A buzzing bass and throngs of neon-clad youngsters was probably not what Louis XIII had in mind when he built the Palace of Versailles in the early 1600s. But that’s on tap for one night this summer, as the globe’s most elegant Château trades opera for a line of DJs at Versailles Electro.
While Versailles isn’t hurting for visitors — it pulls in more each year than the Eiffel Tower —it does seem intent on diversifiying its offerings. That’s similar to the Louvre, which now hosts private, specialized tours (it’ll stage a “treasure hunt” for your kids), in order to create experiences different than the feet-shuffling, camera-pointing visit thousands of other tourists experience every single day.
Versailles Electro takes place on June 8th, from 8:30PM-midnight and will be headed by Busy P (real name Pedro Winter, which is somehow … cooler?), plus three acts from his label Ed Banger Records: Breakbot x Irfane, P, Myd and So Me. Busy P’s a bit of an EDM legend; he managed Daft Punk for 12 years, and Ed Banger’s been pumping out beloved French House since 2003.
This is the first “rave” ever hosted at Versailles, and no doubt will seem blasphemous to some. But we’re all for it. The DJs will perform just in front of the Hall of Mirrors, while the crowd stands in the garden, so Versailles will be lit up behind the stage. A quick Google tells us the sun sets in Paris at 9:45 in June, so there’s going to be some serious light hitting the building right around when the sets are really taking off. Whether you love house music or are completely apathetic, this is worth a serious look. Tickets are only $33 for standard entry, $67 for VIP (which gets you unlimited buffet, a seat and one glass of champagne) and $179 for Gold (unlimited buffet, a seat, two glasses of champagne, access to the Gold Lounge).
For more information on finding tickets, head here. And if hearing house music makes your ears bleed, but you’d still enjoy a unique experience at Versailles, head here. Operas and fountain shows abound.
Main image via Unsplash, inline image via Versailles Electro
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