Un Président chez le Roi, De Gaulle at the Trianon, the Versailles exhibition

After an exhibition devoted to the history of the Grand Trianon in 2015, the Château de Versailles is devoting an exhibition to the destiny of the Grand Trianon in the Fifth Republic. The Grand Trianon, one of Louis XIV's pleasure palaces, became a presidential residence after Charles de Gaulle decided to renovate it in 1963.

Although the Trianon was built as a place of relaxation for Louis XIV, where shows, dinners and games were held just 20 minutes from the Château via the gardens, it was also a place of reception for kings and ambassadors of all times: from the ambassador of Siam in 1686, to Tsar Peter I of Russia during the reign of Louis XV, before being abandoned after the Revolution.

Through this exhibition, the Château de Versailles takes us back to the 1960s, when President De Gaulle decided to restore the Trianon-sous-Bois wing of the Grand Trianon and turn it into a "presidential residence". In the first part, we'll relive the key stages of this colossal restoration and refurbishment project carried out from 1963 onwards, through archive documents, cabinet notes, speeches, press clippings, architect's sketches, etc., videos and photographs.

Then, for the first time, the public will discover General De Gaulle's apartments, refurnished in the Empire style in their "1966" state for the occasion by the Mobilier National. On the ground floor, there are seven rooms: a waiting room, a bailiff's room, two aides-de-camp's offices, General De Gaulle's study, a family room and a dining room. The public will also have access to the vast basement kitchens designed to serve official receptions!

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In addition to the four official visits that took place under the presidency of General De Gaulle, the Grand Trianon welcomed US President Richard Nixon in 1969, Queen Elizabeth II of England in 1972, Russian President Boris Yeltsin in 1992, and more recently Xi Jinping, President of the People's Republic of China, in 2014.

We can't wait to take advantage of a visit to Versailles to see the President's apartments at the Grand Trianon, Olafur Eliasson's exhibition in the gardens and the renovated Galerie des Carrosses!

Practical info :
Un Président chez le Roi, De Gaulle at the Grand Trianon
Opening May 10, 2016
Location: Grand Trianon du Domaine de Versailles
Opening hours: 12:00 - 18:30, closed Mondays
Admission: €18 estate admission, €10 Grand Trianon admission, free for children under 26.