Our trip out was a bit complicated with a change from the Metro to the RER and then another change to a further RER train that goes out to Versailles. It went without a hitch and we were out in about an hour. We purchased tickets outside so that there would be no waiting once we were actually in the site and with that done we went to lunch.
Once we finished lunch we walked right in and out into the gardens for the trip out to the area where both the Grande Trianon and the Petite Trianon were built. It's about a kilometer walk out so we had quite an opportunity to view the gardens as we went along. The it was overcast and sun never came out anytime during the day and to add to the merriment it was one of the 7% days. A very light misting rain started falling during our walk out and we were a bit moist when we got to the Grande Trianon. Of course with only a 7% chance of rain we had neither rain gear nor umbrellas, this has caused a policy shift, "we will always have umbrellas if there is less than a 90% chance of precipitation for the rest of the winter. 
As I mentioned it was not cold so the mistiness was not a major hinderance and we soldiered on. They are getting ready for winter out in the gardens by turning the soil in the gardens and they've also wrapped a large percentage of the outdoor sculptures in their canvas winter coverings. I find it quite interesting when I see this approach because it creates so many interesting shapes.
We started out in the Grande Trianon which was constructed by Louis XIV and is very restrained in it's design. It's neo-classic in design and has lavish use of marble cladding and porphyry columns on the exterior and wood paneling and moulded plaster on the interior walls and either parquet floors or black and white marble floors throughout. The furniture was also very restrained and quite plain which fits with the stories of Louis XIV's somewhat austere lifestyle. After Louis XIV it passed down to the further Louis up to the revolution and after the revolution to Napoleon, Louis XVIII, Louis Napoleon before becoming property of the French state. It's not a very large palace comparatively speaking but certainly large by today's standards. It's quite different for the Petite Trianon.
It was created for Louis XIV's mistress Madame Maintenon and was equally used by queens and mistresses of the following kings/emperors but it's most closely identified with Marie-Antoinette as she seems to have made so many changes and imprinted her tastes on the interior design and furnishings. It is much smaller and size-wise certainly wouldn't be out of place in today's mansion market, but it's still pretty big. It has the same restrained approach to design and interior furnishings as the Grande Trianon.
Those statues are creepy.
ReplyDelete