During the reign of Louis XIV France was the premier power in Europe. He was the first King since François I to launch major building projects which are now landmarks.
Louis realised his ambition to have France recognised as achieving supremacy in the arts, directly influencing the decoration of his residences. It also became a fashionable pastime among the aristocracy and businessmen who could afford it. His chateau at Versailles was a permanent exhibition of the products of the French luxury industry. It was a showroom of the latest fashion in décor, the model for the rest of Europe.
There are two bed chambers associated with Louis XIV—at Chambord and Versailles.
CHAMBORD
Louis XIV made his first visit to Chambord at the age of twelve. Over the next 35 years he made a total of eight more trips there, mainly in autumn, to hunt and entertain the court.
Initially he stayed in the old section. In 1680 he assigned his architect Jules-Hardouin Mansart* to create a new official royal apartment and to finish the work started by François I.
After Louis XIV established the court at Versailles, he travelled much less, making his last trip to Chambord in 1685.
Louis XV did not use Chambord. He gave it to his father-in-law Stanislas Leszczynski who occupied the King’s apartment from 1725. Stanislas was the deposed King of Poland. His daughter’s marriage to the young King Louis XV was a totally unexpected stroke of luck. He initially kept a low profile living in Chambord away from the Court. He left Chambord in 1733 when he renewed his claim on the Polish throne with the help of his son-in-law. His second reign lasted less than 3 years. Louis XV made him the Duke of Lorraine where he lived in the Chateau of Lunéville.
In 1745 Louis XV gave Chambord to Maurice de Saxe to thank him for his military service. Two years later Louis XV’s son and heir married the Maréchal’s niece Marie-Josèphe de Saxe. They became the parents of Louis XVI. The Maréchal renovated Louis XIV’s original apartment. He placed a false wall behind the bed which concealed a special heating apparatus. Chambord became a centre of parties, theatre and music until his death there in 1750.
*Mansart is responsible for many landmark architectural works including the Hall of Mirrors, Chapel and Grand Trianon at Versailles and the Place Vendôme and Place des Victoires in Paris.
VERSAILLES
Normally in a royal residence the king’s apartment had two bedrooms — one a “Chambre de Parade” which was open to the public and the other was a private space.* Over the years at Versailles Louis XIV occupied several bedrooms, including moving into his mother’s bedroom on the ground floor after she died. It was in 1701 when Louis was in his early sixties that he set up permanently in the single bed chamber which can be viewed today.
Louis’ “lit à la française” bed at Versailles was like a monumental altar. It was the centre of the “lever” and “coucher” – the daily ceremonies of getting out of bed in the morning and going to bed in the evening. The rich fabric was woven with real gold which was melted down during the French Revolution (like most others for their precious metal). It has been recreated at Versailles, once again using real gold. It is now thought that this design was actually the winter fabric from the Queen’s apartment.
This remained the official bed chamber of the French Kings right up until the French Revolution. Louis XIV’s successors -his great grandson Louis XV and his great great great grandson Louis XVI – continued to use this bedroom for official ceremonies such as the “lever” and “coucher” but actually slept in a private bedroom close by.
*It should be noted that this was not the place he slept with women. He would visit the queen or mistresses in their bedroom.
