So anyway, I would take the bus to and fro from LeChesnay to Versailles, which is a wonderful trip to enjoy. The winding streets and the housing development is so charming, so quaint that it added to the pleasure of visiting the King's home and seat of government.
I stood out like a thumb, I admit. But I met the locals that way and talked with some very nice children, high school students, and most who simply ignored me.
So after I left the palace on Thursday, I would return to the hotel to visit the shopping center next door where I found two grocery stores, and a lot of fresh food stalls selling all kinds of fruits, cheeses, and other delicacies. It was a wonderful way to spend the evening, and to be able to maneuver the next day. At which time, the exhibition was finally open to the public so that I did tour the exhibit very slowly and carefully. We were not permitted to take pictures of any of the exhibits as LeFigaro had exclusive rights and I did not even attempt to sneak anything at all. I have placed two videos of the exhibit here and the shorter of the two does show the actual rooms with the items that were on display.
This exhibition had taken the time and trouble to acquire as many artifacts that had been a part of the King's use during his reign from all parts of the world. It was a very exclusive and important exhibition to see if one is a Louis XIV student or fan.
Fortunately for me, Louis XIV wore wigs, and so I also wore my own Paula Young Cover Girl wig the entire time that I was in France. Only twice did I ever appear without it, and only two people ever saw me with my own hairstyle. I videotaped myself in the hotel room, and when I saw how tired and haggard I looked I immediately set out to redo myself.
But the wig got me through. It was a useful cover for me to wear, and I am ever so happy that I chose to wear it.
I wore myself out there. So I did see the exhibit on Friday early, took my time to examine everything as closely as possible, and I could see how some of the things that had been placed on the Louis XIV group that Elena Steingrad had created turned up there.
I recognized immediately a few of those items from photographs that are or were on the website.
Should I tell? I rather doubt it, for many reasons...I will keep that information strictly between me, Elena, and the producers of the exhibition. I will simply give a clue that it pertains to the king's childhood.
I never know who may or may not read this blog.
Anyway, there were so many stunning items to contemplate, but before one ascends the stairs to the top where the exhibition was held, there were two beautiful exhibits that I did film, and that are seen in the videos. Apollo in his gardens in all marble greeted each patron before climbing steep stairs to get to the rooms at the top.
Young girls were strategically placed around the room to observe everyone. Had anything ever occurred that they would have had to be responsible to note, I wonder what they would have done. As it is, they simply stood and watched as people wandered through the exhibits, awed and amazed by all the creative artwork and furnishings.
When I finally left, I purchased a book of Louis XIV's chronology of his days. Christophe Levental went to the trouble to write a two volume book citing the important details of daily life for the King. I have read up to 1665 but have been distracted to read other books along side of it, the life of La Grande Mademoiselle, the memoires of Madame Campan, and many others as I take breaks trying to read everything under the sun.
But thanks to that book, I learned to disregard a lot of the fashionable stories about Louis XIV and his love affairs. He had to make time for them somewhere, but his days are so full of activity that it makes one wonder when and how he made the time for women at all.
At any rate, after I finished the tour as I was going to go back the next day also, I decided to take the tram and go out to the Grand Trianon and the famous Marie Antoinette domain to see her Hamlet or Hameau also.
I fell in love with the Grand Trianon and the views and vistas that are seen from that awesome place. Because I had an experience once in Flint, Michigan, years ago, which I always associated with a quatrain from Nostradamus, I was convinced that it could have something to do with the Grand Trianon.
The Grand Trianon replaced a love nest that was once the King's favorite for his second Mistress, Madame de Montespan, which was called the Porcelain Trianon or the Chinon Trianon. The Chinese Trianon.
I have had trips back in time to places which no longer exist there such as that first smaller trianon, and I managed to see the exterior of it, as I was in the person of the king riding a horse up to the area where the horses were parked and placed while everyone went inside for whatever reason they had. From my vantage point I could see Madame de Montespan waiting patiently for me while her attendants surrounded her and made her comfortable. She had beautiful, long, luxuriant hair that fell around her shoulders, and she was fetchingly beautiful to my eyes as I could not take my eyes from her.
I had sensed children and babies there, and the building was made in such a way that it seems like a doll house to me.
I had no idea until I visited the Grand Trianon how beautiful the views were though. That is one of the most beautiful sites in the region to see, and it is well worth the trouble to make the trip there to see it.
From there, I then reboarded the tram to go to the site that Louis XV had built which is called the Petite Trianon. It is so totally different as to be unbelievable. One immediately senses the difference between the architects, decorators, and attitude apparently of the kings in each one of these dwellings. It hit me hard at what a sharp contrast the Petit Trianon is to the Grand Trianon and le chateau.
One of the most important things to realize in a kingdom is that the King is enhanced and assisted by his associates and ministers. There is little doubt that this becomes fully exposed when comparing and contrasting the three developments made under each king.
I was stunned to say the least. I had already been impressed by the cannons at the Invalides which is the site of the military. The difference between those of King Louis XIV and Napoleon's becomes obvious immediately. Well, so do the differences between the Trianons become obvious immediately.
If I can manage to put some of my own videos here, I will attempt it. I will give it a try.
Finally, I did get to the hameau which is a long way from the Petite Trianon. The walk from one to the other is absolutely breathtakingly beautiful and one must walk it to appreciate it fully.
The Hameau is a country setting that is probably more English than French in style, if the truth be known.
Antoinette's domaine is very lovely as there is a small stream loaded with koi fish, and there are beautiful vegetable and fruits in the gardens in the back. Strawberries were being grown there, and I filmed several patches of fruits and vegetables as workers were even laboring there.
By the time I returned to my hotel room, I was bone tired as it had become a long day, but it was well worth the time and effort to see, and I loved it madly.
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