Petit Trianon

The Petit Trianon is one of the most interesting places to visit at Versailles. It’s smaller and more personal than the main palace or even the Grand Trianon, and it has a very special atmosphere. The building was originally constructed in the 1760s for Madame de Pompadour, the favorite of King Louis XV, but it’s most famous for being later used by Queen Marie Antoinette. Marie Antoinette made the Petit Trianon her private retreat. She came here to escape the strict life of the royal court and to spend time with a small circle of friends. Inside, you can see beautifully restored rooms — the bedroom of the Queen, dining room, music salon, and other private chambers. The decoration is elegant but much simpler than in the main palace, with delicate furniture, light colors, and floral motifs that reflect the queen’s taste. Outside, the gardens are one of the highlights. Marie Antoinette had them redesigned in the English style, very different from the formal French gardens of Versailles. There are winding paths, small bridges, streams, and the famous Hameau de la Reine — a small “village” built to look like a rustic countryside hamlet. It’s fascinating to see how much effort went into creating a place that felt natural and simple, even though it was made for royalty. The Petit Trianon is about a 20 minute walk from the Grand Trianon, or you can reach it by the petit train that runs through the park. The visit takes around 45 minutes to an hour, especially if you explore the gardens and the hamlet nearby. I found the Petit Trianon to be one of the most peaceful and human parts of Versailles. It gives a real sense of who Marie Antoinette was beyond the image of a queen — someone who wanted a bit of privacy, nature, and beauty in her own space.

Famously known as Marie Antoinette’s residence, the place has since been owned by various French aristocrats, though Marie’s own touch still permeates the house. The stairway prominently features an intertwining pattern that combines her initials. Now that I sound like an audio guide, let me not. the place is quite small, hence the name, and shaped like a cube. we got chased out pretty quick due to closing time (this seems to be a running theme for us) but we were able to glimpse some of Marie’s quarters, as well as the gardens, which were beautiful. the walk over from POV is about half an hour, though I feel that the gardens alone is worth the walk. Marie’s obsession with romance and love is easily discernible through her various commissioned structures (a little pagoda with Cupid and Venus), and her penchant for soft pastels, while not exceedingly obvious, can be picked out. just a really gorgeous, somehow both modest and grand, area to visit.

There isn't a whole lot to see in the actual building here but it's really the gardens and everything outside that is worth it. There's many walking trails and easy to get lost but don't give up. Going to the Queen's hamlet is definitely worth it as is the Temple de l'amour. There's some very large trees nearby that are just epic as well.

So interesting to see where Marie Antoinette actually lived away from all the hustle and bustle of Versailles. It’s very small and easy to tour and I felt like you could really take your time here and look at the room thoroughly without feeling like you were rushed.

5/5 ⭐ – Petit Trianon, Versailles A beautiful part of Versailles and a much calmer experience compared to the main palace. The Petit Trianon is elegant but more intimate, giving a better sense of how the royals lived day to day. The surrounding gardens and pathways are peaceful and perfect for a relaxed walk without the overwhelming crowds. Historical details inside are well preserved, and the atmosphere feels authentic. Easy to combine with a visit to the Grand Trianon, and both give a fuller picture of Versailles beyond the palace. Highly recommended for anyone who wants to enjoy Versailles at a slower pace.

The Petit Trianon is a small neoclassical palace on the grounds of Versailles, built in the 18th century for King Louis XV. It later became closely associated with Marie-Antoinette, who used it as a private retreat away from the formal life of the main court. To visit the Trianon area , you should book for a separate day if you're already visiting the Castle ; you'll most probably not have enough time to visit both . Keep in mind the Trianon is 30 minutes from the main Castle area

The gardens surrounding the site are well-maintained and add significant aesthetic value to the environment. The buildings themselves complement the landscaped areas, contributing to an overall pleasant and inviting atmosphere. One notable issue observed is that the fountains are currently not operational. This represents a significant lapse, as the absence of functioning water features detracts from the intended experience and diminishes the visual appeal of the grounds.

A very nice place to visit. Grand Trianon and Petit Trianon are next to each other. I walk from the Versailles Palace all the way to them took me 45 minutes but there is a shuttle also that you can take it's on the tight side of the Palace. 5€ one way and you wait around 10, 15 minutes to come.

There isn't a whole lot to see in the actual building here but it's really the gardens and everything outside that is worth it. There's many walking trails and easy to get lost but don't give up. Going to the Queen's hamlet is definitely worth it as is the Temple de l'amour. There's some very large trees nearby that are just epic as well.

We enjoyed this part of Versailles better than the Palace. For one, it's much less crowded and visited so you're not constantly being jostled and shuffling along. Second, since it's not designed for flexing political propaganda, the scale of this little "country" home is more human, intimate, and comfortable. This is where Marie Antoinette let down her hair and kicked back, away from the artifices of power. The Queen's Hamlet (Hameau de la Reine) is simply delightful and puts any Disneyworld imagineer to shame. What an amazing artificial farm and country to see! Your kids will love this place, scooting around all the paths to check out all the charming nooks and crannies ... heck I'm well past childhood but it really bought out the kid in me! Understandable to see why the Queen loved this place and why she was happiest here.

Cute smaller "palace" for the mistresses of the emperor. Recently came for a visit and thought we go through the all grounds through the gardens. The building is super cute and the grounds are super cute. The building is much smaller than it's big sister and the rooms are sparsely decorated. Definitely not as grand as the main palace or the grand Trianon. Still super cool to visit, the admission is covered in the main ticket your purchased.

