France is rolling out the red carpet for at one of its most magnificent and emblematic monuments: the Palace of Versailles, which celebrates its 400th anniversary.

Charles and Queen Camilla香蕉视频直播檚 three-day trip to Paris and Bordeaux, starting Wednesday, includes a grand dinner at Versailles in the presence of over 150 guests in the Hall of Mirrors.

The palace has recently opened a gallery retracing its history, from its creation as a modest hunting lodge in 1623 to last century香蕉视频直播檚 key diplomatic events 香蕉视频直播� including the visits of Charles香蕉视频直播� predecessors.

French President Emmanuel Macron香蕉视频直播檚 office said Wednesday香蕉视频直播檚 dinner echoes the state visit of Queen Elizabeth II in 1972, when she was greeted at the Palace by President Georges Pompidou. King Charles liked the idea of following in his mother香蕉视频直播檚 footsteps, according to Macron香蕉视频直播檚 office.

Elizabeth II also visited the palace in 1958 and 10 years earlier, four years before her coronation in 1952.

Catherine P茅gard, president of the Palace of Versailles, praised the 香蕉视频直播渘ever-ending story香蕉视频直播� of the palace that 香蕉视频直播渋ncludes visits from French children who come to Versailles with their classes, as well as visits from His Majesty the King of England or tourists who arrive from Asia and are less familiar with the history.香蕉视频直播�

香蕉视频直播淎nd we have a story to tell each one of them,香蕉视频直播� she told The Associated Press.

Usually filled with a chaotic crowd of photo-snapping tourists from across the world, the Hall of Mirrors will be closed to visitors Wednesday to prepare for the royal banquet.

On the menu : blue lobster and crab followed by Bresse poultry and a gratin of cep mushrooms prepared, respectively, by French chefs Anne-Sophie Pic and Yannick All茅no, both awarded three Michelin stars. The cheese course will feature France香蕉视频直播檚 Comt茅 and Britain香蕉视频直播檚 Stichelton blue cheese. For dessert, world-famous pastry chef Pierre Herm茅 will prepare his rose macaroon cookie, composed of rose petal cream, raspberries and lychees.

Charles香蕉视频直播� visit will make one more date in the Palace香蕉视频直播檚 long history starting from King Louis XIII, to the French revolution and all the way to modern times that is being presented on its ground floor into the newly opened Gallery of the History of the Palace.

The gallery has 11 rooms, each thematic and largely chronological, presenting over 120 works aimed at providing visitors from across the world with an immediate understanding of the complex history of the palace.

It brings together recently acquired works alongside paintings and artworks that for many years had gone unseen as they香蕉视频直播檇 been in storage, along with others that are now repositioned and better enhanced.

Laurent Salom茅, director of the National Museum of the Palace of Versailles and Trianon, said the exhibit features a number of masterpieces.

香蕉视频直播淥ur intention was to create a first great moment of pleasure for visitors. First of all, because they香蕉视频直播檝e traveled a long way. For a long time, they香蕉视频直播檝e dreamed of Versailles. We didn香蕉视频直播檛 want to give them a boring lesson to start their visit,香蕉视频直播� he said.

Some artworks come from the original version of the palace and its gardens under its great builder Louis XIV, who decided to expand his father香蕉视频直播檚 hunting lodge.

It香蕉视频直播檚 香蕉视频直播渁 history made by not just one monarch, it香蕉视频直播檚 also an enormous team of artists 香蕉视频直播� and the greatest artists. A good thing about absolute monarchy is to be able to gather all the best people at the same place,香蕉视频直播� Salom茅 stressed.

Today the Palace contains 2,300 rooms spread over 63,154 square meters (679,784 square feet).

The historical gallery also offers the opportunity to discover anecdotes about the Palace香蕉视频直播檚 life 香蕉视频直播� like some panels in the 香蕉视频直播淐hinese chamber香蕉视频直播� of Queen Marie Leszczynska, Louis XV香蕉视频直播檚 wife, that she in part painted herself.

In the last rooms, visitors can see the famous desk where the 1919 Treaty of Versailles was signed that formally ended World War I, as well as photos and archival video of heads of states and royalty honored at the palace during the 20th century.

香蕉视频直播淭he idea is also to show that there is a gradual transformation of the Ch芒teau de Versailles, which has always remained alive through the centuries, from its creation to the present day,香蕉视频直播� Salom茅 said.

READ ALSO: