Building Memories (BM) uses personal experiences and relates them to topics of importance to building.
This BM explores living as an exchange student in Versailles, France
Life in L’Orangerie de Madame Élisabeth
During my senior year of college, I was an exchange student fortunate enough to live with the Faber family in the attic of L’ Orangerie de Madame Élisabeth in Versailles, a suburb of Paris. My housemate, Jay, and the maid, Horrara from Portugal, shared the attic space. I have many fond, exciting, and sometimes challenging memories from my year and a half studying and traveling abroad.
The Fabers’ home was as historic as it was charming—and so were its plumbing and heating systems. The finished attic rarely climbed above 60 degrees all winter, and our “shower” was more of a slow drip that matched the room temperature. Though our showers were neither long nor hot, they were highly effective at waking us up after late nights in Paris.
Years later, the Faber family returned the building to the French government, which restored it and transformed it into a museum now known as L’ Orangerie du Domaine de Madame Élisabeth.
Photo 1: 1980 photo of rear yard, my bedroom window left circular window to the far left
Photo 2: Satellite overview of Domaine De Madame Elizabeth
Photo 3: Satellite overview of Versailles
Photo 4: Satellite overview of L’ Orangerie
Photo 5: Google earth image of Orangerie front façade facing rue Champ Lagarde