How a Gift from Louis XIV Has Become a Hotel

With a pre-Olympics soft opening, Les Lumières hotel put Versailles on the map as a singular destination to visit (beyond the palace, of course), and now, with its official opening on October 16, 2024, the hotel unveils the Gramont building, its second wing of accommodations, complete with a fabulous storied history.

The Gramont building’s story begins with Louis XIV’s remarkable gift to two of his closest allies, Édouard Colbert and Antoine III de Gramont—a symbol of their influence and the king’s gratitude. As a nephew of Jean-Baptiste Colbert, Louis XIV’s finance minister, Édouard Colbert represented the dynasty behind Versailles’ economic and architectural grandeur. Antoine III de Gramont, meanwhile, was a revered military general and diplomat, earning a reputation for both loyalty and strategic prowess at Louis XIV’s side.

Les Lumières Versailles includes Gramont (left) and Villacerf (right) buildings

This building, part of a larger estate which includes the Villacerf building, became a microcosm of the artistic and intellectual flourishing that Louis XIV encouraged. With the recent meticulous restoration, Les Lumières Versailles celebrates the Gramont building’s legacy by blending the opulence of French courtly tradition with a modern luxury experience, where guests can step into a space once inhabited by men instrumental in Versailles’ ascent to cultural greatness. The hotel now has 31 rooms and suites with nine of them located in the Gramont building, including the attic suite aptly called the Gramont Suite.

The Gramont Suite at Les Lumières Versailles. Image courtesy of Silvere Koulouris