Which place is your favorite in Versailles?

Even though I enjoy every bits and pieces of Versailles classical and rococco architecture, my favourite is undoutedly the “Petit Trianon”, the Small Trianon, built for Louis the XVth favourite Madame de Pompadour but whose famous host is Marie Antoinette. Its light, delicate and pure architectural ligns, its fine decorations and the variety of its room (from billard room to bed chamber and even kitchen) makes it a gem of your full day tour.

Dominique, what is your favorite anecdote about Versailles?

Have you heard of Louis the XIVth dancing shoes? You can see him wearing them on one of his portrait. But strangely on that very portrait his face looks quite old to be still dancing at his age. No problem! The painter had to include the shoes anyway and might even have cheated using a younger dancer for the king’s legs! Nonetheless, Louis loved the portrait and had it reproduced several times to send a copy to his allies and friends! He is such a cheeky modern king 😉

Any special interests within history / art / tourism? Why?

17th century European painting and sculpture is one of my favorite moments in art history. It is a time when some great artists rose and transformed art: Caravaggio, Rubens, Rembrandt, Vermeer, Velazquez… It is also a time when they were no borders within Europe for artists who could feed themselves from one another.