I have posted before about the amazing and vast Palace of Versailles, and i mentioned that at the edge of the estate you can also visit the Palaces of Marie Antoinette, called Marie Antoinette Trianon. Here you have two estates, the Petite Tianon as well as the Grand Trianon. Built as a sort of escape for the royalty of Versailles, both are absolutely spectacular with beautiful and well kept gardens surrounding them. Be prepared for a walk though, they certainly aren't small by any means.
From the Palace of Versailles you have the exit at the base of the gardens and then proceed to the right of the large square pond to head towards their entrances. unfortunately, if you hired gold buggies at the Palace of Versailles this is the end of the road for them. You have to leave them at the exit to be picked back up on your way back in. The walk to the estates is a long one, about 1.3kms, and for your already tired feet that may be a step too far. But don't worry, You can get golf buggies outside the estate to continue your journey too if you wish. There are also bikes up for hire as well as a small train that will take you to the front of the estates. All can be hired at a small kiosk area near the large pond that also serves as a small restaurant and kiosk-esk cafe, serving drinks, sandwiches and ice creams. great on a really hot day. There are also a variety of water crafts you can rent to enjoy your time in and around the large pond area to take a break before continuing on with your palace journey.
The estates, although somewhat joined in the middle by gardens, are two completely separate palaces, both completely worth exploring. The visit both estates you need to buy a Tianon Estate ticket for 12EU (unless of course you have that amazing Museum Pass or you bought a combo ticket from the Palace - 20EU for all Palaces, or 27EU to include the gardens and fountain show ).
The Petit Trianon was completed in 1768 and provided Louis XV and his new mistress the Comtesse Du Barry a place of privacy away from the Palace. Later, Marie-Antoinette, who had such trouble adapting to life in the court, received the Petit Trianon as a gift from Louis XVI in 1774 and it became a much needed escape and one of her favorite places. The main building here is a lot smaller and more intimate than the Palace but is by no means small. The rooms are quite a bit darker and more shut in compared to the main Palace but still quite opulent.
The gardens are beautiful and open with beautiful ponds and statues. One of the original and untouched buildings in the garden is the Queens hamlet. A peculiar model village in the style of rustic rural Normandy. Mostly used for the education of children, it also became hamlet for promenades and hosting guests.
The Grand Trianon was commissioned by Louis XIV in 1670 to get away from the strain of life in the court and to pursue his affair with Mme de Montespan. It is quite a spectacular architectural masterpiece with its many marble columns and long stretching wings. Heavily influenced by Italian architecture it is single story, hence the need for the length of the structure. Surrounded by gardens of larger trees and shrubs and thousands of flowers (in contrast to the more open gardens of the Petit Trianon). it has more of a regal quality.
The building is separated into two wings by a Peristyle which is a sheltered colonnade, which opens onto the courtyard on one side and the gardens on the other .
Many of the rooms inside have retained their original design and some still have the original furniture pieces as well. The decor is a lot more minimal and simplistic compared the the Palace and the walls are a lot cleaner without the over abundance of art works which gives it a more open and sparse feel.
Both estates of the Trianon were built as an intimate escape from the busy and crowded royal life at the main Palace, however its hard to believe any part of the expansive estates could be considered as intimate because they are still huge! Definitely worth the extra time to see these estates that receive a lot less recognition than the main palace. Bonus though, less recognition means less crowds and more room to explore. Hmmm, maybe they are more intimate after all.
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