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The Chateau Versailles, just the name evokes glamour, golden splendor and the regal days of France.  We cover it all today on the newest episode of Paris History Avec a Hemingway.  

Versailles began in 1604 when Louis XIII would come out to the woods to hunt and decided to build a hunting lodge. In 1623 a small lodge next to a windmill that sat on top of a low hill was the humble beginning that is hard to imagine today. Louis XIII would gather his hunting friends and head out to the lodge. His wife Anne d’Autriche had her own suite of rooms but she wasn’t allowed to stay the night. There is a lot more to the “boys weekend” at the Louis XIII Versailles and I’ll let you fill in the blanks. 

His son Louis XIV first visited as a child and after his father died on May 14, 1643 Versailles was far from his mind. On the night of August 17, 1661 his superintendent of finance, Nicolas Fouquet  held a lavish party at his finished chateau, Vaux-le-Vicomte. Inviting the boss over and his 6,000 friends entertained by Moliere and Fontaine and overcome by the beauty of the property and the chateau.  A few days later, the Sun King had Fouquet arrested and then stole his artists. Architect Louis Le Vau, garden designer Andre Le Nôtre and designer and artists Charles Le Brun. In June of 1662, they would begin the construction on Versailles. 

For the rest of his life he would continue to add on to Versailles to create one of the most splendid chateaux in Europe. Upon his death on September 1, 1715 it was still incomplete and Louis XV wasn’t as in love with living outside of Paris as his great-grandfather was. He moved the government back to Paris and Vincennes and left Versailles falling into disrepair until his return. 

The days of Marie Antoinette and Louis XVI are well known for frolicking in the meadow of the Hamlet and their last day of golden carefree luxury. 

Today it is one of the most popular attractions in France that was largely saved by John D Rockefeller who gave a vast fortune in thanks to France for standing by the USA through the American Revolution.  Open Tuesday - Sunday it can be reached in 30 minutes from Paris and allow an entire day to wander through the gardens and chateau. On the weekends in the summer make sure you visit to enjoy the musician fountain show and maybe even rent a row boat along the canal. 

More info and photos: https://www.claudinehemingway.com/paris-history-avec-a-hemingway-podcast-1
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Joanne Kimes was a television writer in Los Angeles when she became pregnant and soon realized the road to procreation was plagued with miserable potholes. So she wrote a book called, “Pregnancy Sucks” that became a best-seller and led to a dozen other titles in her “Sucks” books series. She’s appeared on the Today show, written dozens of magazine and website articles, and has just released her first fiction book, “Finding Paris: A Novel.” 

While she currently lives in Los Angeles, she hopes to move to Paris as soon as France will let citizens from the U.S. COVID cesspool through their borders. 

For more information go to
Audio book
https://www.audible.com/pd/B09CQDTXC4?qid=1629173075&sr=1-1&ref=a_search_c3_lProduct_1_1&pf_rd_p=83218cca-c308-412f-bfcf-90198b687a2f&pf_rd_r=Z5NRKVGZVYE4NPNHSAVJ
blog
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In our final episode about the ladies of Marie Antoinette there wasn’t anyone closer in those final months than her sister in law Madame Elisabeth. 

The youngest child of Louis and Marie-Joseph, her older brothers would become king over the next 70 years. Born on May 3, 1764 a year later her father died and she spent most of her time in the shadow of the older brothers living a carefree life at court.  When she came of age, Louis XVI wanted to marry her off but she begged him not to so she can remain with her family. Which is exactly what she did until the end of her life. 

Pledging a life to God she was off the marriage market and at 19 her brother purchased a chateau in Montreuil as her own private estate. She wasn’t allowed to spend the night there until she was 25 so she visited each day riding a horse back and forth each night. The day she came of age on May 3, 1789 she stayed what would be only a few months at her beloved chateau.

On the night of October 5, 1789 she and the family were forced to leave it all behind for Paris. Ever the loyal sister she went with them all the way to the Temple prison in 1793. In a small cell once the family was pulled apart Elisabeth remained with Marie hidden away from the world. 

As her brother was taken to the guillotine on January 21, 1793 her sister in law followed as she was pulled away and taken to the Conciergerie. At first the Convention was going to exile Elisabeth but after the “trial” of Marie Antoinette and the false accusations against her the “sister of the tyrant” was going to end with the same fate. 

In the final hours of her life, Marie Antoinette wrote a letter to Madame Elisabeth that would never reach her, intercepted by Robspierre. Months later and unaware that MA had been killed she had her own date with the guillotine. Just prior to being carted through the city she learned that MA had also been killed. On May 10, 1794 she sat next to the blade and had to watch all 24 people die before it was her turn. Each person walked by kissing her hand before they died. She spent every day of her life giving others comfort. 

