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Origin and history

The Grand Trianon, formerly known as the Marble Trianon, is a castle located in the Parc du Domaine de Versailles, in the Yvelines, Île-de-France. Commanded by Louis XIV in 1687, it was built by the architect Jules Hardouin-Mansart on the site of a previous porcelain pavilion, the Porcelain Trianon, demolished in 1686. The king, involved in every detail, opted for flat Italian roofs and an open peristyle, creating a harmony between courtyard and gardens. Inaugurated in 1688, it became the private residence of the monarch and Madame de Maintenon, adorned with thousands of flowers in pots changed daily.

Under Louis XIV, the Grand Trianon served as an exclusive reception place, where the king organized dinners to control his court. After his death, Louis XV disinterested, but in 1741 he housed Queen Marie Leszczynska. Napoleon I undertook his restoration in 1805, adding glazing to the peristyle to protect the empress from air currents. The castle was replaced and became a place of residence for foreign dignitaries, such as Tsar Alexander I or Queen Elizabeth II.

In the 20th century, General de Gaulle made it a presidential residence in 1963, after major modernization (electricity, air conditioning). He received heads of state such as Richard Nixon or Boris Yeltsin. Today integrated into the National Museum of Versailles, the Grand Trianon retains its protocol role while being open to the public. Its classical architecture, combining French and Italian influences, and French gardens make it a jewel of heritage.

The gardens, originally designed by Michel II Le Bouteux and then renovated by André Le Nôtre and Hardouin-Mansart, were famous for their 900,000 pots of flowers and their rooms of geometric greenery. The Cotelle Gallery, adorned with 24 paintings depicting the groves, bears witness to this plant splendor. The Treaty of Trianon was signed there in 1920, marking its diplomatic importance.

Ranked a historic monument in 1862 and a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1979, the Grand Trianon embodies the French art of living. Its imperial apartments, its Glaces salon and its pink marble peristyle of Caunes-Minervois reflect five centuries of history, from the Sun King to the Presidents of the Republic.

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