The Petit Trianon

Welcome back everyone! Last week we took a look at the Grand Trianon, and we saw that the life of a French Dauphin and Dauphine (king and queen respectively) was very much open to the public; even aspects we might consider inviolably private.

The balustrades around the beds in Versailles and the Grand Trianon are the sign that the ceremony of the lever and coucher took place, but you won’t find any of those here, in the Petit Trianon.

If you’re following your guide from the Grand Trianon then you’ll head across the walkway and into the garden which preceeds the Petit Trianon. It’s filled with wonderfully kept flowers, trees, and a building called the Pavillon Française which is made up of a solitary room where one could open the large doors and enjoy the garden from it’s shade. Think of it as a massive gazebo. Aunt River and I took to calling it the Mini Trianon. Follow that garden and you’ll be lead right to the Petit Trianon.

Originally it had been designed for the mistresses of Louis the 15th. It was a private place that the couple could retreat to, away from the prying eyes of the French aristocracy. When Louis the 16th ascended to the throne, he gave the Petit Trianon to his wife, Maria Antonia; more commonly known as Marie Antoinette.

The Petit Trianon provided Maria with an escape from life at court. She found that, depsite having been raised in the court of her mother, the Empress of Austria, she was ill-equipped at playing the political and social games of the aristocracy around her. She was constantly being fed conflicting information as to what to do in any situation, and in her naivety she dreamed for a simple life in the country. I personally suspect that this was what fueled her spending and therefore the rumours which caused her downfall.

When the Petit Trianon was given to Maria she redecorated and barred anyone entry unless by her specific invitation; this rule even applied to her husband. She, her children, and those within her inner social circle were the only visible occupants. The house is also designed in such a way that the servants would be interacted with as little as possible. You’ll also see that there are no balustrades around her bed.

There were no quick words of favour, no business that needed attending to. If you were in the Petit Trianon it was because Maria wanted you there as her friend.

You’ll notice that as you explore the building, though it is very pretty, it’s not as ornate as Versailles or even the Grand Trianon. It’s smaller, it’s closer, and it’s more intimate than the other buildings. The story of the Petit Trianon is one of wanting an escape from royal life altogether, which leads to the little village just a leisurely stroll away from it called the Hameau de la Reine, the Queen’s Hamlet, Marie’s own addition to the halls of Versailles and our next stop in July in Versailles! Be sure to check it out!