Galerie des Carrosses

About the museum

The Grande Écurie, built by Jules Hardouin-Mansart between 1679 and 1682 for Louis XIV, faced the château at the edge of the Place d'Armes. It housed the riding horses of the king and princes, trained for hunting and war under the direction of the Grand Écuyer de France.

The carriage collection was assembled in 1831 by Louis-Philippe, when the château became a museum. A first carriage museum opened at Trianon in 1851; the carriages returned to the Grande Écurie in 1978. The Versailles carriage museum opened in 1997 and was expanded in 2016 to cover two galleries of nearly 1,000 m².

The collection mainly features large state berlins, created for dynastic and political events such as the wedding of Napoleon I, the coronation of Charles X or the funeral of Louis XVIII. There are also sleighs, sedan chairs and small carriages made for the children of Marie-Antoinette. A film tells the story of horse-drawn carriages since Louis XIV. The Grande Écurie today also houses the Académie équestre de Versailles.

Highlights

• State berlins from the First Empire and the Restoration
• Carriages linked to Napoleon I's wedding, Charles X's coronation and Louis XVIII's funeral
• Sleighs and sedan chairs of the 18th century
• Small carriages made for Marie-Antoinette's children
• Film on the history of horse-drawn carriages

Permanent exhibition

• Galerie des Carrosses – Collection of state carriages, sleighs and sedan chairs, shown in two galleries of the Grande Écurie.

Founded

1997

Operated by

Château de Versailles

Admission & discounts

Admission is free.

Free admission.

Accessibility

• Wheelchair accessible: no information
• Elevator: no information
• Accessible restroom: no information
• Accessible parking: no information
• Service dogs welcome: no information
• Tactile models & exhibits: no information
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials: no information
• Audio description: no information

The château's website gives no gallery-specific accessibility details and refers to its general accessibility page.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Activity booklet, scavenger hunt or kids’ audio guide

A free discovery activity booklet for children is handed out at the entrance.

Getting there & parking

The Grande Écurie is opposite the château, on the town side, about an 8-minute walk from the château.

Amenities & dining

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit