The Grand Trianon

This Palace was built by Louis XIV in the 17th century in the Park of Versailles as a refuge from the Court. Contrary to Versailles, people are admitted only on invitation, and moreover on nominative list of names. It is also called The Marble Trianon because exterior is built in pink marble.
It has been listed as a Unesco World Heritage site since 1979.

For this new Palace, Louis XIV became an architect. He controlled the plans, modified them, visited the site constantly, insisted on modifications, made suggestions and gave orders. The king wanted a sober building composed of two wings linked by a loggia without any upper floors. The main façade was to be decorated by ionic pilasters in marble from the Languedoc, an area in the South of France, and the flat roof hidden by elegant banisters. The style as we can see today is strongly Italian, and Jules Hardouin-Mansart, 1st architect of the King, made it the showpiece of his genius.
Louis XIV particularly liked the Trianon, where he came for short breaks in summer with his family including the (Grand) Dauphin (heir to the French throne), the Duchess of Burgundy, Madame de Maintenon, the king’s mistress…
Louis XV left the Palace to the queen Marie Leszczinska and to her father, Stanislaus king of Poland, before showing a renewed interest after 1750.
The Trianon was stripped of its furniture during the French Revolution.
 Napoleon I restored and transformed it and stayed here on several occasions with the Empress Marie-Louise.
Louis-Philippe came here with his family.
After being abandoned for some time, it’s the returned to life with the General de Gaulle.
Important modifications were undertaken between 1962 and 1965 in order to lay out apartments for the French President and the foreign heads of State on official visits.
The rooms have kept their wall decoration from Louis XIV’s time while the furniture corresponds to the First Empire except for a few items from Louis-Philippe’s time.