The Coach Gallery, Royal carriage museum in Grande Écurie, Versailles, France
Description
The Coach Gallery is a carriage museum in the Grande Écurie of Versailles that displays ceremonial coaches and vehicles from various periods of royal history. The collection is housed in two vaulted galleries and presents elaborately decorated vehicles that were used for important court occasions.
History
King Louis-Philippe founded the museum in 1831, gathering ceremonial carriages after the dissolution of Charles X's private collection. The institution emerged from a desire to preserve the vehicular history of French monarchy and make it accessible to future generations.
Culture
The collection displays vehicles from significant moments in the French royal family's life, including Napoleon's wedding carriage and Louis XVIII's funeral coach. These vehicles tell stories of court ceremonies and special occasions that visitors can see today.
Practical
The museum opens only on weekends and is approximately eight minutes on foot from the Palace of Versailles. Visitors should note that access is from the Grande Écurie, where the royal stables were once housed.
Did you know?
The collection includes Nordic-inspired court sledges that were once used for racing during winter celebrations in Versailles park. These sledges were a rare entertainment of the French court and show how the monarchy also engaged in winter sports activities.
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