Are there bathrooms in Versailles?

There are several toilets and free changing tables for babies at your disposal all over the Estate. In the Palace, there are toilets and changing tables before the ticket checks in the South Ministers' Wing and after the ticket checks in the basement of the Dufour Pavilion (Entrance A).

What were bathrooms like in Versailles?

There were no bathrooms as we would know them. Courtiers and royalty used decorative commodes in each room, while commoners simply relieved themselves in the hallways or stairwells. No one bothered to house-train the royal dogs, and servants did not consider cleaning up after them to be part of their job description.

Did Versailles not have bathrooms?

The legendary Palace of Versailles began as a hunting lodge in 1624. After more than a century and a half of building, which included some of the most impressive construction campaigns in the world's history, toilets were added in the 18th Century.

How many toilets are in the Palace of Versailles?

There were only two or three in the palace and these were the private property of the king, the queen and the dauphin (the first in line for the throne). Marie Antoinette's personal toilet. Everybody else managed with a chamber pot under the bed which some poor maid had to empty.

Why were there no toilets in Versailles?

During the many parties held at Versailles it was not uncommon for the guests to bribe the servants of the courtiers to let them use their masters' chamberpots and if this was not possible there were "commodes" where the toilets are currently located.

What Hygiene Was Like at The Court of Versailles

Did people poop in halls of Versailles?

Louis XV's toilette at the Palace of Versailles. But without a doubt, the most pressing health concern was caused by the dearth of waste disposal options in an era before reliable plumbing. “Feces and urine were everywhere,” Eleanor Herman, author of The Royal Art of Poison, says of royal palaces.

How smelly was Versailles?

Built on swampland, Versailles was described by a visitor in 1764 as an odiferous cesspool of dead cats, urine, excrement, slaughtered pigs, standing water, and mosquitoes. Inside the palace, things smelled different. Many royals in Louis XIV's day eschewed hot water baths, believing them bad for the health.

Did they watch the king poop in France?

At the grand couvert, the king dined with his family - and nobles literally sat on stools to watch them. Visitors to Versailles often viewed the ceremony, as well.

Why was Versailles so dirty?

Even the gardens weren't safe from the filth. One of the reasons for this was that Versailles was built on former marshland, and some areas still retained a foul odour. When summer came, this was even worse as the smell would mingle with the sweat, feces, and grime creating a truly pungent mix.

Where did servants sleep in Versailles?

While unpleasant it should be kept in mind that the room was not meant for actually living in. The servant would only sleep in the room while the day was spent almost entirely elsewhere. Still, it cannot have been particularly pleasant sleeping in a cramped room with no air circulation or heating.

Did Louis the 14 bathe?

King Louis XIV (1638-1715) was terrified of bathing; he's said to have taken only three baths in his life. That fear was shared by the noblility in the 17^th Century – it ws thought that was thought that water spread disease (so the less you bathed, the less vulnerable you were). Yet Versailles was seriously fragrant.

Where did they go to the bathroom in Versailles?

Anthony Spaworth's Versailles: A Biography of a Palace informs us, “In the eighteenth century there were public latrines placed in the corridors and stairwells of the palace [of Versailles], the Grand Commons, and the other annexes: these latrines consisted of a room with a wooden seat, or lunette, closed by a cover in ...

What drugs were used at Versailles?

Tobacco, herbs and possibly opium in lauanum - snuff and coffee, though coffee was very expensive. Coca leaves didn't travel well and were not used. The sniffing of that white stuff was fantasy.

How did Marie-Antoinette use the bathroom?

Though she had what we would consider a 'bathroom', there was no permanent bath fixed into the room. Her bathtub would be rolled into her bathroom by her servants and filled, bucket by bucket, with hot water. Once the linen-lined bathtub was full, the queen would add perfumes to the water.

Why was Versailles Cancelled?

It was rumoured that the show was cancelled because of the decreasing number of viewers. The show also received attention and some criticism from fans for its raunchy sex scenes.

What is the French lever?

The levee (from the French word lever, meaning "getting up" or "rising") was traditionally a daily moment of intimacy and accessibility to a monarch or leader, as he got up in the morning.

What did King Louis XVI eat for breakfast?

For breakfast, Louis XIV enjoyed a cup of broth or a bit of his favourite kind of bread dipped in wine, or things like cold sliced meat. Accounts vary on whether the King enjoyed a cup of coffee, tea or hot chocolate.

Did King Louis only bathe twice?

King Louis XIV is said to have only bathed twice in lifetime. He found bathing a disturbing act, as did Queen Isabel I of Spain who also confessed to having only two baths; on the day of her birth and the day of her marriage.

Is anyone buried at Versailles?

The coffins were opened on 15 October. Louis XIV, Anne of Austria as well as Marie Thérèse's graves were opened and the corpses stripped of any valuables. The following day - the day of Marie Antoinette's execution - saw the process repeated on the graves of Louis XV and Philippe d'Orléans (Louis XIV's brother).

Can you sleep in Versailles?

You Can Now Spend the Night Inside the Palace Versailles For a Kingly $2,000 a Night. The historic site is now a hotel. Photo courtesy of Airelles Château de Versailles, Le Grand Contrôle. If you're looking for a luxury cultural getaway to Europe, you just might want to book a stay at France's Palace of Versailles.

Is the gate at Versailles real gold?

During the French Revolution that began in 1789, the French revolutionary government ordered to dismantle the front gate, which was completely covered with gold. In 2008, the gate was recreated and decorated with 100,000 gold leaves.

What was life really like in Versailles?

French royals, nobles, and state officials lived together in the sprawling palace complex. But despite the regal setting, everyday life for courtiers at Versailles was often stressful, regimented, and surprisingly unsanitary. The palace of Versailles was King Louis XIV's pet project.

How many bedrooms and bathrooms are in the Palace of Versailles?

Today the Palace contains 2,300 rooms spread over 63,154 m2. In 1789, the French Revolution forced Louis XVI to leave Versailles for Paris.

Did kings and queens shower?

While staying fresh and maintaining a basic hygiene is a necessity in today's age and time, did you know that kings and queen were forbidden to take a bath in those days? Yes, it's true. Clean water was hard to get but even those, who had access to it, rarely bathed.

Do Royals bathe themselves?

It's believed that the royals prefer to avoid taking showers, due to their belief that they're for members of the working class. In other royal news, Kate Middleton wore a pair of £2 earrings and debuted brand new hair on her first day back at work since turning 40.