When the château was built, Versailles was a country village; today, however, it is a suburb of Paris, some 20 kilometres southwest of the French capital. The court of Versailles was the centre of political power in France from 1682, when Louis XIV moved from Paris, until the royal family was forced to return to the capital in October 1789 after the beginning of the French Revolution.
Versailles was the setting of the Doctor Who Series 2 episode The Girl in the Fireplace, not one of my favourite episodes because of the way the Doctor basically abandoned Rose and Mickey to run after Reinette. Russell T Davies was quoted in the Independent as saying that it was intended as a love story for the Doctor - he falls in love with Reinette and it shows Rose's reaction to that. That's probably why I dislike it so much (massive 10/Rose shipper over here!).
The primary guest character in this episode was of course, Madame de Pompadour, who was being stalked by creepy clockwork droids who had taken over the spaceship SS Madame de Pompadour and had decided they needed Reinette's brain when she turned 37, the same age as the ship, to run the main computer. Of course, the 10th Doctor had to save her from the droids to preserve the time-line.
This statue, who I think is of Louis XIV reminded me of that infamous scene when the Doctor rode Arthur the horse through the time window mirror to rescue Reinette, without knowing for sure if he was going to be able to get back to the spaceship and Rose and Mickey.
Although the palace is the setting for the episode, it was not filmed there. It was actually filmed in various locations in Wales, including Culverhouse Cross in Cardiff, Tredegar House in Newport, Dyffryn Gardens in the Vale of Glamorgan and Ragley Hall near Alcester. I have never been to Wales, but if I ever do, I hope to visit these locations.
The episode was received very positively, with reviewers heaping praise on it. But I still don't like it much!!
They got the chandeliers right in the ballroom scene. They are identical to the ones that hang in the Hall of Mirrors:
Things to know:
Where to stay or a budget option if you don't mind having to travel 9km to Versailles
Comments