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.

How did they poop 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 ...

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.

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.

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.

VERSAILLES' DIRTY SECRETS - Toute L'Histoire

Did the French watch the king poop?

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.

Did people urinate in Versailles?

No, people weren't just defecating & urinating in the halls of Versailles. Some of the ways people at Versailles could take care of business: closestools, bourdaloues (designed for women who needed to pee!); chamber pots; and a design for an 18th century latrine. There were also a few flushing toilets.

Which king did not 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).

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.

Did servants live in cupboards in Versailles?

But where did they stay? Most apartments consisted of a bedchamber, a cabinet and perhaps a wardrobe. The lucky ones could add a few antechambers or had rather large rooms. In this context, the servants' quarters were in the wardrobe.

What French Revolution hygiene was like?

Popular belief held that opening the pores with hot water invited all manner of diseases into the skin. Bodily filth served as a de facto protective layer against illness. Most people simply took sponge or dry baths, rinsing their hands, faces, and nether regions, using as little water as possible.

How often did Royalty bathe in the 1700s?

Louis XIV of France, for example, is said to have taken only two baths in his adult lifetime — both times recommended by his doctors. The king had headaches, and his doctors thought bathing would help cure the condition. It did not, and he never bathed again.

Why did Royalty not bathe?

Many royals saw themselves as being above everyone else, being so special that they had this aura around them which would be vanished if washed. Others believed that it was impossible for them to get dirty as they were divine royalty.

What was hygiene like in the 1700s?

Individuals would use a basin, cloth, and maybe a sponge, wiping themselves off wherever they could find privacy. Baths could be relatively common, but soap was not used. Another technique was swimming, but dips in a nearby stream or lake were more for cooling off rather than getting clean.

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 kind of bug crawled into the Queen's ear in Versailles?

Thoughts on Versailles: The Queen's mysterious ear bug…

It is called Triatoma infestans and very ugly.

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.

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.

Does the Palace of Versailles still stink?

It's a smell but not one that you'd expect from a majestic palace; it reeks of feces and urine. Everywhere you go, you're reminded of the foul stench that emanates from the walls, from the cesspits, and even from the gardens. No place is safe.

Did King Louis XIV only bathe twice?

Yes, it's true. Clean water was hard to get but even those, who had access to it, rarely bathed. It is believed that King Louis XIV bathed just twice in his lifetime. Not just him, Queen Isabella of Spain bathed once when she was born and once on her wedding day.

How often did the French bathe?

24% said they shower once every other day; 11% said once every three days. The remaining 8% shower just once every four days... or less. And when the French are in the shower, it's not for very long, either.

When did the French start bathing?

Only at the beginning of the 19^th century did the idea of taking a regular bath as a part of personal hygiene begin to take shape. It made a slow progress in the upper classes, but the common people remained blissfully dirty.

When did humans start washing themselves?

Humans have probably been bathing since the Stone Age, not least because the vast majority of European caves that contain Palaeolithic art are short distances from natural springs. By the Bronze Age, beginning around 5,000 years ago, washing had become very important.