Christmas vacations: exceptional opening of the Galleries de la Révolution at the Château de Versailles

The Château de Versailles, decked out in its finest Christmas decorations, awaits you this winter to discover areas previously inaccessible to open-air visitors: the Galleries de la Révolution and the Emperor's small apartment in the Grand Trianon. It's the perfect opportunity to stroll around this superb estate with the whole family during the Christmas vacations, from December 21, 2024 to January 5, 2025. Located above the Queen's grand apartment, these historic galleries were built under Louis-Philippe and house a collection of masterpieces dating from 1789 to the early days of the Consulate.

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Also known as the "Chimay attic", after the last occupant of this part of the château, the Princesse de Chimay, dame d'atour to Marie-Antoinette, work in the galleries was interrupted by the fall of the July Monarchy, and only refurbished in the 1950s to display the collections of works linked to the Revolution.

Today, the monumental sketch of Le Serment du Jeu de Paume, one of David's versions of Bonaparte au col du Grand Saint-Bernard, La Prise des Tuileries by Bertaux, as well as a collection of battle paintings from the Italian and Egyptian campaigns and an important series of portraits can be seen in period settings.

At the same time, you can also visit the Emperor's small apartment in the Grand Trianon, which is usually only open to guided tours. Neglected since the Revolution, the Grand Trianon was taken over by Napoleon in 1805, who moved into the former apartment of Madame de Maintenon, then Louis XV, and has preserved its original Empire-style décor.

A visit to the Château de Versailles and its program
The Château de Versailles, its gardens and grounds, are a world heritage site. The official residence of the kings of France, the Château de Versailles holds the record as the largest château in the world, and of course the most visited in France. [Read more]