Sucre, pouvoir et séduction : l’odyssée d’une douceur impériale 👑 🍭 | Trésors du Patrimoine
This new episode of the Grand Tour will
take you from Venice to the court of Versailles via Brazil. I’m going to tell you the fabulous
story of sugar, the sugar that for centuries will
play a major role for him. We will intrigue, we will fight, we
will make alliances. They even went so far as to move
populations here, to the Palace of Versailles,
to the court of King Louis XIV, whose bedroom we can see above us. Well, sugar was so prized
that the sugar bowl that contained it was locked and only the king held this
key when he wanted to honor his guests, and he himself did
the distribution sparingly. So the story of this white gold will
take us to Brazil, to Salvador de Bahia, to Rio. We will return here
to the Palace of Versailles. But this story begins in Venice. It is the 15th century. Built in the 7th century on a forest
of stilts sunk into the mud. Venice is an invention,
a chimera become reality. Ideally located at the crossroads of major
trade routes, the city quickly acquired the status of Most Serene. At the beginning of the 15th century, Venice was
the great commercial port of Europe. Its economic center of gravity
saw the arrival by ship of silks from China,
spices from the Orient, iron and copper from Central Europe,
not to mention salt and cotton from the Near East. There is the marinade. Quite. But in the 15th century,
there was one commodity that particularly made the city rich:
sugar. At the time, sugar was
a rare commodity, a luxury product. It was also considered
a medicine and only apothecaries could sell it. The Venetians came to buy it here,
in this pharmacy which is one of the oldest pharmacies in Venice. Sugar was then known
for its therapeutic properties. Doctors prescribe it to their
patients suffering from scurvy or eye diseases in the form of sweets,
syrups and jams. These products are sold by apothecaries. So sugar did not have the appearance we
know today. It was solid, it was brown,
it was full of impurities. And above all, above all, it
tasted and smelled like camel. For what ? Well, quite simply,
before setting sail, before coming to Venice,
he was transported on camelback to Alexandria. And this taste, this smell will
disappear with refining. And it is here, in Venice, that
the first large refinery in Europe will be created. Venice supplied itself from
Arab merchants in Alexandria. It also benefits from the presence in the
Holy Land of former crusaders who have become planters. Very quickly, Venice would hold a virtual
monopoly on the sugar trade. To carry out these
commercial conquests, and in particular the transport of this white gold, Venice created
its own arsenal. It is the heart of the
city’s military and economic power. Weapons, munitions and ships are manufactured here,
which set out to conquer the seas thanks to the ingenuity of these cartographers. Indeed, throughout Europe,
the Serenissima is renowned for its navigation treaties. Today, these treasures are
partly preserved in the Doge’s Palace. These maps of the Doge’s Palace are
really very interesting, very instructive about the state
of knowledge at the time. But there is, in terms of cartography
in Venice, a real little treasure that I would like to share with you. It is in the Marciana Library.
Very close to here. This little marvel, here it is. This is a map made in the
1450s and it shows the state of the world as Westerners imagined it in the 15th century. North is at the bottom,
so if you look at the world with your feet to the north,
you have Europe on the right, Asia on the left, and Africa is at the top. But what is even more extraordinary
is that this map was made by a monk
named FRA Mahoro. He never left his monastery. He collected all the information
for ten years from travelers, diplomats, and
merchants like Marco Polo, for example. And he created this pure masterpiece. Thanks to this flourishing trade,
money flows freely into the coffers of the city of the Doges. Stunned by so much wealth,
Venice then launched into a frantic quest for pleasures and parties,
attracting the most illustrious guests. This was the case of Henry
III of Valois in 1574. Returning from Poland to ascend
the throne of France, he stopped in Venice and discovered
a city at the height of its splendor. The Doge of the time took advantage of the opportunity
to display the power of Venice. He commandeered the Foscari Palace,
a Gothic marvel built on the Grand Canal, and held one of the
greatest banquets in history. To impress the future king of France,
the Doge uses an unstoppable weapon: the rarest
and most precious commodity: sugar. And in the evening, when Henry the Third
comes to the table and takes his napkin. To his great surprise, it breaks. In fact, napkins, tablecloths,
plates, cutlery, all the objects that covered
the tables were made of sugar. At the end of dinner. Henry III was treated to another surprise:
spending the night with the most iconic courtesan
of the time, Veronica Franco. Born in Venice around 1550,
Veronica Franco is the noblest example of the Venetian courtesan. He is said to have the
most influential men in Venice as lovers and the most prominent artists,
musicians and women of culture as friends. She is also a poet. Courtesans in Venice are much
more than just prostitutes. They are also nicknamed
mercenary beauties. They play an important role
in public life. Affairs of state are
often negotiated in their salons. In the 16th century, the Venetian courtesan
was a demimondaine renowned throughout Europe. She dictates fashion,
a fashion that exalts femininity with necklines, lace, corsets, velvet and ribbons. The art of seduction is at its peak. An art that sometimes holds
a few surprises. I’m taking you to the Costume Museum
. I would like to show you
an extraordinary object. It is an accessory used by
courtesans in the 16th century. Here in Venice,
it’s a pair of shoes. It measures 32 cm and these shoes were called calcagnini. They were made of donkey skin
on the upper and the sole was made of extremely light wood. Courtesans used these shoes
to gain attention in Venetian society. It’s true that with 32 cm above
the others, we couldn’t miss them. And to be able to walk, not easy. Well, they got help from their
servant, on whom they relied. We can easily imagine the effect
their appearance could produce. There are only two pairs
of these shoes in the world. Well, they are here, in Venice. Antonia Sautter is a costume designer. She creates dresses inspired
by those worn by courtesans. Cousteau and Indiana. And the courtesans? They were very elegant,
very intelligent, very cultured women, and naturally, they wore
the most beautiful clothes. At that time, Venice really offered
a lot of possibilities because there were the most beautiful fabrics in the world
arriving from the East, silks, velvets
and courtesans who were a little more daring than the nobles who were
much more tied to etiquette. Courtesans could be daring,
and can be considered avant-garde women when it came to
fashion. Destabilized, he apologized. And the bustier médica quanto
stringere is revived. To perfect their appearance. Courtesans took
special care of their hair. And to the language.
It was real hair. Wigs were not used
back then. She had very long hair
and she liked to curl it. She either braided her hair
and pulled it up on the sides, or she made curls
and tied it on top of her head, letting it fall
to one side, like this. In the head? And at what time? Sou At that time. We loved the Venetian blond that we obtained
with very natural methods, with saffron and lemon juice,
or else rhubarb juice. But maple sugar. That was for the ladies. The ladies. While for the women of the people,
it was more like cat urine. The urine from the cakes has nothing to do with it. And then she climbed onto the zaltan,
these terraces which are very numerous in Venice. Sylvie, for her part, protected her face
to avoid tanning and let her hair dry in the sun
to lighten it. That’s what happened. At the time, Venetian blond was
such a sought-after color that painters like Palma the Elder
and Titian depicted these women with their dazzling hair in their works. Will decide on this hairstyle. A courtesan would
probably have added a feather. Or. Other
flashy accessories like pearls. Pearls. But this one is the
perfect hairstyle for this costume. Elegant, very elegant. Including for fundamental and capé. The headdress is fundamental,
the hair too. Depending on what you wore
on your head, you could tell the person’s social status. This is my photo submitted to the. Under misura. Splendida splendida. He is a handsome man. Yes yes yes!
