On August 10, 1901, two English ladies decided to visit the Palace of Versailles for what was anticipated to be an ordinary day of sightseeing. However, on that fateful day, a series of mysterious encounters occurred. When the ladies visited Queen Marie Antoinette’s Petit Trianon, both were later convinced they had stepped back in time to the eighteenth century. One of the ladies even believed she had witnessed the queen herself! Were the ladies encounters a case of mistaken identity and confusion, or did they unknowingly step back in time to walk along paths from a bygone era at Versailles?

On August 10, 1901, two English ladies decided to visit the Palace of Versailles for what was anticipated to be an ordinary day of sightseeing. However, on that fateful day, a series of mysterious encounters occurred. When the ladies visited Queen Marie Antoinette’s Petit Trianon, both were later convinced they had stepped back in time to the eighteenth century. One of the ladies even believed she had witnessed the queen herself! Were the ladies encounters a case of mistaken identity and confusion, or did they unknowingly step back in time to walk along paths from a bygone era at Versailles?

On August 10, 1901, two English ladies spending part of their summer together in France decided to visit the Palace of Versailles for what was anticipated to be an ordinary day of sightseeing. However, on that fateful day, the women later believed a series of mysterious encounters had occurred, the results of which have lingered through to the present day. When one of the ladies suggested a visit to Queen Marie Antoinette's Petit Trianon, both were later convinced they had stepped back in time to witness people and scenery from the eighteenth century. One of the ladies even believed she had witnessed the queen herself! Were the ladies? encounters simply a case of mistaken identity and confusion as a result of venturing into an unfamiliar environment? How well do their testimonies support the integrity of such an occurrence? Alternatively, did the women unknowingly step back in time to walk along paths from a bygone era at Versailles?

On August 10, 1901, two English ladies spending part of their summer together in France decided to visit the Palace of Versailles for what was anticipated to be an ordinary day of sightseeing. However, on that fateful day, the women later believed a series of mysterious encounters had occurred, the results of which have lingered through to the present day. When one of the ladies suggested a visit to Queen Marie Antoinette's Petit Trianon, both were later convinced they had stepped back in time to witness people and scenery from the eighteenth century. One of the ladies even believed she had witnessed the queen herself! Were the ladies' encounters simply a case of mistaken identity and confusion as a result of venturing into an unfamiliar environment? How well do their testimonies support the integrity of such an occurrence? Alternatively, did the women unknowingly step back in time to walk along paths from a bygone era at Versailles?

Marie Antoinette at Petit Trianon challenges common perceptions of the last Queen of France, appraising the role she played in relation to the events of French Revolution through an original analysis of contemporary heritage practices and visitor perceptions at her former home, the Petit Trianon. Controversy and martyrdom have placed Marie Antoinette’s image within a spectrum of cultural caricatures that range from taboo to iconic. With a foundation in critical heritage studies, this book examines the diverse range of contemporary images portraying Marie Antoinette’s historical character, showing how they affect the interpretation and perception of the Petit Trianon. By considering both producers and receivers of these cultural heritage exponents - Marie Antoinette’s historical figure and the historic house museum of the Petit Trianon - the book expands current understandings of twenty-first century cultural heritage perceptions in relation to tourism and popular culture. A useful case study for academics, researchers and postgraduate students of cultural heritage, it will also be of interest to historians, keepers of house museums and those working in the field of tourism studies.

"Dunn's masterful portrayal of the glittering world of the Sun King's court and the contrasting dark, human stew of 17th Century Paris, will delight any reader familiar with the Affair of the Poisons - and equally thrill those new to the period." Kate Braithwaite, author of Charlatan Dazzled by Versailles. Broken by tragedy. Consumed by revenge. When Fleur de La Fontaine attends the court of King Louis XIV for the first time, she is soon besotted with handsome courtier, Philippe de Mortain. She dreams of married life away from her uncaring mother, but Philippe keeps a secret from her. Nine months later, after the boy she has given birth to in a convent is whisked away, she flees to Paris where she ends up mending gowns in the brothel of Madame Claudette, a woman who helps 'fallen' girls back on their feet. Jacques de Montagnac investigates a spate of abducted children when his path crosses Fleur's. He searches for her son, but the trail leads to a dead end - and a dreadful realisation. Her boy's suspected fate too much to bear, Fleur decides to avenge him. She visits the famous midwife, La Voisin, but it's not the woman's skills in childbirth that Fleur seeks. La Voisin dabbles in poisons. Will Fleur see her plan through? Or can she save herself from a tragic fate? Delve into The Shadows of Versailles and enter the sinister world of potions, poisons and black masses during the Affairs of the Poisons, a real event that shook the court of the Sun King! An Affair of the Poisons series: Book One: The Shadows of VersaillesBook Two: The Alchemist's Daughter (out in 2021)

An “eccentric and charming” love letter to Versailles Palace and its storied grounds, by the man who knows them best—for gardening lovers and Francophiles (New York Times) Tour Versailles’ 2,100 acres as its gardener-in-chief describes its fascinating history and his 40 years of living and working in the gardens. In Alain Baraton’s Versailles, every grove tells a story. As the gardener-in-chief, Baraton lives on its grounds, and since 1982 he has devoted his life to the gardens, orchards, and fields that were loved by France’s kings and queens as much as the palace itself. His memoir captures the essence of the connection between gardeners and the earth they tend, no matter how humble or grand. With the charm of a natural storyteller, Baraton weaves his own path as a gardener with the life of the Versailles grounds, and his role overseeing its team of 80 gardeners tending to 350,000 trees and 30 miles of walkways across 2,100 acres. He richly evokes this legendary place and the history it has witnessed but also its quieter side that he feels privileged to know: The same gardens that hosted the lavish lawn parties of Louis XIV and the momentous meeting between Marie Antoinette and the Cardinal de Rohan remain enchanted—private places where visitors try to get themselves locked in at night, lovers go looking for secluded hideaways, and elegant grandmothers secretly make cuttings to take back to their own gardens. A tremendous bestseller in France, The Gardener of Versailles gives an unprecedentedly intimate view of one of the grandest places on earth.