A few kilometres from Versailles are the ruins of the Château de Marly, a French royal residence located in today’s municipality of Marly-le-Roi, the habitual residence of Louis XIV to escape the formalities of the palace. Built in the spring of 1679, the king asked for an isolated residence on his properties, located in the woods between the Versailles palace and the Saint-Germain-en-Laye castle. Marly was the right choice.

Resulting from the collaboration of the architect Jules Hardouin Mansart and the painter Charles Le Brun, the project was opened in 1686. In 1688 was added a large horse trough, also known as the “Abreuvoir de Marly” or “Marly Horse Pond”, one of the most impressive architectural and hydraulic structures of the seventeenth century, conceived as a picturesque pond where the king’s horses stopped to rest and drink after multiple hunting sessions in the nearby forest. The “Abreuvoir de Marly” originally functioned as a station for animals and as a decorative element: its aesthetic function was conceived and desired by the king to represent his power and artistic taste, integrating sculptural elements such as the famous “Chevaux de Marly” statues by Guillaume Coustou.

The setting is known for its serene beauty and historical importance, reflecting the grandeur and sophistication of the Sun King’s reign. There is no trace of the original castle. The trough is in a state of magnificent preservation, recently undergoing lighting redevelopment: the lighting project conceived by the lighting design studio Amocosy and the use of L&L Luce&Light luminaires has restored the elegant and imposing appearance of the past, with the linear immersion profiles for swimming pools and fountains TREVI 1.2 32W 24Vdc 3000K, specially designed with 90° rotation and a telescopic bracket of 60.

The aubrevoir’s massive and solid structure – typical of seventeenth-century architecture and designed to withstand time and the action of atmospheric events – is emphasized by a warm, soft and diffused light that envelops the building stone reflected on the water, creating magnificent reflections. The entire illuminated structure lives in harmony with the other buildings’ magnificent aesthetics linked to Versailles, the reign of Louis XIV, and the surrounding natural atmosphere.

photo: Arnaud Rinuccini

L&L Luce&Light