But you have to earn it for free. In the 16th century, Venice lived to the rhythm
of celebration throughout Europe. The city is known for its excesses. The famous Venice Carnival is
a time of debauchery where the social classes, disguised
and masked, go about their business incognito. At this time, the carnival begins on
December 26th and ends on Shrove Tuesday, a period during which the Venetians
occupy the courtyards, the squares which become real
theater stages, where people show off, dance and sing. The use of masks was so widespread
that the manufacturers already had their own status as artisans. But the mask that everyone thinks represents
the Venice carnival is not linked to this event. This mask is particularly
interesting because it had a very specific function in the 16th century. Actually, it’s a doctor’s mask. It was actually invented by a
French doctor named Charles Delorme. To be able to get as close as possible
to the Venetians who were suffering from the plague. And for this, medicinal plants and aromatic essences were placed in this large nose,
which allowed
doctors to get as close as possible to the patient. Well, today it’s used for carnival. The city of the Doges has often been confronted
with plague epidemics to help the most deprived. Lay brotherhoods
appeared under the patronage of a patron saint. It plays a very important role
in the life of the city. The largest are so rich
and powerful that they are almost a state within a state. We are in a scuola,
that is to say a brotherhood dedicated to charity towards the poor and this one is
called the San Rocco brotherhood. Saint Roch
was a saint who protected Venice from the plague, and if I wanted to
show you this place, it’s because it hasn’t changed for
more than four and a half centuries. We still discover it today, just as
the Venetians did in the 16th century. It is entirely decorated with paintings
by the Italian painter Tintoretto, which makes this
place unique in the world. It is also compared
to the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican. Another threat then weighs on Venice. These are the fires
that regularly ravage the city. They are often attributed
to the furnaces of master glassmakers. To protect the city. The glassworks will be moved
to the island of Murano, just opposite. A measure that both reduces
the number of fires and protects glass manufacturing secrets. Because all
of Europe covets these secrets. And Colbert, minister of Louis XIV,
did not hesitate to send his spies to enable the royal
mirror factory of Saint-Gobain to benefit from Venetian techniques. Aristide Najean is French. He lives and works with glass in Murano. The glass blown in Venice
is exceptional. The pride of a Murano glassmaker is
to reproduce two identical glasses without using molds. The tools have not
changed for five centuries. The composition of the glass is practically
the same, the temperature is almost identical to within a few degrees. Except that here, we mistreat it,
we distort it, we give it life. At the same time. Glasswork itself is
so, so physical. At that time, the ovens
were fueled by wood. Every day, boats had to bring
wood for the horses, wood for the ovens. The oven had to be
kept at constant temperature. Children did not go
to school from the age of nine. They were as they were small,
they could go behind the ovens to feed the ovens. In 1618, they could begin to be
the first servant of the master glassmaker. At 25, he was a master glassmaker. To what? To what? And this transfer is done from father
to son, but for centuries and centuries. It’s quite surprising. Because . At this time, Venice experienced a period
of unprecedented cultural and artistic excitement. It was here that the world’s first public opera house
opened its doors in 1637. It was the San Cassiano Theatre. The success was immediate and all
the major families decided to open their own opera houses. Two priests and musicians became
the masters of this new lyrical genre. Claudio Monteverdi and Antonio Vivaldi. Vivaldi is the
emblematic figure of Venice. For almost 30 years
he taught music as a violin teacher in an ospedale. Originally,
the Ospedale was a religious institution where young orphans were placed. Most of them are
illegitimate children, born from the scandalous and unbridled loves of the time. There they receive an education and,
for the most gifted among them, high-level musical training
which will make their reputation throughout Europe. We are going to one of the four
mazes of Venice that operated in Vivaldi’s time. We have an appointment there
with Suzanne Orlando. She is a musicologist. You have to imagine
this church full of the people of Europe, then the nobles
of Venice, the people of Venice. And then there, up there, maybe 30 girls
singing behind this gate. One can imagine what it was like
for the audience to hear these heavenly voices coming from up there. We didn’t see them,
but we imagined angels. We imagined
extraordinary figures of exquisite beauty. Why this grid? It’s because he wanted to avoid
love stories, let’s say, between young girls and men
in the audience, young men, men in general. They were faceless stars. If we try to put ourselves
in their shoes a little. These girls came from nothing. They had no family,
nothing in life. All of a sudden, they were here,
looking down and seeing all these people rushing into the church
to hear them, to listen to them. They were real stars. These young girls dressed
very austerely and led an almost monastic life. One of them was
leaving the institution to get married. She had to promise never to
sing again so as not to compete with the Ospedale. Here we are
in the music room. Every hospital
had a room like this, where it could receive nobles,
privileged people who probably wanted a private concert. He also pays a donation. Even for these private concerts. The young girls were maintaining. The mystery remained hidden
behind the gates. The guests could barely see
the pomegranate flowers adorning their hair. Symbol of girls, of Dalits. Yet one day, a man will
ask to be introduced to her. This is Jean-Jacques Rousseau. In his Confessions,
he describes this encounter. Monsieur Leblond introduced me one after
the other to his famous singers, whose voices and names were
all that were known to me. Come on, Sophie!
She was horrible. Come on, Katina, she was one-eyed. Come on, Bettina! Smallpox had disfigured her. Finally, my way of seeing them changed
so much that I almost fell in love with all these ugly women. I continued to find their singing
delightful and their voices painted so well their faces that as long as they sang,
I persisted, in spite of my eyes, in finding them beautiful. Vivaldi composed much
of his music for his angelic voices. Vivaldi was touched
by these young girls. After all, he was a priest,
he had no children and he has. He must have been touched by these young
girls who had nothing in life. His music brings
so much joy to life. This is perhaps the
main quality of this music. It is this joy of life that
everyone feels when listening to the four seasons. This perhaps explains why Vivaldi wanted to
give these poor young girls who really had nothing in life
a reason to be and a reason to live. From this time on, Vivaldi’s influence
in Venice and throughout Europe was considerable. A great composer of baroque music,
he is also an outstanding violinist. Riccardo Guaraldi is
the last luthier in Venice. For him, the city is
inseparable from music. Pffffffffff! I love Venice, the very colors
of the city are reflected in my work. I also take inspiration from it
for the colors of my instruments. But
this city is absolutely wonderful for anyone with
a modicum of sensitivity. It is an inspiration
to everyone. And there, and there.
Hello guys! Today, Ricardo welcomes
a musician friend, Giuseppe Baruti, into his studio. He too is passionate about Vivaldi. Cynthia Manesse. Vivaldi.
Vivaldi. For me who.
I am Venetian, my very close ones. But it is very difficult for me
to explain his music. It is especially difficult
to understand Vivaldi’s music if you do not live in Venice,
if you do not breathe the salty Venetian air and especially if you do not know how
Venetians navigate Vivaldi’s music. We find a lot of this sense of the rhythm
of the water and the movements of the oars of the primary and the Zaire, that is to say
the way of pushing and bringing back the oar. These are two navigation techniques
that are very similar to the movements of the archer. That is to say, pull and push. Venice has always attracted many figures from the arts and literature. They come here,
at the bend of a canal, sheltered by a church, to seek
the inspiration necessary for creation. I have a meeting with Vivica Genaux,
one of the most beautiful opera voices of today. Vivica is American. She is in love with Venice and has arranged to
meet me in front of the church of Santa Maria della Salute. Vivica. Why did you choose to show me
this church in particular? Because this church is dedicated
to the Madonna of Health, which for us
singers is very, very important. So, every time I am here at
home, I go to thank him for my health. I’ll light a candle
and I love to stay in it for a short time to watch. It is one of the most
important churches in the Baroque style. And I, as a singer, sang
a lot, a lot of baroque music. So I also like to look at
Baroque architecture, paintings too. And to see the world of the time
as it is reflected in the music. It is a church that means
a lot to the Venetians. Yes, it is very important. They built it after the plague of 1600 to thank the Madonna for saving the city from the plague. You were born in Alaska, in Fairbanks,
in the United States, it must be a change for you to live
in Veneto and especially in Venice. No, I have to say
that every day, I. I am amazed to be here.
