Culture Versailles

After the First World War, the Book Committee on Children's Libraries settled in the context of the reconstruction of libraries for youth. The first "Joyful Hour" opened in Brussels in 1920. Founded in 1935 at the initiative of Antoinette Kont, that of Versailles (became a municipal library in 1977), the creation of its conservation fund towards 1980 (by Gilberta Mantoux) was created for editorial production from the 20 s and 30 s. With 1 620 volumes covering the literatures of Romance languages, that of youth from the years 20 to 60, and a specific collection entered here after 1940, Happy Hour intends to combine the provision of books for youth (on-site consultation, loans for external exhibitions) and public reading, workshops also animate the life of the library.

Organized in the prestigious framework of the Hotel des affaires Etrangères built in 1762, under Louis XV, this memory of books inherited the collections of the libraries (Saisies à la Révolution) of Louis XVI, his queen Marie-Antoinette and Madame Barry, and has since enriched, since then, purchases and donations: with an encyclopaedic fund whose axes of excellence are the history of Versailles, the chronologies of the th, th and th centuries and the music, the municipal library of Versailles is therefore, thanks to this heritage which makes it one of the most important of France. They are almost 700 000 documents (including 100 000 volumes of old books, and over 40 000 free access titles, reference books, documentaries, novels, comic strips, practical manuals), and a large number of periodicals that are offered in this place of study and research, also open to a wide audience. And for those that the large embarrassed quiet spaces, it should be understood that the network actually consists of 200 000 documents in free access, as the 9 neighborhood libraries (2 reserved for young people: those of Happy Hour and Saint-Louis; 4 for adults and youth: Celles, Porchefontaine, Prés-aux-Bois and Vauban; 3 for adults: those of Notre-Dame, Clagny and Inter-Ages University are mentioned. Finally, to those who prefer the audition at the reading, the library of Versailles has a discotheque with 20 000 recordings available.

A direct heir from the Ecole des Pages du Roi, CNR is housed in a th century building, the hotel de la Chancellery, in a street adjacent to Versailles castle. The institution (structured in 3 departments: music, drama and dance) is the primary vocation of allowing everyone to access the art under the vigilance and guidance of the 80 teachers, renowned artists, who make every year 1 400 pupils (young children, amateurs and future professionals from France and abroad), among which one quarter in the established hours (to follow musical lessons or to navigate along with their music) General studies). A place of learning, culture and exchange, the Conservatory also participates throughout the year in the animation of the city through numerous concerts, theatre pieces or dance performances, and even hearings open to the public.

The CMB provides a mission for the study and dissemination of the French musical heritage of the th and th centuries, until little or little known and a large part of which was composed for the Court of Versailles. Thanks to a multidisciplinary team of researchers, publishers, pedagogues, producers and musicians, who restored, restored and "re-established" the forgotten or incomplete works of the Grand Century, it is now possible to recognize the airs, motets and messes of the air, and the talent, among other things, of Jean-Joseph Mouret, the composer of the Italian Comedy (where Pierre Sueca de Chamblain de Marivaux is concerned), who organised all of them. The great evenings of the castle of Seal, where the little girls of Louis XIV lived. Each autumn, the CMBV carries out a season of baroque concerts, in the Royal Opera or the chapel of the Château de Versailles, during which the best ensembles and soloists, specialists in the interpretation of ancient music, occur on stage.

The association organises tours on foot in the Parisian metro. Reservations on Saturday morning and Sunday morning and afternoon. Find out about the site for rates and bookings.

On 30 March 2012, the City of Versailles inaugurated its 400 m2 digital workshop, a beautiful space renovated by the Marchi architects agency, which has retained its metal framework and 19th century tiles. This space is dedicated to creation, culture and digital uses, and will also serve as a showcase for Versailles' heritage and a place to live. L'Atelier wishes to bring the richness of the past to life with contemporary arts and its architecture is the embodiment of this. What do we find in this impressive space? It targets in particular amateurs, of all generations, who want to learn about new digital technologies. Mediation and accompaniment functions will be a strong point of the programme. Regular cultural events are also held here. Finally, the Digital Workshop aims to highlight the evolution of books, particularly towards the digital book: for the moment, readers can read 10,000 titles on site, and in the future, a remote download service will be available! The Digital Workshop is also a neighbourhood library, books can be borrowed. It is destined to become a library of the 21st century but also a space for living, sociability, curiosity and service. Welcome to our new era!

The AVF Versailles is an association. It offers a range of activities designed to foster social ties between its members. Activities include cultural visits, exhibition tours, sports activities such as walks in the Château park or cycling outings, visits to industrial sites such as the Citroën conservatory or a nuclear power plant, and festive evenings such as the Christmas mulled wine evening or the Rio carnival in Versailles. The association also organizes games events, including scrabble.