I know this post is later than late, but we can make an exception because I have almost 100 photos to share from our day running around Petit & Grand Trianon at Chateau Versailles! I’m splitting the day between two posts. This one has our photos from Petit Trianon and its gardens, and the second is reserved for Grand Trianon!
I little history on Petit Trianon…
Petit Trianon was built after Grand Trianon, between 1762 and 1768 during the reign of Louis XV of France.
Marie Antoinette would come to the Petit Trianon not only to escape the formality of court life, but also to shake off the burden of her royal responsibilities. At Versailles, she was under considerable pressure and judgement from both her family and the court, and the Petit Trianon was her place of ease and leisure where she could rest from those trials. Since all was “de par la Reine” (by order of the Queen), none were permitted to enter the property without the Queen’s express permission (not even, it was said, Louis XVI). Such exclusivity alienated the court nobility, which she did very willingly, since only the queen’s “inner circle” (including the Princess de Lamballe, and Gabrielle de Polastron, duchesse de Polignac) were invited. A house of intimacy and of pleasure, the building was designed to require as little interaction between guests and servants as possible.
Within the queen’s apartment, Marie Antoinette’s need for privacy is apparent: the decor of her boudoir displays an inventiveness unique to the age, featuring mirrored panels that, by the simple turning of a crank, can be raised or lowered to obscure the windows. Her bedroom, although simple, is also elegant in accord with her general style, provided with furniture from Georges Jacob and Jean Henri Riesener. The wallpaper was painted by Jean-Baptiste Pillement.
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First we walked down the very long paths between rows and rows of autumn trees, a bed of leaves coating the ground and filling the air with the bittersweet scent of autumn- right and musky. In the distance, the Queen’s sheep roamed the fields beneath blue skies, tucked away in a paradise of their own beneath the age-old autumn trees. I envy those sheep! What a life they get to live. 🙂
Being a huge fan of history, art and architecture, AND of course the Marie Antoinette film by Sofia Coppola, it’s always a dream to spend a few days roaming the extensive grounds of Versailles. The Trianon are their own little worlds, and throughout the gardens that encompass the whole estate of Versailles, one could wander all day long and feel like they’ve entered a different world and time. It’s more than magical, and is one of my favorite places in the entire world.
Feeling surrounded by such beauty that was put together with ultimate care and conception, it’s nothing short of breath-taking. I’m so honored to have been able to shoot there and capture the place that was the backdrop of my favorite film. Petit Trianon is adorable, and the gardens are some of my favorite in the whole of the estate. We were able to escape from tourists and feel completely alone there. We perched in the golden afternoon light on a marble bench, eating baguette sandwiches we had packed for the day.
It’s so easy to make such personal memories in this place, that one feels like they own a little piece of it. The place hold my heart dearly, and I hope I can share just a glimpse of it’s magic through my photos and video! Though I barely scratched the surface with what I’ve captured!
And be sure to check out part 2 featuring Grand Trianon!