It’s beautiful. What do you like about Venice? Do you see the light? It’s something special. There are lots of colors
too, like the cities. The houses are decorated and colorful
and the light is always changing. It’s a city that is fascinating
to me, a bit like Paris when I’m in Paris. I love going out without, without an appointment,
without anything and throwing myself into the small streets and seeing where I end up. There are still real Venetians here. Very few, it’s true,
because it’s full of tourists here. Now it’s real
city life without the tourists. But there is still someone. I have a friend named
Conte Humberto Marcello who. I would like to introduce you
if you come with me. Come on !
All right. THANKS. Thank you. In this villa I had my
first apartment here in Venice. Oh yes.
Just. Yes. It was beautiful. On this autumn morning,
the aqua Alta made its appearance. Rising water levels are
common during this season. It can exceed one and a half meters. It then floods a large
part of the city. Invading the
ground floor of houses. While the Coalt is always spectacular,
the Venetians are used to these natural phenomena. But today the coal is
low and we can dock directly at Count Umberto’s.
Marcello. Good morning!
Arrived safely! Thank you!
Thank you! 1000! And. And what? What ?
Thank you. GOOD.
Arrival at the table. The Count is a descendant of the great
composer Benedetto Marcello Meraviglia. His portrait hangs in one of the salons
of this Venetian residence. I came to see you, but. I walk past. I am so happy
to share this portrait. I present to you Benedetto Marcello,
my ancestor, the famous composer. He has a very stern look. Yes, he looks very angry. However, he did not
only compose serious music. Of course, he also has a nice wig. There he is wearing one. But when he was young,
he had all his hair and there’s a funny story. He had his hair cut very
short on one side of his head because his brothers had made fun of him,
saying he was not good at music. So while he waited for it to grow back,
he locked himself away in his villa in the countryside and started
learning how to work. Ultimately,
he did well in music, but he always had a serious expression. And then he
put on a wig anyway. What did people sing back then?
We were singing. Many composers of the time
sang a lot of Vivaldi because it was also his city, Venice. And then of course, we sang
a lot of Benedetto Marcello. He wrote more than 300 cantatas
and it was in the music that we sang. Exactly In
houses like this one. But we also had Leo Vinci,
who are not very well known today. And there was also another composer
who was one of the first to transcribe popular music, that is to say,
street music and the street. Here it is.
The street, here it’s water, it’s water. And so, they were
gondolier songs. As a souvenir of the battle, there. But hey, with my guitar, I can say the opposite because she was saying hell of a racket,
memorable doughnut. Marina isn’t lying or on the contrary MAYBE she was saying Tango to make Parigina look good. We played it in Ibiza in a baby bottle and for my fifth birthday Gringo Grisouille and Gringo, Grisouille and Gringo devoured my Maridar Original while eating a pizza from our hands.
Well done ! And for my five twins, Greenberg,
Grisouille and Gringo, Grisouille and Gringo will become my rival. But there you have it, the ideal husband. Here I am, remarried. From the 16th century onwards,
the economic decline of the Republic of Venice began. The city consoles itself by becoming the
European capital of pleasures and games. Even public opera is an unbridled,
decadent opera, very far from what we know today. In the lodges owned by the bourgeoisie
and nobles, whose fortune was made partly through the sugar trade. We eat, we drink, we even play
without worrying about the music. On June 20, 1633, the Republic of Venice,
exasperated, decided to put a stop to this debauchery. A decree now punishes any
sign of opulence and extravagance. One of the first applications
of this decree concerns gondolas. Until now, an ostentatious sign of power
and wealth, they will now all have to look the same
and wear the color black. This gondola is a replica
of 17th century models. It is equipped with a felze,
a cabin that protects passengers from the sun and bad weather. Here in Moscow. Here we are on the
Grand Canal of Venice. There are almost nothing
but motorboats there. Well imagine! Imagine how it used to be crossed
by thousands of gondolas. Here we are.
Family. Each family had not just one
gondola, but five, six, ten gondolas, and all the boats traveled
together in very dense traffic. Often they were side by side
because the travelers were talking to each other. That’s why the net is open. This allowed us to talk,
make new friends or have lunch and listen
to music together. Each in his gondola. Traffic in Venice was sometimes so
heavy that some people had to force their way through. When there was someone
important or a regatta. And so the boats that had
priority placed an archer in front of the first
boat who fired very hard clay balls
at those who did not respect the priority of the procession. What is important. It’s not just that. The gondola, the boat. The gondola is a boat that is completely
crazy in relation to its function. It is eleven meters long as it
travels through canals that make right angles. It is 1.70 meters high and has
uprights at both ends, while there are 350 bridges in the city. She is completely black as she
travels through the night. Additionally, there are many other things
that are not functional, such as a very sharp blade
on the bow which is very dangerous. Venice is therefore a magical place where
very special things happen. There is always the desire to do
something exceptional. Exceptional. The decree of 1633 will also
apply to gambling. In 1638, the world’s first casino
was built here in Venice. The players come there masked under the
watchful eye of the Republic, which manages the establishment. Very quickly, other gaming rooms,
private this time, were created, the casinos, most of which
were places of perdition. The Venier Casino is the most famous. It is located near the Rialto Bridge. The casino is a place that is
full of trompe-l’oeil. You have to imagine the casino as a series
of boxes nested inside each other,
with side corridors that allow you to observe but at the same time to
sneak in, to go to a corner, to withdraw with someone
to have more privacy. Mirror games to create a space
and at the same time one-way mirrors to observe what was happening
in a room that allows to satisfy people who have a passion
for voyeurism. And then there is also a whole series
of subterfuges, for example, which participate in the very defense of the place,
like this Judas here which allows, which is just above the entrance
and which therefore allows to observe the people who enter and who can therefore give
the password by knocking on the door. Inside the casinos,
the lighting was generally rather subdued and muted. It’s a place where people whispered. And since it was secret,
it was a question of creating a rather discreet atmosphere and we see
many shady characters, sometimes very shady. It is also a place that
Casanova and Casanova will frequent. As you know, he was not only
the erotomaniac character that we know who made his reputation,
he was also someone who was passionate about Freemasonry,
the occult sciences and who spoke several languages. He spoke four or five languages,
and he comes here because he goes. It is precisely the ideal place to
listen to what is happening in Europe. And that’s why
the La Serenissima was very interested in these places,
because it was really an ideal home for spies,
to be able to listen directly to what was being said across Europe. And then also,
it is a place that the government will fear enormously, because it is also
a place where a revolution or at least a
seditious organization can be fomented which will become a threat to society. In fact, the real threat hanging
over Venice is the interest that all of Europe now has in sugar. White gold has become one of the main
issues in international trade. Venice gradually lost its monopoly
to the detriment of Antwerp and Amsterdam. The decline of the Serenissima has begun. The city of the Doges will lose its monopoly
on sugar cane and the activity of its arsenal will suffer. In fact, around the Mediterranean, sugar
cane production and yield will decrease because it is a
very demanding plant that impoverishes the soil. It was therefore necessary to find new lands
and the discovery of the Americas would provide this opportunity. Indeed, gold and the gospels were
not the only two driving forces behind the colonization of the New World. Sugar is a crucial issue and those
who will profit from this situation are the Portuguese who will
relaunch sugar cane production in a newly conquered territory. This territory is called Brazil. Brazil where I take you. In 151 an expedition of thirteen ships
left Lisbon for the East Indies. After 45 days at sea, on April 22,
the Portuguese fleet commanded by Pedro Alvares Cabral
sighted land and took possession of it in the name of Portugal. He and his 1,200 men have just
discovered by chance what will become Brazil. First named Veracruz Island,
this new territory eventually adopted the name of a local ember-colored wood
, PAO Brasil. The climate and terrain are
suitable for growing sugar cane. King John III of Portugal
then decided to colonize Brazil. Nearly 50 years after the discovery
of Brazil, the King of Portugal appointed a governor here. This is Tomé de Sousa. He is the founder
of Salvador de Bahia. And when he arrives here,
in this bay of all the saints, the bay of Bahia, Tomé de Sousa is
accompanied by Jesuits, soldiers, peasants, artisans,
but also convicts and prostitutes. His mission is to found here in Brazil,
one of the major sugar cane production centers. This requires manpower. Well, the Portuguese brought 5
million slaves from black Africa at the end of the 16th century. Portugal will be the
world’s largest sugar producer. Initially, Portuguese settlers relied
on local labor to work on the plantations. But very quickly, the Indians preferred to flee
inland rather than be enslaved. The wealthy sugar barons then decided
to turn to West Africa. Slaves arrive from Guinea,
Angola or Sudan. The King of Portugal proclaims Salvador
de Bahia the capital of Brazil. It will remain so for
more than two centuries. At the time, its port activity was
intense and to protect itself from corsairs and pirates attracted by the
city’s riches, Bahia developed on the heights. El Salvador was
a major trading port. Its economy was based
on tobacco and sugar. Sugar was the white gold sold
in Portugal and tobacco was used as currency
for the slave trade with Africa. These two products were developed
in the reconquest of the region bordering the Bay of All Saints. The colonial era left its
mark on the walls of Bahia. The city’s architecture reflects
the history of this country, which was built on the massive arrival of slaves
from Africa in the 16th century. Bahia is the first
slave market in the New World. The Pelourinho district
preserves its memory. In the pillory, a vertical column.
