The king and I

Dear Jeffrey,
Louis XV  asked Jacques- Ange Gabriel  (the Architecte du Roi) to design a new Place between the Tuilleries and the Champs Elysees. He presented a few projects, at the same time that he was working on the Petit Trianon and other buildings at Versailles.Not being sure or satisfied, the King called for a competition in 1748 and in 1751. He received several projects, all of them following the instructions and the rules by Gabriel. The King realized that they didn't have the elegance or the wit of Gabriel buildings, so he just told Gabriel to do a "summary" project himself taking the best of all the other projects, including that one of de Cotte, and just put together all of that into the final presentation. That is how it came to light the Place Louis XV, today the Place de la Concorde. See you tomorrow.JP.