Trianon Estate Market

The Trianon estate is a separate world within the park of Versailles, set at the northern end of the gardens and a long walk from the palace. It was created as a refuge from the strict etiquette of the main court. The first building was the Grand Trianon, designed by Jules Hardouin-Mansart for Louis XIV and built in 1687 in pink marble and stone. It is a single-storey palace in an Italian style with a colonnaded gallery, the peristyle, that links its two wings, and it was conceived as a place where the king could escape for a few days with family and close friends. Napoleon used it too, and it later served as a residence for visiting heads of state. The Treaty of Trianon, which ended the First World War for Hungary, was signed here in 1920.

The Petit Trianon lies a short walk away. It was built between 1762 and 1768 by the architect Ange-Jacques Gabriel for Louis XV, and it is a small, elegant pavilion in strict neoclassical style, with a perfect cubic form. In 1774 Louis XVI gave it to Marie-Antoinette, who made it her private retreat, changed the gardens and furnished the rooms to her taste. Away from the court, she could receive friends and take part in small entertainments. Around the Petit Trianon she had a landscaped garden laid out in the English style, with winding paths, a lake, a belvedere and a small round temple of love, and beyond it she had the Hameau de la Reine built as a pretend farming village.

The estate is a good place to walk. Its gardens are quieter than the formal gardens around the palace, and the contrast is part of the pleasure. The French garden near the Petit Trianon, with its pavilion and flowerbeds, was designed for Louis XV and his botanical interests, and the English garden has lawns and groves with changing views. In summer and early autumn, the planting is at its best. Because of the size of the area, a full visit can take several hours, and a good pair of shoes is advisable. Visitors can also hire a bicycle or electric cart in the park to cover the distances.

A Passport ticket or the specific ticket for the Trianon and Marie-Antoinette's Estate is required for entry. The estate is open in the afternoon on most days except Monday, and the hours change with the seasons. Security checks are carried out at the entrance, and large bags are not allowed in. Audioguides are provided in several languages, and an app offers a map. In some parts of the gardens, processionary caterpillars can be present in spring and early summer, and warning signs advise visitors to avoid touching them, because their hairs can cause irritation.

The Trianon estate is a natural continuation of a visit to the palace and the Grand Canal, and it suits those who enjoy gardens, architecture and the private side of French royal life.