On the grounds of Versailles, away from the palace, and away from her house on the grounds, Marie Antoinette had a rustic village and farm constructed where she could get away from palace life and pretend to be a peasant.
Here's more about this interesting area of Versailles, that I actually enjoyed visiting more than the Hall of Mirrors.
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A distance from the Palace of Versailles (walkable, but you can take a little train or rent a bike) there sits a little farm that would seem to transport you back in time if not for the bulldozer doing renovation work.
When you think of Versalles, the first thing that comes to mind, usually, is grandeur — the Hall of Mirrors, the fountains, the golden gates of the Sun King. But if you’ve had enough grandeur and outdoors and French country sound more to your liking, the Hameau de la Reine (the Queen’s Hamlet) might be something you don’t want to miss.
A Bit of History of Marie Antoinette’s Farm /Hamlet at Versailles
I preferred it to the grandeur of the palace, and the history is interesting. The queen in question here is Marie Antoinette. Of course, she had rooms at the palace. She had another house away from the palace. But we all need a getaway, don’t we? To get away from palace life, Marie Antoinette had this little rustic village and farm constructed in 1783.
Apparently, she would retreat here, sometimes pretend to be a peasant. This might seem amusing. However, I can imagine what might prompt someone in that position to want to forget who they are. To imagine something simpler. Of course, her life at the hamlet wouldn’t have truly corresponded with the life of an actual French peasant. I’m sure that this playing at peasant life did nothing for her image with the people. We all know how it turned out for her.
The hamlet included an actual, working, farm. Marie the peasant could go and milk the cows. She could walk among a hired assortment of villagers from milkmaids to gardeners. According to the veritable Wikipedia, it was abandoned after the French Revolution and, subsequently, restored in the 1990s. After that, visitors were allowed. Today, there is still some restoration in process on some of the buildings. And there are, again, farm animals, and gardens, and oodles of rustic French charm.
A fancy chicken at Marie Antoinette’s farm
One of the most charming buildings at Marie Antoinette’s farm is the mill. While it never actually served to grind grain, it includes a charming water wheel that you could imagine doing so in days gone by. The Tour de Marlborough sits across a large pond. While it appears to be a lighthouse, it’s just a decorative fairy-tale type tower.
The “Mill” with waterwheel at Marie Antoinette’s hamlet
The Tour de Marlborough across the pond.
And, of course, the hamlet has plenty of other charming houses and garden areas to satisfy your taste for history and rustic French Country.
Gallery
Well
A well seen from through an archway at Marie Antoinette’s hamlet at Versailles.
Water Wheel
A charming house with waterwheel at Marie Antoinette’s hamlet at Versailles.
Water Wheel
A charming house with waterwheel at Marie Antoinette’s hamlet at Versailles.
waiting for summer
Empty trellises in Spring at Marie Antoinette’s hamlet at Versailles.
Vole?
Many of these animals were around the grounds of Marie Antoinette’s hamlet at Versailles. Vole?
French Country
This house with vines climbing up the side at Marie Antoinette’s hamlet at Versailles is truly “French Country.”
Under Construction
Taking away the sense of being in a French village in the past, bulldozers work on the big house at Marie Antoinette’s hamlet at Versailles doing some much-needed restoration in the Spring of 2018.
Tour de Marlborough
A tower at Marie Antoinette’s hamlet at Versailles, seen across the water.
Tour de Marlborough
Ram
Archway Path
A pathway at Marie Antoinette’s farm at Versailles.
Oranges from the Orangerie
Want an orange from the orangerie? They’re selling them at Versailles. This photo was taken near Marie Antoinette’s hamlet at Versailles.
Mr. Flufferbun
That is his name, I’m sure, whatever it is in French. This piece of fluff was one of several rabbits in the rabbit yard at Marie Antoinette’s hamlet at Versailles.
Pond Panorama
Les Deux Cochons
Two pigs at Marie Antoinette’s little farm at Versailles.
Un Cochon
A pig at Marie Antoinette’s little farm at Versailles.
La Petite Ville
A view of part of Marie Antoinette’s hamlet at Versailles across the pond.
La Maison Du Jardinier
This identifies Richard Mique as the architect of this gardener’s house, built in 1784, at Marie Antoinette’s hamlet at Versailles.
A Little French Country
The houses at Marie Antoinette’s hamlet at Versailles are very charming.
Charming House
All of the houses at Marie Antoinette’s hamlet at Versailles are very charming.
Another charming house
Garden Ready
A patch of garden in the Spring waits for Summer at Marie Antoinette’s hamlet at Versailles.
Garden
A garden area at Marie Antoinette’s hamlet at Versailles.
Farmhouse
Farm Charm
Fancy Chicken
A fancy chicken among the farm animals at Marie Antoinette’s hamlet at Versailles.
Archway
Visitors at Marie Antoinette’s hamlet at Versailles seen across the pond through archways.
Carp
Hungry carp in the pond at Marie Antoinette’s hamlet at Versailles.
Sheep
Marie Antoinette’s hamlet at Versailles has plenty of farm animals.
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