Les Dernières Années du Marquis et de la Marquise de Bombelles

In the waning days of the Ancien Régime, a seasoned diplomat and his spirited wife embark on a long, weather‑worn journey from the Atlantic port of Les Sables‑d’Olonne back to Versailles. Their journal records a vivid procession through the French heartland—stops at Niort, Poitiers, Tours and Blois where military officers throw lively fêtes, and fleeting encounters with grand estates like the Pagode of Chanteloup and the evolving château of Blois. The narrative captures the couple’s keen observations of provincial life, the rhythm of travel, and the subtle undercurrents of a society on the brink of transformation.

Reaching Versailles, the Bombelles are greeted by an outpouring of family affection and a bustling calendar of courtly obligations. The marquis navigates a whirlwind of appointments with aristocratic hosts, from the duchess of Montmorency to the influential comte de Montmorin, while Angélique tends to her children in a modest yet cheerful residence near the porte du Dragon. Amid the elegant salons and polite intrigue, the story hints at the tensions that will soon eclipse the glittering world they inhabit.