Versailles, France — Her name was Jeanne. Jeanne Bécu. She was born a commoner in 1743 and would die on the guillotine in 1793 in Paris. She would rise from her humble background to become one of history’s all-time great courtisans through her marriage to the French aristocrat Count Guillaume Du Barry. As The Countess Jeanne Du Barry, she was presented to the court at Versailles and its king, Louis XV, who like all who met her, was subjugated by her beauty. She would go on to become his last mistress, his favori or favorite as the preferred mistress in the court of the Kings of France were called. Loved for her generosity and patronage she was also reviled for her status as the King’s mistress and for her not so noble background. 

Madame Du Barry lived in a splendid apartment in the Palace of Versailles which was beautifully restored and re-opened to the public last October, and which can be visited in a guided tour by appointment only. The film Jeanne du Barry opened the prestigious Cannes Film Festival last May 16th with the French actress and director Maïwenn in the role of the Du Barry, as she was often called, and Johnny Depp as Louis XV, offering a fine time to make a visit to the castle and the apartments of the favorite. Parts of the movie were filmed on location at Versailles although not in the apartments themselves which remain fragile. 

Jeanne Du Barry was a woman of exceptional taste and an avid reader. After a strict education in a convent school she worked various jobs in Paris, the most significant being a salesgirl at Labille, one of the most reputable fashion stores in Paris where she developed her taste and knowledge of fabrics, jewelry and accessories. All of this would contribute to her presence at court, where she wasn’t accepted by everyone, including the wife of Louis XV’s grandson, the very noble Marie-Antoinette. Her private apartments, located on the second floor of the Château of Versailles were just one floor above those of Louis XV, who enjoyed making his hot chocolate and marzipan in his own kitchen. The King, known as the Beloved King by his people, could easily reach the apartments of his favorite through several private (secret?) staircases. Madame Du Barry’s apartments stretched out modestly over 14 rooms making up one of the most refined ensembles in the palace. After an 18-month restoration they have been returned to their former splendor using traditional techniques and through the participation of myriad craftsmen, notably carpenters, gilders, marble workers and stuccoists.

Madame Du Barry herself was a great patron of the arts and commissioned works of art and furnishings for her apartments and would organize performances, receive artists and writers and host small dinner parties which the King participated in. She was also known for her generosity towards the poor, perhaps in a nod to her own humble beginnings.

Her stunning apartments reflect Madame Du Barry’s refined taste. She asked that the major rooms be decorated in white and gold, a privilege extend to princes. The remaining apartments are outfitted with exceptional multicolored decors, offering a rare and precious glimpse into the glorious tastes of the 18th century. Madame Du Barry would decorate the rooms with fine furnishings and both elegant everyday objects. Many of these were dispersed and the Château’s conservation department re-decorated the apartments from the reserves at Versailles of the same period. Although several elements from the days of Madame Du Barry remained like the blue ribbon porcelain service, the stone table and a set of chairs. She would live in these royal rooms for only four years, before being asked by the King himself to leave the court in May of 1774 while he was dying of small pox. The restoration was made possible through the patronage of the French insurance company AXA. ©Trish Valicenti for The Gourmet Gazette. For additional information and reservations: https://en.chateauversailles.fr/ See also: https://thegourmetgazette.com/2023/05/30/pearls-royal/