Royal Bedchambers In Versailles: More Than A Bedroom, The Heart Of The Kingdom

Bertrand Rondot

At the heart of the château of Versailles stands the King’s Bedchamber, a political statement as much as a room to be lived in. In the complex but short history of the royal residence ending in October 1789, the organization of the royal bedchambers has remained a key issue through the reigns of the three kings, Louis, Louis XIV, Louis XV, and Louis XVI. The creation of bedrooms for the king reflects the evolution of the Court and of the French Monarchy, from the Grand Siècle to the Age of Enlightenment. Within the central part of the palace different rooms were allocated for the king’s sleep - from the very public one in the state apartments in the tradition of the French Monarchy to the most personal one in his private apartments. But the creation of such spaces, reflecting both the official and intimate lives of the king, was far from simple in a palace whose architecture was the result of compromise, invaded everyday by thousands of courtiers and visitors.