Vacation in Versailles and Live Like Marie Antoinette

As a little girl living in France, visions of castles did not have to dance in my head, they were literally down the street.

The Palais De Versailles was 10 minutes from my front door. We drove by the grounds almost daily and visited the palace often. My father was in the Air Force, and his posting to Paris left an indelible mark on my family. France, especially Versailles, feels like home.

Now I can stay there, and so can you!

Of course, it will cost a bit of a king’s ransom, but it’s worth it and considering we’ve been stuck at home for the better part of 18 months. It’s time for a reward!

A History of Opulence

Under Louis XIV, Versailles went from its origins in 1623 as a hunting lodge to a magnificent palace. During the 17th century, as the principal residence of French kings, from Louis XIV to Louis XVI, it grew to a 679,536-square-foot estate with 700 rooms. Jules Hardouin-Mansart was responsible for the design and construction of much of the palace. It is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site and considered a global cultural symbol of splendor.

You are probably most familiar with the golden entry gates and The Hall of Mirrors, where the Treaty of Versailles was signed in 1919. It’s also where my parents floated around the dance floor annually for several years at the Soiree de Beinfaisance or, in English, The Red Cross Charity Gala.

An Opportunity to Live History

The Palais de Versailles has been used for various films and events throughout the years, but never have you been able to spend a night on the grounds until now.

Several weeks ago, Arielles, the luxury French hotel brand, quietly opened Arielles-Château de Versailles Le Grand Contrôle, the latest five-star addition to the Arielles Exceptional Properties portfolio of creme de la creme vacation experiences.

Their gorgeous website offers the following:

Set within the gates of Versailles, Le Grand Contrôle was built in 1681 by Jules Hardouin-Mansart, Louis XIV’s favorite architect and an icon of French classicism. The grandiose building once played host to Europe’s political and cultural elite, from ambassadors and artists to musicians, writers, and scientists of the Enlightenment.

Now, more than two centuries later, Le Grand Contrôle has been entirely restored, offering guests an exclusive peek into the world of Versailles. Unlock access to the 2,000 acre-strong gardens, retrace famous footsteps and explore the palace halls and apartments like never before.

If you think you’ve experienced luxury, wait until you arrive at Le Grand Contrôle. Furniture and paintings originally in these buildings that had been moved into the Palais de Versailles were reinstated to establish an incomparable 17th-century regal tone. But this is 2021, so you can expect LED lighting in the antique chandeliers, geothermal energy as the heating source, and no single-use plastics.

Gaze out your windows to views of the Piece d’Eau des Suisses, a 13-hectare ornamental pool created by Swiss Guards in the late 1600s and L’Orangerie. This is one of the most amazing garden buildings in the world, also designed by Hardouin-Masart.

L’Orangerie houses over a thousand orange, lemon, oleander palm, and pomegranate trees in the winter, some more than 200 years old. From May to October, they are located outside in the Parterre Bas.

Upon arrival, you are assigned a private butler who will ensure your stay is magnifique and that you get to dinner on time because this is France, after all, where food is on another level. You certainly don’t want to miss a menu created by Alain Ducasse, the first chef to have three restaurants awarded with three Michelin stars at the same time.

At the Grand Contrôle, guests will discover a menu inspired by the flamboyant character of Louis XIV’s dishes. With an unobstructed view of the Orangery’s parterre, the restaurant will serve for lunch, a cuisine of memory reinterpreted with taste and modernity. For dinner, it is a French haute cuisine of today impregnated with history and the ceremonial of the King’s supper that will be offered.

—Ducasse Paris

You’ll enjoy a complimentary breakfast, minibar, and daily afternoon tea, all of which you can work off with on-request fitness and yoga classes or use the 15-meter swimming pool. I’d opt to relax in the Valmont Spa. It’s a vacation, after all!

If you find the thought of exploring the 679,536-square-foot estate on foot daunting and wonder how you’ll manage the giant ornamental pool, no worries, there are electric golf carts and electric boats available at all times.

Arielles has created an experiential holiday here with private tours of previously unseen rooms at the Palais De Versailles. Explore different areas of The Petit Trianon each morning, and my favorite, Le Petit Hameau, a wonderful little farmhouse created for Marie Antoinette where she and her pals would pretend to be shepherdesses. Ah, the life of the royals!

You will get to take a peek at previously unseen rooms in the Palace and enjoy exclusive offerings like an after-hours tour of the same Hall of Mirrors where my parents danced the night away.

For an authentic taste of 17th-century life, you have access to the costumes used in producing the TV series Versailles. A photographer will capture you wardrobed like Marie Antoinette in your suite, bien sûr!

Arielles-Château de Versailles Le Grand Contrôle is the dream vacation come to life. You may not be able to live like Louis and Marie on a daily basis, but you can enjoy a little window into their lives —that is, until you reach your credit card limit!