Les coulisses de Versailles

With 7 million visitors a year, Versailles is one of the most visited sites in the world. A true emblem of the monarchy and of pre-Revolutionary French history, it is also a place full of mysteries and intrigues. Charles Perrault described it thus: "It is not a palace, it is an entire city. / Superb in its grandeur, superb in its substance." Witness to more than a hundred years of reign, a showcase of the influence of the French monarchy, and a refuge for the most secret affairs of the royal government, Versailles is undoubtedly the palace that has most puzzled historians. Was it truly a model for other European palaces? Was it a permanent construction site? Who had the right to live in this pharaonic palace? Were there secret passages in Versailles? Was the palace heated? How did the sovereigns eat? Was Versailles open to visitors during the time of kings? To answer all these questions, Mari-Gwenn Carichon welcomes historian Mathieu da Vinha, Scientific Director of the Research Center of the Palace of Versailles. Guest: A doctor of modern history and research engineer, Mathieu da Vinha is Scientific Director of the Research Center of the Palace of Versailles. He is the author of numerous books on Louis XIV and Versailles: The Versailles of Louis XIV: The Functioning of a Royal Residence in the 17th Century; In the Service of the King. Behind the Scenes at Versailles (Tallandier); and Alexandre Bontemps, First Valet of Louis XIV. He also co-edited a Dictionary on the subject with Raphaël Masson. Last November, he published: Living at the Court of Versailles in 100 Questions (352 pages, €15.90). ___________________________________________________ Find us at www.storiavoce.com/ Our Twitter account: twitter.com/Storiavoce Our Facebook page: www.facebook.com/storiavoce/