Curiosités historiques sur Louis XIII, Louis XIV, Louis XV, Mme de Maintenon, Mme de Pompadour, Mme du Barry, etc.

Through a series of compact essays, this volume uncovers the lesser‑known details of the French court from Louis XIII through Louis XV and the women who shaped its politics. The author, a longtime conservator of the Versailles library, combs original documents to untangle myths and present the facts behind famous anecdotes.

Readers will learn where the original hunting lodge of Louis XIII stood, which wing hosted the infamous Day of the Duplicates, and the exact circumstances of the duc de Bourgogne’s birth. Other entries reveal whether Louvois really died of poison, who truly invented the Marly water‑pumping system, and the location of Madame de Maintenon’s private apartments. The book also lists the words Louis XIV whispered to the dauphin on his deathbed and compares the official spending of Madame de Pompadour and Madame du Barry, even exposing the latter’s real name.

The prose is clear and concise, making each curiosity easy to follow in an audio format. History lovers will appreciate the blend of architectural description, court intrigue, and meticulous scholarship, all delivered without spoiling later chapters of the grand Versailles story.