The Pelourinho. It was an emblematic column
of Portuguese domination over the conquered cities. It was either circular or square. There were iron rings
on which the city’s slaves were tied for punishment. The City. This column has become
a symbol of the torture of black people. And if this square has kept the name of
Pelourinho Square, it is because of the events that took place there. Many buildings are in the
Baroque style, a style introduced to Brazil by Catholic missionaries who
came to evangelize the Indians. This historic district has been restored. Today it is a
UNESCO World Heritage Site. At the other end of this
historic square in Bahia, there is one of the most beautiful wonders
of Brazil, the Convent of San Francisco. Founded in 1585 by a Franciscan monk
Melchior, the convent was inspired by 16th-century Portuguese cloisters. This religious complex includes
a convent, a cloister, and also two churches. It took more than two centuries
to build the whole thing. So this convent is
first discovered from the outside, starting with the facade
of this small church, a facade of great beauty. For a long time it was covered
by a kind of mortar which protected it from looting. But today, we can
contemplate it in all its splendor. The pure masterpiece is
inside the main church. I’ll take you there. Here, everything is gilded with fine gold. The walls, the columns, the ceiling. It took more than a ton of gold
to decorate the interior of this church. It is a true artistic treasure. We are in pure colonial baroque,
total exuberance. Bahia has 165 churches. She is nicknamed the black dress. It is considered the
religious capital of Brazil. But in Bahia, another religion has
long since established itself. It is Candomblé, a cult that has its
origins in the history of Brazil and the arrival of slaves who came to work
on the sugar cane plantations. It is here, in this type of building
called Terreiro, that Candomblé is practiced. Candomblé is a mixture
of Catholicism and African rites. It is based on the belief in a
supreme deity surrounded by saints called Orishas. Will Orishas and Elise came. The Orishas arrived
from Africa with our people. They are vital forces that symbolize
everything that exists in nature. It ‘s all in. Radiation, fire, wind. In this space where we
practice our worship. We call upon all these energies. This is where the Orishas
can be called upon. They give us answers
when we need them. For a long time, the practice
of this religion was forbidden. At any moment, the police could arrive. It was then essential to find
a way to avoid getting caught and risking being flogged in the pillory. Or a symbol of wealth? And the slaves took the
orisha statuettes and hid them here. They locked them there because
inside there is a hollow space. And when the authorities arrived,
the slaves would say they were praying to Saint Anthony,
when in reality they were praising Ogun. Montserrat. Even today
we pray to the Virgin of Montserrat. But actually, it’s about kings. Candomblé used this way of
hiding behind Catholic saints as a strategy. In fact, the Catholic saints allowed
our people to pray to the Orishas. Here in Bahia. Many residents
practice both religions. During the week they go to Terreiro,
on Sundays to church. the Church that best expresses
Bahian syncretism. This is Our Lady
of the Rosary of the Blacks. It is easily recognizable
by its blue facade. It is the oldest church in Bahia. It was built by
black slaves who worked on sugarcane plantations so
that they could celebrate their own worship. This church is not very big,
but it is very interesting because it houses a number of saints
who are black, such as Saint Benedict of Palermo. He was born in Sicily in 1526. He is depicted with the Infant Jesus
in his arms and here in Bahia. He is nicknamed the Holy Moor because
of his piety and the color of his skin. It is a drawing that is still
extremely venerated in Candomblé today. Paranoia in Bahia Peru. Alleluhia Moralazero Look. These women dressed in white are
a true institution in Bahia. They are donut sellers. They are called baiana de Acarajé. There are nearly 2,700 of
them crisscrossing the city’s streets. Year-round to share their faith. They gather
regularly in this church. For the New Year, bring the housewife as soon as possible. HAS. Every day for 20 years,
Dona Ciana has gone to the popular market in Sao Joaquim to buy the food
she needs to make her fritters. She works full time. Because unemployed.
Camera. Camara may say what he says, Shégué Sosa shegués equips people and not Casa. Acarajé is a bean fritter
fried in palm oil. But it is above all the
ritual food of the orishas. I took a nice bath. To make a good acarajé. It must be done with love. Otherwise the orishas do not protect you. The important thing is to
present everything well, that way we sell more. Woof woof woof woof ! The acarajé is sacred to the Bahian people. Its recipe was imported by
African slaves who worked on sugarcane plantations
in 1888 after the abolition of slavery. This donut became an annuity
for freed slaves. Back home,
Dona Siana prepares the dough. She is the only one who can do it,
because you have to be an initiate of Candomblé. Dona Siana donuts. The effort to cook later on the square
in front of the church where she sells them. Are the place where
all the donut sellers meet. This is the Nosso senior church in Bonfim. Upon arrival, the first thing
Dona Yana does is purify the place where she settles. Oh well because you
are positive in French. Actually. We keep negative vibes away so that
positive things can happen. Positives. This donut business
is highly regulated. Besides the acarajé,
Bahian women are only allowed to sell certain
products under penalty of a fine. So these are the little student cakes,
also called little student penises. They are made with tapioca
and coconut. On top, we put sugar and cinnamon. And then there are also many other
specialties like vatapa, shrimps and carro. Ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba
ba. There are two types of donuts:
those intended for men and those intended for gods. This one, for example, is for Etchou. He’s hungry too. He deserves it, you know. And then, without him,
I won’t make any money. Bada, bada, bada bada. Before, women went
door to door with it. It was a religious obligation. Today, it has become a profession. A culture too. A Brazilian Bahian culture. In Bahia. 50 zero zero zero donuts
are sold every day. Once cooked, the first
acarajé are offered to the Orishas. It’s a ritual. I discovered garlic on. The church of Bonfim. It is the heart of the Catholic faith,
but also of the followers of Candomblé. In fact, the lord of Bonfim
is Oxala, that is to say Christ. And so many
healing powers are attributed to it. He says Now I am sitting. In the room of ex-votos, we find
all the testimonies of these miracles. Which take place in hotels. Specials.
