What surprised me about visiting the Château de Versailles was the openness. Windows and doors welcomed in the warm September air and it wasn't at all as closed off as many American monuments would be. This is even more amazing after you realize how much restoration all of the buildings have seen over the years. Robert Polidori chronicled much of it with his camera in the 1980's including many rooms not open to visitors. The photos are hauntingly beautiful so much so that you can almost picture Marie-Anotinette lounging in her bed. The resulting book, Parcours Museologique Revisite, has been out for a few years but I just learned of it this week. It's definitely worth a look, as is Versailles itself.
Photos by Robert Polidori
