I have come into a real find in my memorable City of Versailles, actually the 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 more pictures in my cd rom vault from a visit with the friends of the castle a while back, that should be in my blog for you and me, Therefore, here is my take on the Appartement de la Duchesse de Lunay in the Château de Versailles !!! Hope you enjoy the post as I.
The Hôtel de Chevreuse, aka the Hôtel de Luynes, was built in 1683, based on plans by Jules Hardouin-Mansart, on the rue de la Surintendance no 8 et no, 8bis, no10 et no 10bis ,today the rue de l’Indépendance américaine, for Charles Honoré d’Albert, Duke of Chevreuse. The family remained its owners until the 19C. The hôtel or mansion was demolished in 1823, with the exception of the coach houses and stables, located along the former superintendent’s residence. Marie Charles Louis d’Albert, Duke of Luynes and Chevreuse and Peer of France was the great-grandson of Charles Honoré. A field marshal in 1743 and a lieutenant general in 1748, he was appointed colonel general of the dragoons in 1754. He also obtained the governorship of Paris in 1757.
Marie Brûlart de La Borde, Duchess of Luynes by her second marriage, was the first lady-in-waiting to Queen Marie Leszczynska. In 1704, she married Louis-Joseph de Béthune-Charost, who died at the Battle of Malplaquet, four days after the birth of their daughter, Marie-Thérèse de Béthune-Charost. She remarried in 1732 to Charles-Philippe d’Albert de Luynes, Duke of Luynes and Chevreuse, who left memoirs on life at the court of Versailles; this union remained without descendants. The Duchess of Luynes was the aunt of the Marquise du Deffand, the great-aunt of Gabrielle Pauline Bouthillier de Chavigny, aka the Marquise de Valbelle and later as the Countess d’Adhémar, and the half-sister of the Countess de Brienne. A friend of the Queen of France, Marie Leszczynska, she served her as first lady-in-waiting from 1735 until her death in 1763. She was among the close friends invited to literary salons and to the Grandes Nuits de Sceaux given at the Château de Sceaux by Louise-Bénédicte de Bourbon, Duchess of Maine, around her court and the Knights of the Honeybee. At the Duchess of Luynes’s residence, the Queen dined, played her endless games of cavagnole where the Bailiff of Saint-Simon devoted himself to challenging her; she conversed openly with those she called her “respectable people”: the Duke of Luynes, the Cardinal of Luynes, and the Duchess of Luynes. In one year, the Queen dined 198 times at the home of her lady-in-waiting, the Duchess of Luynes.
The Queen’s Small Apartment is a suite of rooms on three floors, located in the central section of the Palace of Versailles. Under Marie Leszczynska, the Queen’s Small Apartment underwent three distinct phases of renovation: the first, from 1728 to 1731; the second, from 1737 to 1739; and the third, from 1746 to 1748. The first phase, from 1728 to 1731, resulted in the construction of a bathroom, the Small Gallery, and an oratory. The second phase saw significant alterations to the Small Gallery, including the installation of varnished wood paneling. The phase from 1746 to 1748 saw the remodeling of the Small Gallery, during which the room was nicknamed either the Chinese Cabinet, due to eight Chinese-style panels painted by Marie Leszczynska, or the Laboratory, where the Queen pursued her leisure activities. The former oratory was converted into the Meridian Room with new paneling. The bath room received new paneling and paintings; the large inner room also received new paneling. However, the varnished paneling that can still be seen at the rear of the room dates from the 1750s and comes from another room in the palace.
The Château de Versailles on Queen Marie Leszczynska: https://en.chateauversailles.fr/news/exhibitions/taste-marie-leszczynska#a-touch-of-the-exotic
The Château de Versailles on the palace : https://en.chateauversailles.fr/discover/estate/palace
There you go folks, a lovely setting indeed , and gorgeous views with plenty of 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 and gorgeous gardens in the sublime Château de Versailles . Again, hope you enjoy this post on the Appartement de la Duchesse de Lunay in the Château de Versailles !!! as I.
And remember, happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all !!!