This guy whose. We are asked to display
photographs here because people like to be able to look at them and read the messages
revealing the miracles and graces performed. Thanks to cancer and illustrating. He also brings candles
that are their size. That’s why some
are very tall. And big. They also hang wax objects from the ceiling
representing parts of the human body like an arm, a hand, a head,
there are plenty of them. Finally three in all. They say One day, a man
even offered us an ox. He wanted to bring you an ox to church. I told him I had
no place to keep him. But he answered me: But yes, but yes,
I’ll bring him to you alive. Luckily, I managed to convince him. He ended up having the ox slaughtered. He then gave me the money for the animal
to make an offering to the lord of Bonfim of Bonfim. These ribbons fluttering in the wind were
placed there by the people of Bahia in the hope of having their wishes granted. The lucky bracelets
found around the world were born here in Bahia. In this church in Bonfim
at the very beginning of the 19th century. In fact, originally
they were necklaces and not bracelets that measured 47 cm,
that is to say the exact length of one of the arms of a statue of Christ
that is inside the church. And over time, the necklace became
a bracelet that met with the success we know. In Brazil, the Portuguese settlers
came alone, without families. Very quickly, they mixed with the
black or Native American women living alongside them on the sugar cane plantations. Today, Brazil is one
of the most mixed countries in the world. A country with many faces, a
mirror of this colonial era. This incredible diversity is
found everywhere in architecture, religion
and of course in culture. For many writers,
Brazilian history is an inexhaustible source of inspiration. This is the case of Jorge Amado,
one of the greatest Brazilian authors. Most of his novels depict the lives
of mixed-race people from the underprivileged classes. In the 1960s, the writer lived here
in this Pelourinho neighborhood, which served as a setting for the characters in his novels. One of the greatest novels, D’amado. Captain of the Sands
has been adapted for the cinema. It was his granddaughter, Cecilia,
who directed the production. I read this book when I was fourteen,
and in Brazil it’s a book that all young people in high schools
have to read at fourteen. At fifteen, it’s like Les Misérables
by Victor Hugo, for example. It’s a classic. So for me, it was the same thing. Just because I’m
Amado’s granddaughter didn’t mean it was going to be any different. I really wanted to see him. Seeing these characters
was so beautiful. In books, I wanted to know them. Captain of the Sands tells the story
of the street children of Salvador de Bahia. They are the masters of the city,
a small band of thugs who combine cunning and audacity
with the innocence of their youth. They are artists. I was all mine.
It was no use. I loved them so much.
Empty. Despite his death in 2001, Jorge Amado
remained very popular in Brazil. He really liked to
stop on the street to talk to the young people,
the simpler people, the people who interested him the most,
and to hear their stories. And after that, he made his mixes. This alchemy that makes a writer,
a great writer, to put in the same character several
people that he knew for real. These are stories from Brazil. Gabriella. Television is also
interested in Amado’s works. He is the Brazilian author
most adapted to the small screen. Works like Gabriella have been
transposed into the famous telenovelas. In Brazil, telenovelas are
a religion, just like football or samba. They tell the great
periods of the country’s history. This is the case of the series L’ado à l’ado
which takes place in the 19th century, at the time of the abolition of slavery. About 100% gravols. A separate category must be added. We were told this morning that we will not
only see. Every night, millions of Brazilians
gather in front of their television sets to follow the adventures
of their favorite heroes. These telenovelas are in fact
a real educational tool in a country where illiteracy
affects more than 10% of the population. There is a real pride and a real
desire to know Brazil. It turns out that we too
feel this need to know our history. In fact, this novella simply teaches us
to see what we are. This diversity, precisely,
also highlights historical facts on the vaccine revolt
for example, when people did not want to be vaccinated,
or on the revolt of the whips, on the emancipation of women too. Many people are unaware of this
period when women were underestimated by society. Here we find all these themes. Until recently,
black roles on television were played by white people who were made up. It was not until 2004
that the star role of a telenovela was given to a black actor. It’s good to see people of color
on television because that’s who we are. We have to face reality. This diversity is reality. Finally, we are starting to accept ourselves
as we are. Like Salvador de Bahia. Rio de Janeiro is a mixed city. The exploitation of sugar cane,
but also the discovery of gold and diamonds attracted
many European immigrants. Today, Rio is the second largest
city in Brazil, behind Sao Paulo. More than 20% of the
Carioca population lives in favelas. These slums are concentrated
on the steep slopes of the hills that separate the different
districts of the city. In Rio. Colonial architecture
has almost disappeared. It gave way to modernity,
first of all that of the 19th century, with the municipal theatre
inspired by the Paris Opera. The 20th century then,
with the Rio Cathedral in architecture,
recalls that of an Inca temple. But the one who best embodies
Brazilian modernism is called Oscar Niemeyer. It is to him that we owe
this museum of contemporary art. It faces another symbol
of Rio, the Sugar Loaf. When the Portuguese discovered
this bay in the 16th century, they believed they had discovered a river that flowed into the ocean. Hence its name The January River. Rio de Janeiro.
Janeiro. Because discovered in January. And then, when they see the hill
behind me, which will later serve as a maritime landmark,
well, they immediately think of a refined and molded sugar loaf. There is another iconic place
here in Rio, it is Corcovado. Corcovado. Hunchback in Portuguese
is the name of the hill on which stands the statue of Christ the Redeemer,
created in 1921 to commemorate the centenary of the country’s independence. It is the work of the
French sculptor Paul Landowski. But the soul of Rio is its music. As she meets him, Majlinda Masaya says Grace. She has Minina who. In the 1950s, Europe discovered Brazilian rhythms
thanks to a song called The Girl from Ipanema. Mimosa.
From Corpo Dorado all descended. Panem swayed and Poema accused Majlinda who once passed by. It is one of the most
famous songs of all time. She was born here, in this bar
in front of Ipanema beach. Here she challenged. This song was created exactly
where we are. It was a bar called Veloso
and people on their way to the beach would pass through here. Among them, a
very pretty brunette girl. The author of the song was often there
to write and he had noticed this young girl. So Tom Jobin wrote a song
about her and Vinicius de Moraes did the music. The Girl from Ipanema is one of the
greatest recording successes of the 20th century. The song has been covered by more than 300
performers, including Sacha Distel in France, who sings here with Eliane Pittman. And Lovely the girl from my name goes it
walking and when she passes each one she passes go. Either. Gloomy at the course for Dora do do sol
d’ipanema where masks swing. A Yakuza Majlinda poem that Javi passed. Oh but I watch her so sadly. How can I tell him, I love him. Yes, I would give my heart gladly that.
Every day when. She walks to the sea,
she looks straight ahead now that. I see Elle. In 1962, the Bossa Nova wave
swept the world. It tells of the sweetness
of life in Rio in the 1960s. It also reflects the hopes
of the new Brazilian middle class, born of the economic boom. For.
Bossa nova is inspired by Samba. Hong Kong, Hong.
Kong. In Brazil, the term is masculine. For some it means navel,
for others it simply expresses the joy of dancing. We are at the Rio Scenarium, one of the
most famous establishments in the city. Zero zero one. The dance being performed there tonight
is called Samba Gafieira in homage to the place where she was born. in Brazilian high society,
viewed this dance with a jaundiced eye, which was considered sulphurous, as was the case
for the tango in Argentina. Dance, dance and dance to work on the yoyo of a smile dance to work on dancing alone. In short, hierarchy. At the time it appeared,
the typical gafieira welcomed people who could not
attend dance clubs, such as the working classes,
prostitutes or thugs. All malandro. There had to be somewhere to
go, because they weren’t welcome in the places
frequented by Rio de Janeiro’s high society. Rio de Janeiro.
When Gafieira appears. Thus, the Gafieira emerged
as a place, a space where they could dance with their colors,
their music and their culture. How’s your
speed going at the ball? End of the year. For a long time, thanks to Brazil,
the Portuguese dominated the sugar cane market. And then, after 1630,
their supremacy declined first to the benefit of the English, then
the French, and this thanks to one man. His name is Colbert. Colbert, minister of King Louis XIV. He will lead a major
expansionist policy. He will first create counters,
notably in Senegal. Then he bought Guadeloupe
and the island of Martinique. And from this time on,
sugar became very fashionable at the court of King Louis XIV. So we leave Brazil,
Rio and its magnificent botanical garden for another equally
magical place, the Palace of Versailles. In 1668, the Palace of Versailles
was under construction. The king decided to transform the former
hunting lodge of Louis XII into a sumptuous palace. The work, which will last more than fifteen
years, will involve thousands of workers. So, while waiting for their completion,
Louis XIV kept the court waiting by organizing parties in the gardens. Here, everything is.
