The Queen’s Hamlet at Versailles- A Rustic Village for Marie Antoinette
Purchases made through links earn us a small commission, at no extra cost to you.
The Queen’s Hamlet is the final post in our series about Versailles. In Part One, we toured the Palace of Versailles and in Part Two we visited the Trianon Palaces.
Hands down, our favourite part of Versailles was the Queen’s Hamlet, a rustic retreat built for Marie Antoinette. The Queen is famed for her desire to escape the pageantry of the Versailles court and this rural hamlet was the perfect place to do so. A few hours of touring extravagant palaces and we were wanting to escape to a simpler setting too!
About the Queen’s Hamlet at Versailles- Marie Antoinette’s Village
Marie Antoinette desperately craved a village of her own, so in 1783 she ordered construction of the Queen’s Hamlet. She wanted her hamlet to resemble a Norman village, complete with thatched-roof cottages spread out around Big Lake. The Queen would regularly come here to enjoy the charms of country life and nobody was allowed visit her here without her permission.
Our Visit to the Queen’s Hamlet
It really is hard to describe just how lovely the Queen’s Hamlet is. I felt like I was in a fairytale land- its beauty was surreal! I couldn’t get over how cute the cottages were and Mike enjoyed hanging out by the lake watching the fish.
The Queen’s Hamlet was so picturesque and relaxing that we didn’t want to leave. In fact, we almost missed the last train back to Paris because we loved being here so much!
We highly recommend you save enough time on your visit to Versailles to explore the Queen’s Hamlet. It’s not only beautiful, but you get a glimpse into the personal, slightly more relatable life of the Queen. The best part though, was that there were no crowds. We had this place almost entirely to ourselves!
Exploring the Queen’s Hamlet at Versailles
Twelve houses were built in Marie Antoinette’s hamlet, ten of which still stand.
Forming the reception area is the Queen’s house, billiard room, boudoir, mill, stove room, and refreshment dairy which were reserved for use by the Queen and her guests.
Four of the surrounding houses were used by the peasants and one house was reserved for meal preparation and domestic chores.
The largest building of the hamlet is the Queen’s house and billiard room. This is where the queen’s private chambers were, as well as her parlours and salons. The two buildings are connected by a covered, slightly curved gallery decorated with trellises and flowers.
Although the Queen’s cottages look rustic from the outside, their interiors were thoughtfully decorated and often luxuriously furnished, making them suitable for entertaining. The Queen would often host dinners in her house and the mill.
Each of the houses in the hamlet had its own small garden and their balconies and staircases were decorated with flowers, much like they are today. I loved the climbing vines that covered some of the walls and arbours arching over the paths.
The Marlborough Tower, standing on the shore of Big Lake, was named after a popular song of the time. It was used for fishing, storage, and as the departure point for boat rides.
Just outside the hamlet was a farm whose produce was used to feed the royals at the Palace. There also was a small collection of livestock- cows, goats and a bull- that were brought from Switzerland. During her time at the hamlet, the Queen enjoyed dressing in simple clothing and completing farm chores, such as milking the cows.
Today there is a small pumpkin garden in the hamlet and although we didn’t see any livestock roaming the property, we did encounter some other cute critters down by the pond.
Final Thoughts About Our Visit to the Queen’s Hamlet
I absolutely loved visiting the Queen’s Hamlet and couldn’t believe I missed it during my first trip to Versailles. It’s so photogenic, immensely charming, and left me wishing I could built a rustic retreat just like this for myself!
Tips for Visiting the Queen’s Hamlet at the Palace of Versailles
Admission: The Passport ticket gives you admission to the Palace of Versailles, the Trianon palaces and the Queen’s Hamlet.
- If you don’t want to visit the main palace, a separate ticket can be bought for the Trianons and the Queen’s Hamlet. You can buy this at the entrance to any of the Trianon palaces.
Buying Tickets: Here is a trusted site where you can buy digital tickets and have them immediately delivered to your smartphone:
- Palace of Versailles- Passport (access to all areas, including the Trianon palaces and Queen’s Hamlet)
Hours of Operation: The Queen’s Hamlet is open every day except Mondays.
- In high season (April 1- October 31) hours are 12:00 pm- 6:30 pm. The ticket office closes at 5:50 pm and last entrance is at 6:00 pm.
- In low season (November 1- March 31) hours are 12:00 pm- 5:30 pm. The ticket office closes at 4:50 pm and last entrance is at 5:00 pm.
Entrance/Access: You can enter the Hamlet either by going first through the main Palace via the Grille d’Honneur gate, or directly via the Queen’s gate or the Saint Antoine gate.
- We didn’t get asked to show our ticket at the Hamlet and I’m not sure why. It didn’t look like you could enter any of the buildings, or maybe they were already closed for the day. We did lose track of time!
Transportation: For a fee, there is a shuttle “train” that will take you to the nearby Trianons. You can board it beside the main palace, at the North Parterre. Make sure you ask when the last shuttle will be picking people up, so you don’t have to walk all the way back to the palace at the end of the day. Trust us, it’s a long walk and your feet will hate you!
Information was updated January 2022, but can change without notice. Please confirm directly with the venue.
Accommodations in Versailles
For your convenience, here is a list of hotels in Versailles. Please consider booking your Versailles accommodations through the included link. It costs nothing extra and helps support this website. Thank you!
More France Destinations and Travel Guides
- The Orangerie at the Palace of Versailles
- Where to Stay in Paris- A Guide to the Best Paris Neighbourhoods for Travellers
- What to Expect on Your First Trip to Paris- A First Time Visitor’s Guide
- One Day in Strasbourg- Charm, Romance and an Incredibly Tall Cathedral