More info and photos: https://www.claudinehemingway.com/paris-history-avec-a-hemingway-podcast-1
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Rosemary Flannery has lived in France since 1989 and enjoys dual French-American nationality. She graduated with honors from Columbia University in 1985 with a degree in French language and literature.

On the show today we talk about her love of Paris and the Angel statues that surround the beautiful streets of the city. She has written multiple books and now spends her time painting portraits as well.

Learn more here:
https://www.portraitsbyrosemary.com/

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Madame Campan was one of the only women to work for Marie Antoinette, survive the Revolution, work for Napoleon and end with another Bourbon king when most didn’t survive past Marie Antoinette. Jeanne-Louise Henriette Campa was born October 2, 1752 in Paris. Her father was a foreign affairs clerk sent to London to work on the 1763 peace treaty and took a large role in her education. Teaching her italian and english she also became well versed in the piano, guitar and harp.

At 16 years old she became the reader to the daughters of Louis XV and two years later the lady in waiting to the young and shy Marie Antoinette. The two became very close as they were so near in age. The day after Louis XV died and Marie was named queen Jeanne-Louise married Pierre Francois Berthollet. The marriage resulted in a son, Henri but that was about it. The two separated but never divorced and she spent all her time at Versailles. 

On October 6, 1789 as the royal family left Versailles behind, Campan was by their side and remained until June 20, 1791 when they tried to escape. After leaving court she created a boarding school in Saint Germain en Laye for the daughters of the French elite. Attendees included the sisters and nieces of Napoleon and the daughter of Josephine. Napoleon was very impressed by Madame Campan and in his wish to bring back to etiquette of the court of Versailles he tapped Campan as his Madame Etiquette. 

Josephine did not enjoy her input that forced her to sit and watch Napoleon eat and how she must carry herself at events. After Bonaparte was ousted and Louis XVIII arrived Campan was asked again to court. Madame Royale, the daughter and only surviving member of the family of Marie Antoinette who remembered her as a child asked how she was able to survive and lived so well during the Napoleon years. It ended her run at the palace once and for all. 

Madame Campan had surgery while suffering from cancer in February 1822 and died a month later at 69 years old on March 16, 1822.  Few people survived to tell the tale of three reigns of French power and do it so elegantly. 

Listen to the full story today on La Vie Creative - Paris History Avec a Hemingway

More info and photos: https://www.claudinehemingway.com/paris-history-avec-a-hemingway-podcast-1
Support Claudine on Patreon and get more of Paris and all her stories and benefits like discounts on her tours, custom history and exclusive content  https://www.patreon.com/bleublonderouge
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I'm a musician. Learned to play guitar in high school after I watched the movie The School of Rock with Jack Black which inspired me so much that I became a rocker and wanted to have a band! Since then I realized that music is the language in which I can express my feelings, myself, and feel good about it.

I lived in a small, conservative city in Croatia where people believed that if you listen to rock or metal and have long hair means you are a Satanist and drug addict. So it was hard to organize a band but I had a couple of small rock and metal bands but this was all in the garage and with friends.

After I started studying in Zagreb, the capital city, I started playing guitar on the street. One year I went on a summer busking tour with a friend and met one magnificent man who played bongos and we started playing together. We played together for 2-3 years, almost every day for 1 or two hours on the street, it was magnificent. At that time I started to record some solo original materials under the name Boen Balo.

I recorded 2 albums (not in the studio but at home) and started working on the third album but then I went to Paris to live with my girlfriend and work in the American Library in Paris. All my songs are uploaded to SoundCloud and they are free to download and everybody can cover them, no questions asked. I come from a poor family and as a kid, I couldn't access a lot of music but was listening to it from a friend's house. That's why I let my music be free and anybody can cover it, no questions asked, as long as they don't sell it. Creative Commons.

The link for the music is here: https://soundcloud.com/boen-1

Right now I play bass guitar and sing in a rock band called The Let Goes and it's so fun because I love my friend Paul with whom I play - we both feel that music is the way we can express each other. We are also playing original music and slowly recording songs. For now, we have 2 songs recorded but a lot of recorded materials live.

Our SoundCloud account where you can find music:

https://soundcloud.com/theletgoes

Our Youtube account where you can find live videos, we had a show in February in the bar Le Truskel and it was EPIC:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_b5Cl_1fqu0

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In this week's episode of Paris History Avec a Hemingway, we continue on with another lady of Marie Antoinette. Gabrielle de Polignac was a constant source of gossip from Versaille to Paris. The fun-loving Polignac was born September 8, 1749, in Paris into the French noble family of the Nouilles. Married in 1767 to Jules de Polignac, captain of the Royal Regiment and a member of the court at Versailles. 

Through her sister-in-law who was the lady of honor to Madame Elisabeth, she was invited frequently to court. Gabrielle was very beautiful and was easily noticed and even caught the eye of Marie Antoinette. The queen walked up to her and asked who she was and why she hadn’t seen her before to which Polignac replied, “we don’t have the money to live the court life”. Marie liked her honesty and invited her back the next day. 

Polignac was free-spirited and loved the trappings of life at Versailles at a time when the queen was tired of the formality. Gabrielle encouraged her to spend more time at the Petit Trianon enjoying the casual lazy days. A welcome change from the etiquette and watchful eyes but that came with a lot of problems. 

Rumors began to spread about Polignac and the queen. Marie Antoinette was already hated by the people and Polignac became public enemy number one. They thought her influence over the queen and her excess was a direct drain on the treasury of France.There was also the rumor that they were lovers which just rallied them all up even more. 

When the Bastille was attacked, Polignac and her husband were told to leave Versailles. Fleeing with just the clothes on their back and enough bread and wine in their coach they arrived in Switzerland in three days. She stayed in touch with the queen once she was arrested and held in the Temple prison. 

On January 21, 1793, the king was killed and when the news finally reached her she could barely handle it. Falling ill to tuberculosis, her son tried to keep the news of the queen's death a secret. They were able to shield her until the end of November, a week later on December 5, 1793, the queen of the parties, Gabrielle Polignac died in Switzerland. 

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Victoria Bourgin, born in Ukraine, strongly believes in the power of dreams and in bright colors! After her studies in Sweden, she came to Paris where she worked for 10 years at the most prestigious French fashion houses in Paris including St Laurent and Balmain, and just a month ago she finally realized her childhood dream - creating her own Brand LA JAQUETTE.

LA JAQUETTE is a story about the jackets where French know-how, beautiful natural fabrics, fair prices, and a wide choice of colors give life to the perfect combination. 100% made in Paris the jackets can be found at our website www.lajaquette.com

Instagram @lajaquette_official

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One of the most faithful and trusted ladies of Marie Antoinette served by her side until the bitter end. Madame de Lamballe was born in Turin and raised under the iron thumb of her father Prince Louis Victor of Savoy. The duke of Penthievre was keen to marry his son Louis-Alexandre, Prince of Lamballe and descendant of Louis XIV and Madame de Montespan.

Their short & rough marriage lasted from January 1767 to May 1768 when he died as a result of his free loving ways. After her husband's death and close with her father in law who would take her to Versailles when a chance meeting drew the young Austrian to her. The two become quick friends in the intimidating world of Versailles. As soon as Marie became queen she named Lamballe as the superintendent of the house, the highest position in the queens domain and even more she was the trusted friend and advisor. 

Lambale took her job very seriously and as the stress and formality of court pushed in Marie wanted more of the relaxed life of the Petit Trianon. Lamballe was pushed aside for a bit but on October 5, 1789 when the angry group of women called for the queen's head Lamballe was by her side. Three years later she was still there as the Swiss guards were killed at the Palais des Tuileries and the screams filled the halls calling for their death. 

A few days later on August 19 she was pulled from the arms of the queen and taken to La Petit Force prison where on September 3. 1792 after a “trial” where she refused to denounce the king and queen she was quickly taken to the courtyard where a crowd of angry people awaited her. What happened next was horrific. The rage of the people were taken out on her for hours and her body and head were dragged to the window of the Temple prison where they screamed for Marie Antoinette to look out and see her trusted friend one last time, 

Her loyal friend until her final breath never wavered her love and support at a time when very few still stood by the disgraced queen. Listen to the full story of the life of Madame de Lamballe now on Paris History Avec a Hemingway on La Vie Creative Podcast, out today, 

More info and photos: https://www.claudinehemingway.com/paris-history-avec-a-hemingway-podcast-1

Support Claudine on Patreon and get more of Paris and all her stories and benefits like discounts on her tours, custom history and exclusive content  https://www.patreon.com/bleublonderouge

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Erin Colston is a Texan who followed her dreams to New York to attend American Musical and Dramatic Academy and pursue a career in theater and singing at the young age of 18.

 After 9 years in the Big Apple and some small successes, she then followed a second dream to Paris. There, she started a musical theater class with 9 students in her first small day camp and it has grown to a full program with 3 locations, a staff of 12 Teachers and assistants, and more than 500 students that pass through the classes, camps, and workshops annually.

https://actparis.com/about_us

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