In a grand unveiling, the Palace of Versailles has reopened the once-secret chambers of Marie Antoinette, offering visitors a glimpse into the luxurious world of the iconic queen. As part of the palace’s 400th-anniversary celebrations, the private quarters have undergone an extensive five-year renovation to recreate the lavish rooms that belonged to Marie Antoinette during her reign.
Marie Antoinette wasted no time in asserting her presence at the Palace of Versailles upon assuming the throne in 1774. She claimed the apartment as her personal domain, complete with concealed chambers accessible through a secret door in her bedroom. These hidden spaces, previously unknown to the public, were meticulously adorned with opulent furnishings befitting her royal stature.
The unveiling of Marie Antoinette’s secret chambers marks the culmination of a painstaking project. Due to a lack of historical records, recreating the rooms exactly as they existed presented a significant challenge. Researchers meticulously studied plans, suppliers’ orders, and various papers from that era to piece together an accurate representation. Archivists even scoured for evidence of the queen’s fabric choices, discovering scraps of cloth beneath modern renovations of sofas and chairs.
Each room within the private quarters tells a unique story. The Méridienne Room, named after a divan nestled in a mirrored alcove, was dedicated to the birth of the queen’s first son. The room now features a faithful reproduction of the original lilac-hued textile decoration, considered one of the palace’s most precious.
The adjacent library, also meticulously restored, showcases three-toned gilding, doors cleverly disguised by mock book jackets, and an ingenious rack and pinion system allowing for adjustable bookshelves. The Billiard Room, a popular game at the court, was transformed by Marie Antoinette into living quarters for her chambermaids and servants.
The Gold Room derives its name from Marie Antoinette’s fascination with ancient Egypt and Rome. In 1784, she commissioned the addition of wood paneling, incorporating the contemporary styles influenced by the recent discovery of Pompeii and Herculaneum. The walls of this room are adorned with toile de jouy depicting pineapples, a symbol of wealth during that era, a pattern reproduced by the modern house of Pierre Frey.
Spanning two floors and overlooking a serene interior courtyard, Marie Antoinette’s private quarters epitomize her refined taste and elevated status. Her continuous demands for refurbishments often clashed with Ange Jacques Gabriel, the king’s architect, who had designed notable structures such as the Place de la Concorde and the École Militaire.
While Marie Antoinette’s time at the Palace of Versailles ended abruptly during the events of 1789 and the French Revolution, public sentiment towards the queen has since softened. Today, visitors have the extraordinary opportunity to step into her private world and witness firsthand how she lived during the final days of the Ancien Régime. The reopening of Marie Antoinette’s hidden chambers allows us to appreciate the opulence and historical significance of her legacy at the Palace of Versailles.