Gathered for the show. We are in a
green amphitheater which is bordered in front of me by a large waterfall and which allows us
to evoke these large ephemeral decorations that Louis XIV had built
in the years at the beginning of his reign. That’s to say ? It
is 1664 for the first celebration. Louis XIV called upon all
trades to build ballrooms, theaters, and
completely ephemeral banquet halls. They can be very elaborate buildings, or
they can also be frames covered with foliage that we find
in the woods around Versailles. And above all, the main idea
is to dazzle and surprise. And surprise is one of the
essential elements of any celebration at Versailles. Since time immemorial,
the festivals given by sovereigns have expressed power and wealth. Louis XIV established himself
as the master of the genre. By putting sugar in the spotlight, he
surprises his guests and creates an event. The sweet element was something
that was particularly prized at court and during the festival of 1668,
the path that led to the grove where the snack was served
had the particularity of being decorated with shrubs that had been put in boxes,
and on these shrubs, which were of quite varied species,
all kinds of candied fruits had been hung. And the courtiers’ great pleasure
was to pick and choose, as I could do here,
to grab oranges on one side, candied pears on the other. And that is truly
something extraordinary. And it was an appetizer
that allowed us to arrive at the snack room where
jams, pastries and other delicacies were served in artistically crafted buffets. This taste for staging
and for King Louis XIV, an invaluable promotional tool. Since one is never better served
than by oneself, Louis XIV ensured that the success of his celebrations was widely
reported by writers who were in the service of the Crown,
who recounted everything that happened, saying that it was absolutely
marvelous, absolutely sumptuous, accompanied by engravings that allowed one
to visually see how it could have happened. And these texts are widely distributed
abroad, and that of course contributes to the fame of these festivals. So it was a kind of bidding war,
almost a kind of competition to see who would give the best party. In 1683, the expansion work
at Versailles was completed and Louis XIV was finally able to move
into the château. The sublime outdoor parties are
now organized in the King’s Grand Apartment
or in the Hall of Mirrors. The first reception given by King
Louis XIV at the Palace of Versailles took place here, in this gallery which connects
the queen’s bedroom to that of the king, the Hall of Mirrors, the Grand Gallery. It is the emblem of Versailles. Moreover, Louis XIV considered her
as his standard-bearer throughout Europe. Indeed, its creator,
the architect Jules Hardouin-Mansart, designed it as a true
theatre set to showcase the glory of Louis XIV and French genius. The 30 compositions of the vault painted
by Charles Lebrun also illustrate the glorious history of Louis XIV. With this 73-meter-long gallery,
the Sun King actually wanted to dazzle the courtiers and the great and the good
who came to visit him. Although the Hall of Mirrors was not
designed to hold parties, the King’s grand apartment, on the other hand,
is a series of rooms dedicated to receptions. The king is particularly fond of
this room with its red hangings. It is in this salon, the Salon de Mars,
that one can admire this magnificent painting of Louis XIV on horseback. A painting by René Antoine,
King Louis XIV, who came here to this ballroom to join his
guests and listen to music. In fact, this room used to be
the guard room of the King’s chamber. You only have to look up
to see it. All the scenes decorating the ceiling
are war scenes, including the collection The
Variation of Military Helmets which were designed by Charles Lebrun and which
support the cornice of this ceiling. During these apartment parties,
the Sun King developed a French savoir vivre that
still survives today. It is etiquette,
it is the set of rules that organize the life of the royal family, the
courtiers and the staff of Versailles. This table is an evocation of what
the Grand Couvert ceremony could have been like in the time of Louis XIV. When the king ate
his meal in public. In the great cover. This meant that he ate with his family,
that is to say with his children. So the large covered area was
wide open to the public. That was the rule that said it. It is a public meal,
everyone can attend. So of course, there was the courtyard and there
were the curious passers-by and the curious passers-by. So, according to the rules,
everyone could pass. But we have memories that tell us
that, in truth, you had to give a bribe to the usher
of the room who held the door to let you in. The Grand Couvert is one of the
key moments in life at court. It takes place every evening, around 10 p.m.,
in the king’s or queen’s antechamber for the courtiers. This is an opportunity to approach the king,
who only grants mercy to those he knows. But the ritual of the Grand Couvert
is also an extremely well- regulated spectacle, a veritable ballet orchestrated
by a maître d’hôtel who commands the officers of the King’s table. So, this is a
butler’s baton. The butler’s staff
was very important. Firstly, on a formal level,
because his presence was one of the signs that we
were in the open. So, it’s a label object. The head waiter was there to ensure
that all the officers who served the royal table did their job well. So it was a real show
and the maître d’hôtel, with his baton, was the conductor of this show. The dishes are served in the French style,
that is to say, all placed at the same time on the royal table
by the catering officers. There were a lot of leftovers and that was
the whole system of serving. That is to say, the guys who returned
from the king’s table were served on the table of the gentlemen
servants who had served the king. Then it went down to the table
of the people who had served the gentlemen servants,
and then to the table of the boys who had served the officers,
who had served the gentlemen servants who had served the king. And so we had five rows
of serving dishes, and there was still some left over to be able to sell in the
side aisles of the castle. The rest. The first menus established for Versailles
are transcribed in this book. We also discover new recipes
based on sugar or great creations like whipped cream
or béchamel sauce. Invention of Louis de Béchamel,
butler to the King. Already, during the reign of Louis XIV,
we were at a time when we were moving towards a greater search for taste and
the flavor of food. Whereas in the Middle Ages,
this flavor was drowned in thick sauces and with
spices or acidic sauces which meant that we didn’t
really get the flavor of the food. Over the years, tastes become more refined. Gastronomy adapts to the image
that the king wants to project. It aims to be sumptuous and refined. This is the birth of
great French cuisine. Near the castle gates,
in the kitchens of a renowned gourmet restaurant. This tradition continues. Recipes developed under Louis XIV
are still part of the dishes offered. But the arrival of this sugar,
produced and refined in the Antilles, was also going to revolutionize
certain professions of the time. In fact, sugar contributes to the
development of professions, particularly that of pastry chefs. Originally, pastry chefs were
specialists in dough, but savory dough, but with the fashion
for sugar and the sweet taste that prevailed. During the 16th and 17th centuries,
pastry chefs changed, evolved and began to make
sweet products, notably the famous macaroons which are featured
in 17th century culinary treatises. It really reveals the passion
for sweet taste at that time. And the invention of the famous crème brûlée is
not as recent as one might imagine. Crème brûlée is clearly
an invention of the time of Louis XIV and it would seem that it was,
as we say today, a must at the table of Louis XIV,
this famous crème brûlée. But sugar not
only revolutionized baking, it also contributed to giving
champagne its letters of nobility. In this Champagne village surrounded
by vineyards, there is an ancient abbey. It was here in the 17th century that
a famous Benedictine monk lived. His name?
Pierre Pérignon. This is the tomb of Don Pierre Pérignon,
who was a Benedictine monk, a contemporary of King Louis XIV, and who gave
Champagne wine all its letters of nobility. In 1668 he was appointed cellarer
of this abbey, with the mission of managing the abbey’s assets. In particular, he will have to rebuild
the convent and the cloister, and to do this, he will rely on the treasure
in his hands, namely the vines and the wine he can get from them. When he arrived, the monks of the abbey were
already producing wine, but a still wine, that is to say without bubbles. Louis XIV was very fond of
Champagne wine. It is said that he discovered this wine
on the day of his coronation in 1654 in Reims and that little by little, well, he got
used to drinking Champagne wine. Below.
