The Gobelins Tapestries show delightful scenes from the story of Don Quixote. Our guides enjoy explaining to visitors the story in each scene. The tapestries are designed to look like paintings and form part of a set ordered by Louis XV for his private Château at Marly, where he went to escape the busy court life at Versailles. In the end, he only wanted eighteen of the thirty ordered from the factory and so he gave some away to distinguished members of the court, including the Duke of Richmond.

The tapestries have recently been cleaned, making the detail of costume and background even clearer. They charmingly convey the lightness, prettiness and humour of French 18th century art.