance, Painting and Sculpture, fine literature, the manufacture of tapestries and mirrors were opened. The Invalides Building, Place Vendome, Avenue Chance-Elise, the palaces of Versailles and Marly and other complexes were built. It was in the era of Louis that high French cooking appeared, perfumery became more refined, and the very art de vivre à la française appeared, which we follow in France to this day. All this is due to the strong character and generosity of Louis, who will be the centre of our tour through the prism of the Palace of Versailles.

The House of the Sun King

Versailles is rightfully considered the main brainchild of Louis, although its construction continued under subsequent monarchs. Nevertheless, without one engineering innovation, which I will tell you about, Versailles would never have been built. You will understand the architecture and idea of this palace, the semantic function of its interiors and the layout, which is taken as a basis in many other europeen palaces and parks. We will not ignore the details either: you will find out what kind of wall upholstery was chosen for different seasons of the year, discover the secret of the “ship” made of gold weighing 26 kg, see Charles Boule's “high-heeled” tables and traces of the royal throne made of solid silver. We will visit the most luxurious gallery of all European palaces — the gallery of mirrors, which offers the very view that amazed Peter the Great; the queen's bed on which 19 “Children of France” were born and the bedroom of Louis XIV, which has preserved its pristine interior.

Etiquette and more

We will talk about court life: about what happened in the palace during the day and what happened at night. How the courtiers washed at Versailles, where the word “toilet” came from and what it originally meant. What kind of “gum” did the ladies use to freshen their breath, what was the correct makeup of the XVII century and how did brunettes turn into blondes?