Private Bathrooms Weren't Exactly Bathrooms - They Were Chamber Pot Cabinets
Answering nature's call wasn't always a private experience at Versailles. Louis XIV often took visitors while on the commode, as did other members of his court.
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Nonetheless, all inhabitants would have had chamber pots or commodes in their private rooms. The higher-ranking you were at court, the more likely you would have been to have a small closet in your chambers in which to do your business.
The first flush toilet didn't arrive at Versailles until Louis XV, the Sun King's successor, installed one for his personal use in 1738.
Public Bathrooms Were Overflowing Nightmares
Though inhabitants had commodes and chamber pots in their private chambers, Versailles had public-use latrines. But considering the sheer number of people on the estate, this was a woefully inadequate supply.
The combination of minimal toilets and high demand meant the latrines were under a tremendous strain. They often overflowed, and sewage seeped through the walls and floors into neighboring rooms.