Marie Antoinette’s Estate

Alongside the Grand Canal, Grand Trianon was the Sun King's country house, for those moments when he grew tired of Versailles’ golden splendour. In this marvellous building with its pink marble architecture designed by Mansart, the King would arrive accompanied by ladies for whom he organised light meals, games and boat trips. After the revolution, Napoleon and later Louis-Philippe stayed here. Later still, Charles De Gaulle made it a reception venue for entertaining visiting foreign heads of state.

However, the very heart of the estate is naturally Petit Trianon, built by Gabriel for King Louis XV and which is remembered above all for Marie-Antoinette: missing the freedom of her childhood, the young queen created a simple and familiar setting here, where she invited her friends, play acted and above all lived free, far away from the constraints of the Royal Court.

She was the one who arranged for the planting of the English garden, a fashionable landscaped park dotted with little buildings which were a delight to walk out to, and charming little shelters which have been superbly restored over recent years. As a continuation to this, we find the famous Queen's Hamlet which was also designed for her, and where authentic peasants living in attractive rustic homes brought the countryside to her very door.