Louis XV's illness in Metz and Mailly-Nesle's scandal
And also
The tops
In the 18th century, architect Blondel erected a Classical style portal in 1764, in harmony with the brand new place d'Armes he also raised the same year.
A portal celebrating king Louis XV's recovery, did you know?
He was in Metz at that time, in order to resolve the Austrian war of Succession.
Louis was very ill! Doctors even said he was dying... So he prayed. He prayed a lot, with his mistress by his side, the famous madame de Châteauroux. Outrageous!
A man called Fitz-James didn't want to give him the last rites: of course not!!
The duchess of Châteauroux must go! And the queen had to come immediately... This one came few days later.
Louis was forced to write a public confession in which he admitted his faults. But later, he recovered!
And surprise: the French had not a grudge against Louis, they even nicknamed him le Bien-Aimé ("the Beloving king")!
When the Revolution came, architect Lebrun destroyed several tombs, transformed the choir and the transept... then our cathedral was abandoned.
In the 19th century, Viollet-le-Duc redesigned furniture and demolished the Blondel façade in 1860. A fire damaged the roof 17 years later.