Le Petit Trianon is part of the or inside of the Estate of Marie Antoinette. Admission to the Estate of Marie Antoinette is 12 €. If you want to see the Grand Trianon along with the Châteaux de Trianon et Domaine de Marie-Antoinette (which is the Le Petit Trianon), it is a better deal to get the passport for 20 € . The Petit Trianon is not as big as the Grand Trianon so of course there are less things to see here. Lots of history and artwork within the Le Petit Trianon. It is 20 mins walk from the Palace of Versailles. There is a really interesting section in the basement (somewhat spooky). Overall highly recommend coming here to visit if you are in the area.

Le Petit Trianon is not nearly as grand as its sister Le Grand Trianon, but the simple cube shape with varying façades exhibits the neo-classical style popular at the time. Regardless, Le Petite Trianon is still on the impressive grounds of the iconic Château de Versailles AND the former home of Marie-Antoinette (the famous last Queen of France before the French Revolution). She was sitting in the Jardin à l'Anglaise (English Gardens) at Le Petit Trianon on October 5, 1789 when a mob armed with pitchforks, pikes, and muskets (aka Women's March on Versailles) at the outer gates shouting "Bread! Bread!" She would never return to her private home. The restoration shows Le Petit Trianon as it appeared on that date including Le Temple de l'Amour (Love Monument on an island in the river), Le Belvédère (Belvedere pavilion) and La Grotte (The Grotto cave). Inside the refurnished chateau, Marie-Antoinette's apartments on the mezzanine floor offer views of the gardens while Des Glaces Mouvantes (Moving Mirror Room) features panels that allowed the queen to block the full-length windows. The simpler first two floors are laid out around the staircase with more harmony and modesty than most buildings at Versailles. * Admission included with a Versailles Passport * Trianon-only admission: 12€ or 8€ * Closed Mondays * Open Noon - 6:30 pm * It is about 2km from the main Château * Take the 8€ "Little Train" from Versailles * Or rent a bicycle, segway, or cart * Spend some time in the nearby gardens * Architect: Ange-Jacques Gabriel * Completed in 1768 * Restored in 2008 after 2 years of work * Photography is allowed

A short wander through the gardens around the Grand Trianon will bring you to it's younger sister (or cousin, though I am not entirely sure which is which). Unlike the Grand Trianon, this place seems to simply exist back in the ages of the Bourbon dynasty, and I suspect it happens to be one of the haunts of Marie Antoinette. It isn't the cottage though, as that is further on. The building itself is rather cramped, and you wander through the living quarters on the upper levels, and then down to the kitchens in the lower level. Your ticket to Versailles will allow you in here, though we had the problem of not having tickets because they allowed us to go in for free. Like the Grand Triannon, there are some absolutely gorgeous gardens, though they are more compact than those at Versailles. The train from the palace (if you wish to call it a train) also stops here. While you can head further on to Antoinette's cottage, it was getting late and we decided to head back.

The Petit Trianon was built by Louis XV on the site of a former village near to his palace at Versailles. There is actually a Grand Trianon as well but that is a separate complex. The Petit Trianon was originally used by the King for his liaisons with Mmes de Pompadour and du Barry but after his death (he was actually taken ill there) it was given by his successor Louis XVI to his wife, Marie Antoinette and it is with her that it is most associated. The Petit Trianon has recently been refurbished to appear much as it did during Marie Antoinette's residency and it is absolutely exquisite and a perfect example of Louis XVI art and architecture at its finest from the beautiful staircase to the salon to the lovely little bedroom upstairs. The famous painting by Vigée-Lebrun of Marie Antoinette dressed in blue and holding a rose is located here and presides over the home that she once loved so much. The gardens are justly famous as well, although you probably won't see any ghosts here unlike previous visitors! The roses are beautiful as are the lovely little follies erected for Marie Antoinette. There is also a beautiful chapel and her own personal theatre, which is decorated in exquisite blue and silver. Also unmissable is her famous 'hameau' or toy farm where she dressed as a shepherdess and tended sheep. It is a group of artistically aged 'farm houses' picturesquely arrayed around a lake. Very pretty.

I got to go back to Versailles and this time I decided to explore the gardens, the Grand Trianon, Petit Trianon and Marie Antoinette's Estate. The palace gardens alone are so huge, it took me several hours to wander through! All throughout the gardens classical music is playing, which gives it such a lovely atmosphere. And I happened to be lucky with the weather as well. Not too hot, not too cold, nice and sunny but not overly so, it was just perfect for a long stroll through the gardens. And what lavish gardens they are! From the gorgeous orangerie over a plethora of smaller gardens with fountains and statues, absolutely stunning. I could have easily spent a whole day here, the opulence and grandeur are just superb! After wandering for several hours, I finally made my way to the Grand Trianon and the adjacent gardens, which are quite large as well, but not quite as opulently extravagant as the Versailles gardens. Still, they are vast, very well maintained and beautiful.  The gardens of the Grand and Petit Trianon are connected and while the Trianon buildings are quite nice to see, the gardens are the true highlight here. Especially the Queen's Hamlet and Petit Trianon estates are just gorgeous! Beautifully maintained parks with a few pretty buildings, statues and landscaping features.  All in all I spent a full day in the gardens and estates and am absolutely stunned by the beauty and vastness of this wonderful spot!