Paris1972-Versailles2003

In my continuing saga of the sublime wonderful Château de Versailles of many nice memories ,see my other posts on it, This is in my former Yvelines dept 78 of the Île de France region ,and my belle France. I have found me pictures of a private friends of Versailles trip in my cd rom vault that now is ok to have in my blog for you and me, Spaces seldom notice by visitors but a load of history in them, Therefore, here is my take on the apartments of the Count of Maurepas in the Château de Versailles !!! Hope you enjoy the post as I.

This apartment was originally furnished in 1751 as the King’s Small Apartment. The room was then an antechamber. It later became the first antechamber when Marie-Josèphe of Saxony took up residence there, and then an antechamber again from 1770 to 1774 for Madame Du Barry. After Du Barry was dismissed by Louis XVI in 1774, the apartment was divided into three sections to house the King’s First Valet de la Chambre, Thierry de Ville d’Avray, the Duke of Villequier, and the Count of Maurepas, whom he recalled from his forced exile at the suggestion of his aunts.

.The former apartment of Madame Du Barry and part of Louis XV’s private chambers, located on the second floor of the palace and overlooking the Marble Courtyard, were assigned to Monsieur de Maurepas, a highly influential advisor to the king. Several renovation plans were considered to provide the minister with a more convenient and direct connection to the Council Chamber and the King’s apartments, as well as greater comfort for the minister and his wife. A new antechamber was built in 1778, and work to whitewash the walls and furnish the interiors continued until 1780. Monsieur de Maurepas died in 1781, and his apartment was immediately allocated to three beneficiaries, including the Duke of Villequier and the Duke of Cossé-Brissac.

Louis XVI summoned the Count of Maurepas to his side. He became his “mentor,” his Prime Minister without the official title. The antechamber was accessed via the staircase of the “new rooms” (which disappeared in the 19C), connecting to the King’s private studies. In this way, Louis XVI could go up to the Count’s apartment early in the morning and work in his large study. Maurepas remained at Versailles until his death on November 21, 1781, at the age of 80. His apartment was reassigned to the Duke of Villequier, First Gentleman of the Bedchamber, and to Thierry de Ville d’Avray, First Valet of the Bedchamber, Louis XVI then appointed the Grand Panetier of France, the Duke of Brissac, to oversee the royal table for major ceremonies.

Jean-Frédéric Phélypeaux, Count of Maurepas, born on July 9, 1701, in Versailles and died on November 21, 1781, in the palace of Versailles, was a French aristocrat and politician. He served as Secretary of State for the Navy under Louis XV from 1723 to 1749. After a long period of disgrace, he became Minister of State upon the accession of Louis XVI in 1774 and remained so until his death. One of the accusations against him, notably an epigram against Madame de Pompadour, seemed more serious than the others: Maurepas was disgraced in 1749 and exiled forty leagues (approx 160 km) from Paris. He first chose Bourges, whose cardinal archbishop, Mgr de La Rochefoucauld, was his cousin, residing in a small pavilion attached to the archbishop’s palace. Then, in 1752, he received permission to move to his château at Pontchartrain. Finally, in 1756, his exile was commuted to a simple ban on appearing at court, and he divided his time between this rural retreat and Paris. Endowed with considerable wealth and known for their hospitality, the Count and Countess of Maurepas received numerous visitors during their exile. Maurepas maintained a voluminous correspondence with political figures, scholars, and men of letters, who consulted him on all the important affairs of the day. Twenty-five years later, upon his accession (May 1774), Louis XVI appointed Maurepas Minister of State. He died on November 21, 1781, at the age of 80 at the Palace of Versailles, and his apartment was immediately allocated to three beneficiaries, including the Duke of Villequier and the Duke of Cossé-Brissac. His sole heir was his niece, Adélaïde-Diane-Hortense Mancini-Mazarin, daughter of Hélène-Françoise-Angélique Phélipeaux de Pontchartrain and Duchess of Brissac through her marriage to Louis Hercule Timoléon de Cossé-Brissac. (see post castle of Brissac),

The official Château de Versailles on the courtiers :  https://en.chateauversailles.fr/discover/history/key-dates/courtiers

The official Society of Friends of Versailles on the apartments of courtiers : https://amisdeversailles.com/activites/3537

There you go folks, a lovely setting indeed , and gorgeous architecture and history I like. The City will never be forgotten from my mind, sublime, tops and glad to find these gems to share with the world ; Versailles is it.  An unique piece of architecture of old in the sublime Château de Versailles . Again, hope you enjoy this post on the apartments of the Count of Maurepas in the Château de Versailles !!! as I. 

And remember, happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all !!!