Over the centuries

2000-2008 - XXIst century

2008 : The restoration of the Petit Trianon and the Queen’s Hamlet

Built by the architect Gabriel from 1762 to 1768 for Louis XV, it was Marie-Antoinette who occupied it most after Louis XVI made her a gift of it in 1774. After several years of work, from 2000 to 2008, the Petit Trianon and the Queen’s Hamlet recovered their brilliance at last. This very large-scale programme of a high standard of excellence included restorations of the maintenance and security systems. It was made possible thanks to the exceptional sponsorship of the Bréguet company which contributed over five million euros to it. Thus, all the original interior decoration of the Petit Trianon was either restored or re-established, and the rooms were refurnished according to the inventories; as far as possible, each piece of furniture present in the collections of Versailles returned to its place. Every care was taken to restore the French Pavilion to what it looked like in the reign of Louis XV. The new amenities installed offer greater comfort of access and a better visit quality for groups or individual visitors.

The estate of Marie-Antoinette and the park of the Petit Trianon remain fragile places. Recently, the Pavilion frais and the Belvedere were restored. The small buildings of the Queen’s Hamlet also require great attention, and there is an urgent need to find a sponsor to save and restore the Rustic House of the Queen, which the weather and time have not spared.

Present-day view of the Petit Trianon, 2011, Versailles, châteaux de Versailles et de Trianon © EPV/ Christian Milet

Petit Trianon