The American Friends of Versailles

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The American Friends of Versailles

The American Friends of Versailles is a 501(c)3 charitable corporation that encourages the support of the Palace of Versailles and its magnificent park.

www.americanfriendsofversailles.org
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09/13/2026

Take a look back at an unforgettable afternoon at the Château de Champlâtreux.

During the American Friends of Versailles’ Legacy of Light gala weekend, guests were welcomed by the Duc de Noailles to his family’s historic estate for a garden party luncheon celebrating French heritage and hospitality.

Set amid the château’s sweeping parklands, the afternoon featured exceptional cuisine and a spectacular equestrian performance, all in support of AFV’s enduring mission to preserve and protect Versailles for generations to come.

Photo: Catalin Vutcariov | Paris Wedding Photographer

09/11/2026

A closer look at the meticulous restoration of the Salle des Gardes de la Reine at the Château de Versailles.

Through the support of the American Friends of Versailles, skilled artisans and conservators worked to restore the room’s richly layered decoration, from its gilded ornamentation and faux marble to its painted and sculpted elements. This meticulous work helped safeguard the only room in the Queen’s Apartment to retain its complete decoration from the 1680s, preserving a remarkable piece of Versailles more than three centuries later.

Photos: Atelier de Ricou

09/09/2026

Discover the Bosquet des Trois Fontaines, the remarkable grove that helped inspire the creation of the American Friends of Versailles.

Designed in 1677 by André Le Nôtre, the grove was designed around water, greenery, and three cascading terraces of fountains. After the death of the King, centuries of neglect caused this masterpiece to disappear. By the early 19th century, nothing remained but an overgrown clearing, its cascades, basins, and hydraulic systems lost to time.

When our founder Catharine Hamilton encountered the abandoned grove in 1997, she was inspired to help restore it, an encounter that ultimately led to the creation of the American Friends of Versailles in 1998.

Through our support, the Bosquet des Trois Fontaines was meticulously restored from 2002 to 2004, reviving Le Nôtre’s vision and the very place that inspired AFV’s enduring mission to preserve Versailles.

09/06/2026

Another peek inside an unforgettable evening in some of Versailles’ most iconic spaces.

Guests of the American Friends of Versailles’ Legacy of Light gala enjoyed unrivaled access to the Château after hours, beginning with an intimate reception beneath the glittering chandeliers of the Hall of Mirrors before making their way through the palace for dinner in the magnificent Galerie des Batailles.

Surrounded by friends and supporters from both sides of the Atlantic, it was a truly spectacular moment from an exclusive celebration inside one of the world’s most celebrated palaces.

Photo: Catalin Vutcariov | Paris Wedding Photographer

09/04/2026

Behind the scenes of the restoration of the Salle des Gardes de la Reine, a key ceremonial room within the Queen’s Grand Apartment at the Château de Versailles.

Beginning in 2015, a major restoration supported by The American Friends of Versailles, in collaboration with Société des Amis de Versailles, brought together skilled artisans to revive the room’s remarkable interiors. Their work included restoring Noël Coypel’s paintings, gilded ornamentation, faux marble, and other decorative details that had suffered over time.

This meticulous restoration by Atelier de Ricou helped restore the room to its original character while safeguarding the extraordinary artistry and craftsmanship that define this remarkable space.

We are so proud to have played a part in preserving this piece of Versailles’ history, shared with some 3.5 million visitors who pass through the Queen’s Grand Apartment each year.

Photo: Atelier de Ricou

09/02/2026

Take a closer look at the Salle des Gardes de la Reine, a remarkable piece of Versailles history restored with the support of the American Friends of Versailles.

Designated as the Queen’s Guard Room in 1680, the space guarded the entrance to the Queen’s Apartments, where guards kept watch day and night beneath a monumental ceiling painted by Noël Coypel.

Following centuries of neglect, wartime damage, and water infiltration, the room and its extraordinary decoration were in need of significant restoration. With funding from the American Friends of Versailles, a major restoration took place between 2015 and 2019 to stabilize the structure, revive its marble and decorative elements, and conserve Coypel’s ceiling.

Today, the room once again reflects its 17th-century grandeur, preserved for millions of visitors and generations to come.

Photo: Christophe Fouin Thomas Garnier | Photographe

08/29/2026

Take another look at the opening evening of our Legacy of Light gala weekend, held at the Hôtel de Talleyrand in Paris.

Cocktails and canapés filled the historic rooms as friends and supporters gathered for the first of four unforgettable days celebrating the American Friends of Versailles and our mission to support the Château de Versailles.

Our sincere thanks once again to His Excellency the American Ambassador to France for welcoming us into this extraordinary residence and making such a memorable opening evening possible.

Photo: Catalin Vutcariov | Paris Wedding Photographer

08/23/2026

The American Friends of Versailles is proud to have made possible the restoration of the Pavillon Frais, a historic pavilion in Louis XV’s gardens at the Château de Versailles.

Designed by Ange-Jacques Gabriel in the 18th century as seen in this archival drawing, the pavilion served as an intimate retreat for royal summer dining.

With the support of The American Friends of Versailles, the Pavillon Frais has been fully restored to its original splendor, from its intricately trellised stone façade to the recreation of its historic garden. Completed in 2010, the project reflects our longstanding commitment to preserving and restoring the remarkable heritage of Versailles.

Today, the Pavillon Frais stands as an enduring example of what the support of The American Friends of Versailles makes possible.

08/21/2026

Take a look back at the culminating dinner of the American Friends of Versailles’ Legacy of Light gala, an extraordinary finale held in the Galerie des Batailles at the Château de Versailles.

At nearly 120 meters long, the Galerie des Batailles is Versailles’ largest room, with a soaring vaulted ceiling, gilded ornamentation, and monumental paintings stretching almost continuously along its walls to form a sweeping panorama of French history.

Against this remarkable backdrop, friends and supporters of the American Friends of Versailles came together for the final dinner of the gala weekend, celebrating the historic ties between France and the United States while advancing our continued work to restore and preserve Versailles.

Photo: Catalin Vutcariov | Paris Wedding Photographer

Address

875 N. Michigan Avenue, Suite 3100
Chicago, IL
60611

Website

http://www.americanfriendsofversailles.org/

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