If you find mysteries, legends and myths fascinating, you must take a tour of Marie Antoinette’s Petit Triannon on your trip to Paris. She was perhaps one of the most mysterious royals in history, and her hideaway in the most beautiful rural locales of Versailles was her guilty pleasure. She adorned it with antiques and decorative arts. In those days, when she was the mistress of the estate, it was said to be a feast for the eyes.
Marie Antoinette as Herself
Elegance and Style
For all the attention it garners, the Petit Trianon is a small chateau, smaller than many of the other royal dwellings of that era. However, what lacks in size, is made up for by the visual glory of the place. Located on the banks of a river, the chateau reflects the style and elegance of its mistress.
According to folklore, Marie Antoinette wanted a retreat away from the hustle and bustle of her royal regimented life. She craved the simplicity of rural life and wanted to get away from the demands of court etiquette. She insisted that she wanted to live according to her wish. Giving in to his queen’s requests, Louis XVI gave her the chateau in 1774.
When she got the chateau, she did away with the traditions of the old courts and created a haven for herself in Versailles. She took up extensive renovation of the grounds and created a beautiful landscape complete with winding paths, little hillocks and streams to match the natural landscape of the place.
She even chose the décor personally and did not give in to the taste imposed by traditions and social demands of those days. She decorated it with pictures of roses since she was known to be a very romantic person. In fact, she was the only queen who had a completely personalized chateau in the kingdom, a chateau that reflected her personality and personal style.
Shrouded in Mysteries
The Petit Trianon was so dear to Marie Antoinette that nobody could visit the place without invitation. When you visit the chateau now, you can see most of the original gates, enclosing walls, saut-de-loup and grills meant to keep intruders away. These arrangements clearly show that the chateau was an extremely well guarded domain. They also reflect the refinement and eclecticism of the queen.
A place that was maintained under such secrecies is bound to have numerous tales and rumors surrounding it. While the art collections, architecture and décor of the chateau are the main attractions, stories about the queen and her eclecticism make the tour even more interesting.
