This is Versailles: The King's Private Apartment

Monday, 31 October 2016

The King's Private Apartment

Louis XIV's Private Apartments

Louis XIV was a firm believer in the system he created which allowed him - or his family - little privacy. Consequently, the rooms allotted for his owe personal use were few (compared to the château's size) and were not particularly private at that.

1) The King's Cabinet / Cabinet du Roi

2) Cabinet of the Wigs / Cabinet des Perruques

3) Billard / Cabinet de Billard

4) Salon of the Small Staircase / Salon de Petit Escalier

5) Cabinet of Paintings / Cabinet des Tableaux

6) The Cabinet of Shells / Cabinet aux Coquilles

7) The Oval Cabinet / Cabinet Ovale

8) The Small Gallery / Petite Galerie

9) Cabinet of Curiosities / Cabinet des Curiosities

a) Antechamber of the Bull's Eye
b) The King's Bedchamber
c) The Ambassador's Staircase

Louis XV's Private Apartments

Louis XV was far more reserved than his great-grandfather had been and found it difficult to cope with the constant public lifestyle created for him. So, he made several alterations to the King's private apartment while he left the majority of the remaining château untouched. He altered the private apartment twice:

1740:

1) Cabinet of the Wigs / Cabinet des Perruques

2) Cabinet

3) Toilet / Chaise Percée

4) Golden Cabinet

5) Louis XV's Bedchamber / Chambre de Coucher

6) The Clock Chamber

7) Dinning Salon / Salle de Manger

8) Antechamber / Antichambre

9) Bath Chamber / Chambre du Bains

10) Bath / Bains

11) Cabinet

12) Oval Cabinet / Cabinet Ovale

13) Salon

14) Small Gallery / Petite Galerie

15) Salon

16) Cabinet of Medallions / Cabinet des Medailles

Louis XVI's Private Apartment

Louis XVI was not as active with rebuilding and adding rooms to his private apartment. Instead, he made just a few changes which for the most part involved changing the purpose of a room. This particular floor plan is not exactly as the private apartment looks today since this is from before the alterations made by Louis-Philippe following the French Revolution.

1) Bath

2) Toilet

3) Golden Cabinet

4) Wardrobe

5) Louis XV's Bedchamber

6) The Clock Chamber

7) Antechamber

8) Salon of the Hunt

9) The Buffet Salon

10) Cabinet of Dispatches

11) Interior Cabinet

12) Pièce de la Vaiselle d'Or

13) Cabinet de la Cassette

14) Library

15) The Porcelain Salon

16) Billiard

17) The Gaming Salon

The King's Private Apartment Now

After the Revolution, several years passed with Versailles standing as an empty shell while France was in turmoil. In the 1830's the monarchy was reinstated and the new King, Louis-Philippe, managed to carry out certain drastic changes during his rather short rule. This is how the King's private apartment looks today.