Living like Royalty in Versailles

Just in time for our 10th wedding anniversary this past June, I was assigned a very regal assignment for Condé Nast Traveller. This included a three-day stay at brand new hotel Le Grand Contrôle, set within the grounds of Château de Versailles. WHAT A DREAM! I was thrilled to play queen for a day, or three. With my king by my side.

Immediately upon passing through the doors of Le Grand Contrôle, you feel as though you’ve entered into another era. One in which it’s easy to feel underdressed with the staff buttoned up in stately uniforms.

Upon arriving, our personal butler settled us into our room, or shall I say lavish suite, named after the Necker family. He was a finance minister for Louis XVI and his wife helped to establish a children’s hospital in Paris.

After discovering the desk I decided this would be where I’d write my memoirs. With a feather plume, of course.

The heavenly view from the bathroom looked directly onto Château de Versailles. Even from my morning bath.

The rest of the antique-filled hotel proved just as well-appointed as our suite. From the game room to the downstairs lounge to the dining salons. And might I add that dinner set quite a theatrical stage!

The privilege of staying at Le Grand Contrôle, in addition to feeling like part of the royal court and dining at the helm of Michelin-starred chef Alain Ducasse, is an after-hours guided tour of Château de Versailles.

One of the most magical moments, other than a behind-the-scenes look at the Queen’s Chambers, was walking through an empty Hall of Mirrors. The perfect photo op! It was our wedding anniversary, after all.

Mornings at Le Grand Contrôle included a private guided tour of the Grand Trianon, the Petit Trianon, or the Queen’s Hamlet. Following each visit, I was beginning to understand Marie Antoinette on a much deeper level.

The stay at Le Grand Contrôle felt like living in the most regal period in French history. From a picnic on the grounds of Versailles to a candlelit dinner in our chambers. And let’s not forget the subterranean spa. Read all about my experience in the September issue of Condé Nast Traveller, October issue of CN Traveler US, or online.

history vs modernity

While the Italians were in town we took them to Versailles. Just in case they weren’t thoroughly impressed from day one in Paris.

As excited as they were to visit this 17th Century Château, I was equally excited to view the current Murakami exhibit, a source of controversy since its inception in mid-September. I was determined to find all 22 works by Takashi Murakami, including the 11 created specifically for the show, and to discover what all the hype was about. All this while enjoying the splendor of Versailles, which I had previously visited as a student, back in the days when art was confined to museums and galleries.

My first impression was disdain as I felt too distracted by the art to pay much attention to the grandeur of the architecture. That quickly turned to child-like curiosity, as I entered each ornately decorated room, eager to discover which brightly-coloured creatures lurked behind the corner.

It was the unique contrast in the Baroque setting and the art that held my interest.

During this tour, I wondered to myself what exactly was the motivation for France to curate such a show? Setting the precedent with Jeff Koons’ exhibit in 2008, were they attempting to position themselves as provocateurs in the art world? Or perhaps this is all a political ploy to strengthen relations between France and Japan. Whatever the reason, I was throughly entertained and enjoyed it more than not. The Italians thought it amusing but lacked my enthusiasm. The French tourists, upon over-hearing several conversations, were deeply dismayed. (Right-wingers no doubt.)

The final room held no 17th Century distractions, merely smiley flowers to lighten the mood.

For those confused about how modernity can find a home within the walls of history (myself included), Curator Laurent Le Bon offers a little clarity, “The unique experience seeks above all to spark a reflection of the contemporary nature of our monuments and indispensable need to create out own era.”

Still confused? In this video which takes you on a tour of the exhibition, Murakami explains his reasoning behind working so diligently to create his manga universe at Versailles. What I found interesting is how he defines space in France versus Japan, two very disparate cultures. “In France you have this tradition to conquer and manage space and to represent it in three dimensions. In Japan, there is this tradition to flatten out reality to take a real three dimensional space and transform it into two dimensions.”  Another interesting note, Murakami considers his work somewhat like origami which can be manipulated in various ways. I would have to agree.

The grand finale in the exhibition is the Oval Buddha in the garden. Very grand and very gold. If you have not yet experienced the controversy, the show is up until December 12, 2010. Well worth it!

Still, I am left to wonder, should modern art find a home in history?