Louis XIV. Champagne wine is difficult
to store, it bubbles after a few months and becomes undrinkable. This natural tendency to foam
comes from the cold climate of Champagne. The yeasts do not have time to
transform the sugar in the grapes into alcohol. An anecdote tells
of Pierre Pérignon, on the eve of the harvest, having
baskets of samples from the different plots brought to him. He tasted them in the morning, on an empty stomach,
and based on his feeling, he would marry so many baskets from
such a plot, with so many baskets from such a plot which were
immediately harvested and put on the press. But it was above all by adding sugar
to the wine that he succeeded in stabilizing this natural fermentation. Thanks to the invention of the bottle
by English glassmakers, champagne was easier to transport
and the corkscrew fashion was launched. At the end of the reign of Louis XIV,
champagne enlivened the Parisian dinners of the libertines who gradually turned away
from the court of Versailles. So, during these dinners,
the remarks that are made are often irreverent against
royal policy. And so it is better that there are no
prying ears to spy on what is being said. So we will try
to free ourselves from any service. And this champagne wine sold in bottles
does not require a valley to go and decant a wine straight from a barrel
and present it at the table, it will be enough to place the wine
in coolers filled with ice to keep it cool. And everyone helps themselves as much as they want
during the meal. Fruit and vegetable lovers. Louis XIV did
not just expand Versailles. He also asked the greatest artists
of the time to design gardens that lived up to his ambitions
and to create a vegetable garden that was unique in the world. After five years of work and thanks
to the immense talent of one man, Jean-Baptiste de la Quintinie,
the King’s Vegetable Garden became the Pantry of Versailles. Born in 1624, Jean-Baptiste La Quintinie was
first a lawyer at the Court of Parliament during his Grand Tour of Italy. He is impressed by the gardens
and the beauty of the vegetation. He then decided to
devote himself to horticulture. Louis XIV entrusted him with all the
royal fruit and vegetable gardens. Louis XIV was probably the first
king of France to eat peas. He was also a great lover of figs. The next one here is the Negron. And here, we are really on a fruit
from the 17th century, present in the garden since the 17th century. If you compare it. If you open a Dalmatian,
it’s impressive. Like the grain is really big. While here, it’s not the same color,
but it’s really small. Even at this time
it’s still juicy. Louis XIV wanted to be able to have on his
table, presented to his guests, things that no one else had.
As a good courtier, Quintinie will find ways to please the king. For example, he will install
warm beds, i.e., piles of fermenting horse manure next to his fig trees,
so that the figs feel as if spring has already arrived and begin to bear
their first fruit. And so he will serve
figs to the king already in May. The feats of Quintinie make
the vegetable garden of Versailles a model. The Bon Chrétien pears
harvested there are sent to most of the courts of Europe. But for Louis XIV,
this vegetable garden also met another requirement: to produce
fruit and vegetables directly within the castle grounds that respected
the hierarchical chain of being. What historians call the great
chain of being is a system where that which is closest to the sun,
that which is closest to heaven, is noble and good,
that which is closest to the ground and therefore to hell, is
the least noble or the lowest. As for fruits
and vegetables, the chain letter, the big chain letter, also applies. Fruits that grow on trees
that are high up are better for elite consumption than,
for example, those that grow underground. The roots, all the roots that are
rather considered low. And this is where we find ourselves,
this oddity of 16th and 17th century classification where asparagus,
despite the fact that it grows underground, is considered a fruit. This oddity is due to Louis XIV. The king, who is fond of asparagus,
does not hesitate to make some corrections to this
hierarchical chain which governs the art of the table. Asparagus, as a fruit,
thus became essential at court, like the oranges
also grown at Versailles. We are below the Palace
of Versailles, in the Orangery which was built by Jules Hardouin-Mansart. It is a space forbidden to the public
because in winter, it shelters, as you can see, all the shrubs of the park which are
in boxes. There are about 1500 of them and many are orange trees. At the time, oranges, like sugar,
were reserved for the elite. Producing them directly at the château
is a mark of greatness. The Orange Tree under Louis XIV
is very important. We love it for its
fresh fruit or candied thanks to the sugar. We also love it for the fragrance
that emanates from its flower. Orange blossom. It is the perfume that the king
and part of the court wear to hide some body odors. It must be said that at the time,
there were very few bathrooms at the Palace of Versailles
and people were wary of the water. And although the king takes a bath every
12 hours after hunting, the rest of the court prefers to
rub their bodies with a cloth soaked in either alcohol
or vinegar. Hence the expression “faire sa toilette” (to wash oneself). When the court moved to Versailles,
Louis XIV was at the height of his glory. He reigns as absolute master,
dividing his life between his courtiers, the queen, his numerous mistresses,
his illegitimate children. But there is a woman who will
upset this balance. This is Madame de Maintenon,
born Françoise d’Aubigné. After a difficult childhood in Martinique,
where her father tried to make his fortune in sugar without success,
the young Françoise d’Aubigné returned to mainland France in 1660. She was chosen by Madame de Montespan, the
king’s mistress, to become the governess of their illegitimate children. At the very beginning,
Louis XIV was very wary of Françoise d’Aubigné, widow of Scarron,
when she was spotted by Madame de Montespan to be in charge of
the children who had to be hidden, since they were the fruits
of a double adultery. Louis XIV was wary because she had a
reputation as a precious, wit-filled woman. And then, little by little,
what will seduce the king is this empathy that she has with
children, which is exceptional for the time. And there’s an amazing scene about it. It was one day when she came to see the king
and Madame de Montespan, his mistress, to announce to them in tears
that one of the children, a girl in this case, in
her care, was going to die. And she cries. And Madame de Montespan does not understand
these tears even though it is the mother. And she said, Listen, don’t worry
, we’ll make you some more. And the king, he is moved,
and the king says She knows how to love. And there would be pleasure
in being loved by her. And little by little,
the king will develop a feeling of love towards this governess, towards his children
. And this is how this bond will be born,
which will be so strong that it will supplant the love that the king had
for Madame de Montespan. That is to say that the governess will
very quickly exclude the one who had given her children to look after. Beyond the romantic feeling that
now unites the king to Françoise d’Aubigné. In 1673, Louis XIV made her
a donation in thanks for the services rendered and the discretion
she had shown. She initially believes that the gift given to her by
the king is insufficient and she herself writes I am becoming
sordidly avaricious, because what she is waiting for is to have a sufficient gift. And to be able to buy a castle
to which a title will later be attached. And that’s what happens with it. Now that she buys 300 zero zero
0 livres, she still does not have the title and it is one day that she has a quarrel
with Madame de Montespan that the king says to her What do you think,
Madame de Maintenon? And in front of everyone,
he calls her Madame de Maintenon, and she succeeds. Madame de Maintenon bought this castle in Eure et Loir
from an aristocrat who had gone to make his fortune in the
Antilles as a sugar cane planter. But Louis XIV financed much
more than the purchase of this castle. The gardens were designed by his
head gardener, André Lenôtre, and the aqueduct by Vauban. Madame de Maintenon will not stay
long in this castle. In 1683, upon the death of Queen
Maria Theresa of Austria. She settled in Versailles. It was the king who, in a few days,
would bring Madame de Maintenon and install her in
the queen’s apartment. He has already made his decision,
and his decision is to marry her to keep her, because he loves her. Louis XIV married Madame de Maintenon
in the greatest secrecy. A union that displeases more than one. His advisors would have happily
married him to Infanta Isabella of Portugal or Princess Anne Marie-Louise of Tuscany. The couple settled in Versailles. However, Madame de Maintenon will
never bear the title of queen. Louis XIV, as everyone knows,
has the sun as his emblem. He reigns like a star over the court and
courtiers, but also over the arts and artists of the time. With him, opera, theatre, dance and
music experienced considerable growth, not forgetting the comedy
ballets which were very fashionable at the time. The Ballet of the Forest Fairies
of Saint-Germain is one of the great ballets of the Court. Even today, you can still see
performances like this at the Royal Opera of Versailles. As soon as dawn breaks, we… Bring back to the day. Louis XIV began his
artistic career, if I may say so, as a dancer. He was an excellent dancer. He was passionate about choreography
and in his youth he participated in many court ballets. So what is a court ballet? It is something extremely codified. It is a kind of choreography
based on a most often magical, phantasmagorical theme, which allows for a riot
of costumes, each more astonishing than the last. And fortunately,
a certain number of drawings have been preserved. You could dress up as a lobster, a
musical note. Finally, some very,
very, very strange things. And Louis XIV himself. And it’s hard to imagine that he
could dance female roles. We know who it is, he was
dressed as a shepherdess, a nymph, etc. Louis XIV intended to revolutionize
the world of the arts. He wants to show the rest of Europe
the talent of an artistic and innovative France. It was under his leadership that the
Royal Academy of Painting and Sculpture and the Academy of Dance were created. Not forgetting the Comédie-Française. The great authors are called
Corneille, Racine, Molière. Born in 1622, Molière,
whose real name was Jean-Baptiste Poquelin, was an actor, playwright, director
and troupe director. In 1663, with the play The School for Wives,
Molière attracted the attention of the king. This is the beginning of a great
story between the two men. Louis XIV even agreed to be the godfather
of his first son Louis XIV, giving him the use of the royal palace. This hall, which became the Comédie-Française,
is also called Molière’s house. Under Louis XIV, 1200 plays
were performed at Versailles. Denis Podalydes. How did King Louis XIV
hear about Molière? In fact, it is presented. To the king, king, whom he actually knew,
who had known him as a child because Molière was the son of Poquelin,
who was a very great upholsterer at court and who was also the
king’s valet, which was a very honorary task. And it was he who smoothed, as they said,
the king’s blanket when he got up. And we know very well that Father Poquelin
had taken his son as a child to the king’s levee. So all of this was familiar to him. The sight of the court
was familiar to him. We can think that even as a young man,
he already glimpsed some little marquis, some characters
who would later make up his comedy. When Louis XIV
brought Molière to court. Molière traveled
all over France. He has an intention behind his head.
