Given that Versailles is associated with Louis XIV and vice versa, Louis XIV appears to be inseparable. If the first was created far earlier than the second, young Louis XIV had a true enthusiasm for Versailles and made the decision to enlarge it much beyond the boundaries established by his father. The king had a clear vision for the location, wanting to train as an architect and create a work of art that would long be linked with him. In order to flee a smallpox epidemic raging at the Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye, his father Louis XIII brought the future Louis XIV and his brother to Versailles in October 1641. Louis XIV was only three years old at the time, so it’s unlikely that he recalls his first trip. He took “the entertainment of the hunt” there, according to the French newspaper of April 18, in the company of his governor, before receiving dinner from the head of the castle’s guards, René de Longueuil, president of the Maisons. From that date, the young sovereign returned there regularly every year together with his brother, his mother Anne of Austria, and Cardinal Mazarin.
VERSAILLES TICKETS
Skip the long queues and fast-forward your entry to the world’s biggest and most iconic art museum. With Versailles pa… see more
TRAVELER INFORMATION
The boutique Cour de Marbre, which can be found at the bottom of the Queen’s Staircase after touring the Grand Apartments has… see more
VERSAILLES PLACES
From the royal court, roam freely on the various circuits of the château, then traverse the small gardens and woods, and head to… see more
