By Serge-Paul Carrasco on May 3, 2024

Marie-Antoinette’s Inner Chambers

(E) The Palace of Versailles re-opened Marie-Antoinette’s private chambers last year. Those rooms shows the sophistication of the queen, and her interests, tastes, and passion, ahead of her time, for the arts, music, fashion, jewelry, and furniture.

Part of its series “Live Morning in a French Museum”, the Alliance Française of Silicon Valley is organizing a virtual journey into Marie-Antoinette’s inner chambers at the Palo Alto’s Art Center @ 1313 Newell Rd, this Sunday, May 5th at 9:00 PST. If you are going to see the Olympics this Summer, you should stop by Versailles and explore that new venue.

Marie-Antoinette’s Inner Chambers (In English)

Unveiling the Opulence of Marie-Antoinette’s Inner Chambers: A Virtual Journey into History, Art, and Elegance

Followed by Q & A session led by Véronique Vassout, Cultural Advisor at AF Silicon Valley.

Experience the allure and grandeur of Marie-Antoinette’s Inner Chambers at the Palace of Versailles from the comfort of your own home. Join us for this exclusive virtual exploration, presented by Alliance Française Silicon Valley.

Prepare to be captivated as we unlock the hidden gem of Marie-Antoinette’s private chambers, offering a glimpse into her refined world. In the company of the esteemed Mayor of Palo Alto, Greer Stone, we invite you to indulge in this exquisite virtual event. And to elevate the elegance, award-winning Baker Chef Avery Ruzicka will be delighting attendees with her succulent pastries.

Discover a Hidden Gem: The Queen’s Inner Chambers, a collection of intricately adorned rooms, stand as a testament to the evolving tastes and styles that have graced the annals of history. This intimate space has recently undergone an extensive restoration campaign, revealing a unique fusion of historical significance and opulent grandeur.

Marie-Antoinette’s Refined Touch: Join our seasoned guide, Philippe Maillet, as they lead you on a leisurely journey through this luxurious apartment, unveiling the refined touch of Marie-Antoinette in every corner. Her indelible mark echoes through the decor, reflecting her distinct personality, extravagant lifestyle, and passion for decoration, the arts, and fashion.

Immerse Yourself in History: this visit will immerse you in the intricate details of the chambers, allowing you to appreciate the richness of the decor and unravel the compelling stories embedded within.

Innovative Spatial Expansion: Discover Marie-Antoinette’s ingenious spatial solutions as she artfully designed new rooms on the floor above, including a charming Billiard Room. A miniature summer apartment graced the ground floor, showcasing the Queen’s creativity with a bedchamber, library, and bathroom, opening onto the picturesque Marble Courtyard.

Our Guide: Philippe Maillet

Interested in Art history for a long time, Philippe Maillet started studying at the Sorbonne University where he specialized into Islamic arts. His main source of interest was the mixing cultures and how the architecture could be a crossover between France and North Africa. Then he spent one year at the School of Architecture of Paris-Belleville to learn more about the protection and restoration of the Islamic heritage. After these years dedicated to his specialty, Philippe Maillet decided to return to a more classical perspective joining the prestigious Ecole du Louvre to study musicology and conservation. After a training in Morocco in a public institution Philippe Maillet wanted to explore a private foundation and worked at the Antoine de Galbert Fondation taking part to the setting of the Ann Hamilton temporary exhibition. The dialogue with a contemporary artist and the challenge of promoting modern art motivated Philippe to apply to a new gallery involved into young creation. During eleven years Philippe experienced mediation around contemporary artists and created tools to make their art accessible to a large audience.But after this long experience Philippe Maillet was eager to get back to his passion for ancient periods and artifacts. Thus, he decided to become a lecturer to guide various types of public in museums. Now his mission is to reconnect the society with its heritage and to be a link between the past and the people. Through the agency Point Parole, Philippe Maillet works in main institutions such as the Louvre and Orsay Museums or Versailles Palace.