Imagine sailors once walked here. This is Allée des Matelots. It is a pathway with a story rooted in naval history.
Allée des Matelots begins its journey in an unusual manner. It starts as a dead end. Then it stretches about 1,300 meters northward. Finally, it meets the Grand Canal de Versailles.
The name Allée des Matelots translates to “Sailors’ Alley”. The path gets its name from the sailors who served on the Grand Canal. They lived in lodgings to the south. This area was known as the Matelots camp. Today, the Gare des Matelots stands there. It once served the camp.
These sailors were essential to the workings of Versailles. The Grand Canal was more than decoration. It was used for royal transport. It was also the site of mock naval battles and grand celebrations. The sailors of Allée des Matelots were vital for these activities.
At the southern end of Allée des Matelots, a company now uses part of the old “entrepôt des Matelots”. It shelters boats from the Grand Canal during winter.
Paris is known as the “City of Light”. It earned this name because it was one of the first cities to have street lighting. Paris has more than 1,800 monuments and historical sites.
Versailles is home to the Grand Canal. André Le Nôtre designed it. Covering 23 hectares, it is 60 meters wide. It stretches 1,700 meters east-west and 1,000 meters north-south. The Grand Canal offers beautiful views of the estate. Louis XIV’s architect ensured perfect perspective.
The palace of Versailles has a rich history. Louis XIV moved from Paris to Versailles. He transformed his hunting lodge into the Palace of Versailles. Paris was unsafe and overcrowded in 1848. Napoleon III hired Baron Haussmann to rebuild Paris. Haussmann created grand boulevards and elegant buildings.
Think of the sailors. They navigated the Grand Canal. They contributed to the spectacle of Versailles. As you walk Allée des Matelots, remember their story. It connects the grandeur of Versailles to the life of its workers.