During its heyday from 1682 to 1789, Versailles wasn’t just a palace – it was the center of France’s royal world. French royals, nobles, and state officials lived together in the sprawling palace complex. But despite the regal setting, everyday life for courtiers at Versailles was often stressful, regimented, and surprisingly unsanitary.
Well-heeled aristocrats, gilded halls, manicured gardens – the Court of Versailles is remembered for its opulence. But the reality of French court hygiene revealed that life at Versailles was likely dirtier and smellier than most people imagine. After all, thousands of people lived cheek by jowl in a 17th-century palace without the convenience of modern plumbing.
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