The Latest Breaking News from Louis XIV

The Versailles gardens were once famed as a symbol of the king’s expeditionary might and helped water-deprived courtiers perfume smelly skin

Paleis Het Loo was built as lodge for man who became William III, king of England, Ireland and Scotland from 1689

Five multiple-choice questions – set by children – to test your knowledge, and a chance to submit your own junior brain-teasers for future quizzes

François de Mazières, Versailles’s mayor since 2008, is a big fan of bicycles and architecture. He was re-elected for a third term in 2020, as an independent on a ‘divers droite’ (miscellaneous rightwing) ticket. He’s leading a crusade against ugliness in the city’s built environment and against its rightwing reputation

As the world pays its royal respects to Queen Elizabeth, Tamara Hinson highlights nine awe-inspiring residences of kings, queens and emperors which are open to the public

From Louis XIV’s vision for Versailles to Balenciaga’s homage to the sari, Inspired by India explores how our textiles and craft impacted global design. But what’s the line between cultural appropriation and appreciation?

Nigel Isaacs looks back nearly 400 years for answers on the plasterboard shortage hobbling construction in New Zealand and around the world.

This French Renaissance-style castle would probably have remained largely unknown if it hadn't become home to the secret wife of Louis XIV, Madame de Maintenon. Françoise d'Aubigné – her real name – was a woman of humble origins who is often compared to Cinderella. After Louis secretly married her, the…

In this edition we focus on France's foremost playwright. Molière's witticisms and deft handling of the French language still dazzle, four centuries after he was born. To celebrate the author's link to the court of Louis XIV, the town of Versailles has been hosting a month of special events and…