One of the largest palace complexes in Europe and also one of the most historic structures on the continent sparks a very special magic far beyond the borders of France.
The objective of the lighting design for the baroque structure is to give the Palace of Versailles, which, at its widest point, stretches to more than half a kilometre, a sublime long-distance effect at night.
Countless palace buildings were modelled after this UNESCO World Heritage Site until the 19th century. Special BEGA LED in-ground luminaires contribute to its appropriate staging. Two almost identical luminaires, which are barely distinguishable from the outside and create a harmonious overall look, take on very different lighting tasks at the palace proper and in the landscaped parks.
The in-ground floodlights with asymmetrical wide-angle light distribution illuminate vertical surfaces to perfection – in this case: the façade of the palace. The lower limit of the light distribution is linear and without any distracting light cones on the illuminated surface. The effect of the palace on the viewer is suitably imposing, even from a greater distance.
These custom in-ground floodlights are embedded in the light staging of the far-flung palace gardens, with its sculptures and landscaped features. Special reflectors and the resulting very narrow beam light distribution are used to stage the details of numerous sculptures, integrating the statues into the context of the gardens and the artfully pruned plants.
Client: Château de Versailles Spectacles (CVS)
Lighting design: LEA – Laurent Fachard, Lyon
Lighting and electrical engineering: Laurent Fachard & Joseph Frey – Les Éclairagistes Associés
