Glacières de Versailles, Ice storage system in Versailles, France
The Glacières de Versailles are underground ice storage chambers with circular structures reaching depths of 30 meters, lined with straw to maintain cold temperatures. The facility collected ice during winter and preserved it in compact layers to supply frozen water year-round for the palace kitchens.
The ice houses were built during the reigns of Louis XIII and Louis XIV between 1664 and 1686 as part of the palace's expanding infrastructure. The park originally contained thirteen ice storage facilities that served as crucial supply systems for the royal court for centuries.
Ice stored in these facilities made it possible to serve frozen desserts and cold drinks at royal gatherings, where such treats signaled wealth and refinement. Visitors today can understand how this practical innovation became a status symbol in court life.
The site is best visited during cooler months when you can better appreciate how the underground chambers maintained low temperatures year-round. Be prepared for damp and slippery surfaces in the subterranean areas and wear appropriate footwear.
Three original ice houses survive today: two circular chambers at Petit Trianon and one at Satory, which operated continuously until 1909. These rare structures offer insight into how 17th-century engineers solved the problem of food preservation without refrigeration.
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