The Grand Trianon. It's so big, this is just a small section that my camera could capture.

This is the 3rd post on Versailles, and covers photos from the Grand Trianon.  The Grand Trianon was built by Louis XIV as a retreat for him and his mistress, and where he could entertain guests away from the court etiquette of the main château.  For a little place, it’s still a huge place, built in an H-design.  I came upon the Grand Trianon in the bright afternoon sun, so it looked a bit “washed” out to me.  At first, I thought the pink marble pillars looked faded and assumed that it was a fake pillar that had been faded by exposure to the sun.  Of course, I realised my mistake the second after I mentioned it to my friend.  It is real marble, and the Sun King would not have anything less than real marble everywhere.

Exterior of the back section of the Grand Trianon, approaching it from the Petit Trianon.

Different to some palaces in the UK.  In Hampton Court Palace, there are painted walls faked to look like real marble, because King William and Queen Mary did not have enough money to complete their renovations with the real thing. The French king had loads more money than England.  King Henry VIII was very jealous of the wealth of the French, and it was his drive for more money that was also the driving force behind the dissolution of the monasteries.

Pictures below of some of the internal rooms in the Grand Trianon.

Example of furnishings during the era of the Sun King.
Room where they played cards etc. Looks a bit spartan compared to other rooms.
Once a dining room, this room was converted into a bedroom so it's extra big.
Another view of this huge bedroom.

When Napoleon became Emperor of France, he wanted to live in the château.  The château by then had deteriorated somewhat. You know, peasants had been by, stormed the place, took a few souvenirs – that sort of thing. However, he baulked at the cost of restoring the place, and instead restored the Grand Trianon and stayed there instead. So the pictures below are furnishings from the Imperial era (as advised by my trusty French friend).

Wikipaedia link to more information about the Grand Trianon

My TripAdviser review on Versailles

Typical room during Napoleon.
Matching chairs.
Buffet table.
The Garden room - basically the room which opens out into the garden.