Grandes Ecuries (Great Stables), Versailles
The Royal stables at Versailles once housed the equerries, the stablemen, musicians, page boys and 600 horses. Today the Great Stables is a museum.
The stables were built in 1683 by Jules Hardouin-Mansart. The twin buildings were lavishly decorated and enclosed the Square of Arms, which was a military practice area. The Small Stable was the same size as the Grande, but it was in the latter that the Great Squire lived and was in charge of the horses. These animals, the finest in France, were trained for war, but were mainly used for hunting. Only the king and the princes were allowed to ride them.
Today the horses are gone and the stable is the home of the Carriage Museum. In 1842 when King Louis-Philippe decided to have Versailles transformed into a huge museum, he installed the Museum of Carriages in Trianon, but it was moved to the stable building in 1985.
It is a fascinating museum to visit with its wonderful collection of 17th to 19th century carriages. You will see the carriage that carried King Charles 10th to his coronation, the funeral carriage of King Louis 18th, the baptism coach of the Duke of Bordeaux and the wedding coach of Napoleon Bonaparte.
There is also a fine collection of richly decorated Sedan chairs and several sleds that were once used in races on the frozen waters of the Grand Canal.
The stables were built in 1683 by Jules Hardouin-Mansart. The twin buildings were lavishly decorated and enclosed the Square of Arms, which was a military practice area. The Small Stable was the same size as the Grande, but it was in the latter that the Great Squire lived and was in charge of the horses. These animals, the finest in France, were trained for war, but were mainly used for hunting. Only the king and the princes were allowed to ride them.
Today the horses are gone and the stable is the home of the Carriage Museum. In 1842 when King Louis-Philippe decided to have Versailles transformed into a huge museum, he installed the Museum of Carriages in Trianon, but it was moved to the stable building in 1985.
It is a fascinating museum to visit with its wonderful collection of 17th to 19th century carriages. You will see the carriage that carried King Charles 10th to his coronation, the funeral carriage of King Louis 18th, the baptism coach of the Duke of Bordeaux and the wedding coach of Napoleon Bonaparte.
There is also a fine collection of richly decorated Sedan chairs and several sleds that were once used in races on the frozen waters of the Grand Canal.
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Grandes Ecuries (Great Stables) on Map
Sight Name: Grandes Ecuries (Great Stables)
Sight Location: Versailles, France (See walking tours in Versailles)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Sight Location: Versailles, France (See walking tours in Versailles)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Walking Tours in Versailles, France
Create Your Own Walk in Versailles
Creating your own self-guided walk in Versailles is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.
Versailles Introduction Walking Tour
Versailles, a wealthy suburb of Paris some 20 kilometers southwest of the capital, is steeped in grandeur and regal history. Known worldwide for its opulent palace 鈥� the residence of French royalty, this small town offers much more than just its royal gates. Versailles is a living museum of French architecture and aristocratic life and is historically known for numerous treaties signed there,... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.5 Km or 2.2 Miles
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.5 Km or 2.2 Miles
Versailles Gardens Walking Tour
Spread across a vast (800-hectare) area, the Versailles Gardens are the quintessential example of regal grandeur and meticulous French landscape design. Most of its feature areas 鈥� known as 'groves' 鈥� were created by King Louis XIV鈥檚 chief landscape architect Andr茅 Le N么tre. Key among the garden's numerous attractions is the Orangerie Fountain, which sets the tone for its... view more
Tour Duration: 3 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.5 Km or 2.2 Miles
Tour Duration: 3 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.5 Km or 2.2 Miles