The renovated Maison de la Reine at the Château de Versailles

The Maison de la Reine, the home of the late Marie-Antoinette and later Empress Marie-Louise, has been restored to its former glory. The house, located in the Hameau de la Reine in the Parc du Petit Trianon, was in urgent need of restoration.

Thanks to the Mécénat de Dior, the Maison de la Reine and the Réchauffoir can now be opened to apartment visits from this May 12, 2018. Until now, the dilapidated state of the premises prevented any visits to the interior. Of course, you can go and admire the exterior renovation right now.

The program initiated since 2015 has involved both a clean-up of the structures and a complete restoration of the masonry structures, framework and roofing.

Floors, woodwork and paintings have been restored according to the precise layouts of the 18th-century memoires de travaux, or according to the layout carried out in the early 19th century for Empress Marie-Louise, Marie-Antoinette's great-niece.

It's not just the Maison de la Reine that has been renovated. The Rechauffoir, the annex building that housed the kitchen and service rooms, has also been given a new lease of life.

The beauty of this exceptional jewel also lies in its gardens. The surroundings of the buildings have been restored to the image of the 1930 archives. They combine the improvements undertaken for Maris-Louise's installation with some reminders of the arrangements designed for Marie-Antoinette (the famous spiral staircase, the vegetable gardens...).

What really shocks you when you arrive at the Hameau de la Reine is the contrast with the splendor of the Château. It's a veritable country village. The hamlet is divided into three distinct sectors designed by Richard Mique. The first, to the south of the stone bridge over the river, comprises the pleasure houses: the mill (whose wheel is merely a decorative element), the boudoir, the Queen's house, the billiard room and the warming room.

Beyond the bridge, the houses are more dedicated to farming: barn, preparation dairy, cleaning dairy, fishery and guard's house. The tower overlooking the lake is known as the "Marlborough Tower", after the song that was popular at the time of its construction.

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Marie-Antoinette' s ambition was to educate her children in agronomy, animal husbandry and agriculture. The vegetable garden at the rear of the house is shown here. In the Parc du Trianon, Marie-Antoinette created the first English garden, a country-style garden that contrasts with the gardens of the château and was later extended with the creation of the Hameau.

The rooms of the Maison de la Reine were also redecorated and refurnished. A woman's taste and the colors of a summer house are to be found in this house. Unlike its exteriors, the furnishings are luxurious and create a stunning contrast. Of course, almost none of Marie-Antoinette's furniture remains, having been scattered during the Revolution. The furniture that makes up the house is largely that commissioned by Napoleon for Marie-Louise in 1810. Dapper yellows and rich greens form the decor of this renovated home.

Want to see what the place looked like before renovation, a very nice exhibition awaits you within the Petit Trianon.From May 4 to September 2, 2018, Claire Adelfang unveils her shots captured before the restoration.

In short, if you fancy a great bucolic stroll, discovering another face of Versailles and Maris-Antoinette's former home, this is a walk well worth the view.

Please note that it's been over 4 years since our last visit, so the place and experience may have changed.