He has an idea. In fact, the king makes a sort of pact,
probably with Molière, you will play regularly for me
and you will create a French comedy. At that time,
it was the Italians who held the upper hand and Louis XIV had in mind a
French art and wanted to see in Molière the possibility of creating a French comic art
which could establish his domination over the rest of Europe. And it is by subsidizing and accrediting the arts that Louis XIV creates this formidable French domination
and the other great artist. Obviously, at that time, it was Lully,
master grand ballet master, who was brought from Italy at great
expense, since the Opera was also purely Italian. And he will also create a French opera. All of this goes towards the same idea of a
takeover of French culture. Molière and Lully will work together. This gives The Bourgeois Gentleman.
So that gives. There were a few comedy ballets before that,
but Le Bourgeois gentilhomme, in 1670, is truly the masterpiece
of their collaboration. However, these are two men who have
a lot of trouble getting along. Lully is a man with a lot
of arrogance, with a kind of cold authority,
whereas Molière is less rigid, much more, much more
human in his relationships too. But nevertheless he works
remarkably and it is in this comedy and it is for this reason, I too,
that I love him so much that the ballet and the comedy marry completely
thanks to the invention of this brilliant character that is Monsieur Jourdain. This bourgeois who wants to become a gentleman
and who, to do so, must learn music, singing, dancing. Above all, the ballet must be beautiful. You will be pleased with it and, among other
things, with certain minuets that you will see there.
Ah! Minuets are my dance.
And I. I want you to see them dance.
Let’s go ! La la la la la ! In cadence.
If he. Please ! La la la The right leg La la la! Don’t move your shoulders so much
La la la la la la la la la la! Both your arms are crippled. Raise your head. Turn the tip of your foot outwards. La la la la la ! Oh ! Oh ! Hey! Molière must also surprise the court,
surprise the king, invent, make people laugh, make people laugh. And that’s why he said making
honest people laugh is an extremely strange undertaking
and what’s more making the court laugh and waiting for the king’s first laugh
and the king’s first laugh didn’t come. For.
The bourgeois gentleman. He is not. Came and then there
was a big supper. It was supposed to be a big party. It ended with a grand
ballet opening onto a ball. And there was a supper. They eat with the king,
and the king says nothing. For three days the king said nothing. So the idea spread that the bourgeois
gentleman was a failure. And finally Louis XIV told him. Three days after the Weekend,
I told him: You know, Molière, I thought your play was excellent. And then, it’s a relief, it’s overwhelming. And the Bourgeois Gentleman
will be successfully reprised. Molière is mockery. Molière is the man who dips
his pen into acid and depicts the society of the time with
great humor and realism. How does King Louis XIV
take this humor? So Molière spends his time adapting
while trying to find his freedom. It’s a constant job. Artists will have to
honor their protector, honor the one who subsidizes them,
and in addition, they are still subject to the requirement of originality and creation. Always with this idea of creating a
French art and establishing the domination of the Kingdom of France over all of
Europe through the arts. And Molière was part
of this movement. The Bourgeois Gentleman, for example,
was to be a very grand celebration intended to dazzle not only the Court
of France, but also that. All other courtyards.
The others. Court, and this is the reason why,
without doubt, the influence of Versailles continues
to amaze everyone in every country to this day. It’s a sun that Is it the Sun King? It was here in Versailles that it really
took on its meaning and everything else. The Hall of Mirrors, the fountains,
the groves, in short, everything is in line with this court which reflects itself,
this king who looks at himself and who dazzles. And France, Europe, the world. After 72 years of reign, Louis XIV
died on September 1, 1715. It was the longest reign
in the history of France. He left behind a France that was radiant
artistically, but ruined by his quest for glory and his limitless ambitions. In the 18th century, controlling the
sugar trade was a priority for nations. This is also the case in France
at the end of the Seven Years’ War which pitted our country against England. King Louis XV was forced to cede
Canada and Louisiana in order to keep Guadeloupe and Martinique,
whose sugar at the time fed one in eight French people. Moreover, Voltaire was one of the first
to applaud this decision because in his eyes, well, sugar was worth much more
than a few acres of snow. Which proves that sugar has been
a major player in history. So. Thus ends here, at the Palace
of Versailles, this episode of the Grand Tour. But the journey continues. It is with the end that everything begins. See you
soon. How ?
Fox? Wright. Oh yeah! Baby now Put on the shoes. Let’s take a break loose come for a ride. I want to take it out. Yeah! I want to take you out.
De Venise à Versailles, en passant par Bahia, le sucre a façonné bien plus que nos palais.
Il a dessiné des empires, déplacé des peuples, inspiré des fêtes grandioses et des tragédies silencieuses.
Amoureux de la France et du patrimoine, ses trésors n’auront plus de secrets pour vous 👉https://bit.ly/4dnI1h1
⚔️ À Venise, il était médicament et symbole de prestige.
👑 À Versailles, Louis XIV en faisait un privilège royal, réservé aux initiés.
🌿 Au Brésil, il fit naître une culture métissée, née dans la douleur de l’esclavage.
🎶 À travers la musique, le verre, les fêtes et les courtisanes, cette douceur a enrobé les fastes d’une époque… tout en en révélant les ombres.
🎭 Entre raffinements baroques, rituels sacrés, et mascarades vénitiennes, partez pour une traversée sensorielle et historique aux racines profondes et aux ramifications mondiales.
🍬 Le sucre n’est pas qu’une gourmandise. C’est une clef. Celle des salons de pouvoir, des cuisines royales, des marchés d’esclaves… et de nos mémoires.
LE GRAND TOUR – EP04 : VENISE, BRESIL, VERSAILLES.
© ANAPROD – 2014
Tout droits réservés – AMP
#sucre , #histoire , #venise , #versailles , #brasil , #empire , #commerce , #patrimoine , #culture
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