When her husband, Louis XVI, became king in 1774, he gave her a gift – the Petit Trianon. This beautiful mini palace on the grounds of Versailles would be her escape from court life – though escaping to it brought troubles of it’s own. Continue reading The Petit Trianon
You might think it’s very strange to wear tight corsets and large hooped skirts every day. How could a woman get anything done if she couldn’t bend at the waist or fit through a doorway? Well, in truth, may women did not. Continue reading Corsets and Panniers
Create a modern-day version of Marie Antoinette’s scandalous hairstyle with this step-by-step tutorial. Continue reading Marie Antoinette Hairstyle Tutorial – How To Coif Like A Queen
At Versailles, something as basic as knocking on a door was a breach of etiquette. It was considered rude, especially when knocking on the door of the king. Instead, courtiers had to scratch on the door, which could then only be opened by an usher. In fact, many courtiers would grow out one of their fingernails just to scratch at doors! Continue reading Ladies and Gentlemen Scratching At The Door
The French Revolution was a period of time in France between 1789 and 1799. This was the time when the people overthrew the monarchy and took control of the government. Why? Because the wealthy people – the monarchy and the nobles – had all the money and power and didn’t share it with the poor. Continue reading Understanding the French Revolution
The Palace of Versailles was the home to French Kings and Queens. It still stands today; you can even go and visit it. It is the sprawling creation of King Louis XIV who extended his father’s old hunting lodge to create one of the grandest palaces the world has ever seen. In 1682, Louis XIV moved his family into the Palace of Versailles and declared … Continue reading The Palace of Versailles
Once upon a time in France the people were defined by their Estate – that is, what class they belonged to. Continue reading The Three Estates
Bread Whole flour, water, salt. The food of life. Sadly, bread has become something else entirely these days where flour is so refined it takes all the nutrients out. Bread, before the invention on packaged yeast, was made simply of flour, water and salt. Because it had no packaged yeast, a dough starter would be left out for days to absorb yeast from the air. … Continue reading Bread and the French Revolution
Geni Kuckhahn 