The Queen’s Hamlet.
Place d’Armes, 78000, Versailles, France.
Also known as Hameau de la Reine, the Queen’s Hamlet was the place I most wanted to see when we toured the Palace of Versailles.
Passport Ticket.
We purchased the Passport ticket which included admission to the entire estate at the Palace of Versailles. While the gardens are free to visit (except on days with there are musical fountain shows or musical gardens), the Passport ticket allows you to visit the Palace, the gardens on musical days, and the estate of Trianon (which includes the Queen’s Hamlet).
Free Entry for those under 18.
One thing that I appreciated while traveling in Europe is that many museums and places of interest (such as the Palace of Versailles) have free entry for visitors under 18 (under 26 if you reside in the EU). This saved us quite a bit as we were traveling with three teenagers. However, I would recommend that if your teenage looks questionable as to whether they are under 18, you make sure they have I.D. This did happen to us but it only happened at the Louvre in Paris. My seventeen-year-old is 6’6″ and at one checkpoint they asked his age and at another, they asked for proof. I did assume that we’d come upon this at some point. I used to carry his birth certificate in case we were ever questioned when we’d travel to Disney World (we never were).
Palace of Versailles.
I’ve shared some of my photos of the exterior of Versailles and from the inside of the Palace. In yesterday’s post, I shared a serene view across the lake found in the hamlet.
The Hamlet.
Today, I thought we’d walk around some of the cottages found at the Queen’s Hamlet.
The estates of Trianon and hamlet are a somewhat lengthy walk from the gardens at Versailles. There are trains available for a fee that leave near the Palace and bikes available to rent farther into the gardens. Things tend to add up quickly for a family of 5, so we decided to walk.
Queen’s Home.
When we visited Versailles in April, the Queen’s home was under restoration. They cover the buildings while work is in progress (something I witnessed throughout my European travels). The restoration is being sponsored by the fashion house Dior, hence the covering. According to the website, restoration will be complete in 2018.
History.
The Queen’s Hamlet was built for Marie-Antionette between 1783 and 1787. It was a model village built around an artificial lake.
The cottages are set in a crescent formation along the eastern side of the lake.
Contrary to popular belief, Marie-Antoinette did not “play at being farmer”. The model village was a working farm at her insistence and served as an educational place for the royal children.
She hosted small gatherings of her friends at the village.
She took relaxing walks through the gardens.
Escape.
Marie-Antoinette used the village to escape from the rigors of court life.
Architecture.
The French architect, Richard Mique, designed the Hamlet. The cottages combine Norman, Flemish, and French styles.
Marlborough Tower.
Marlborough Tower stands overlooking the lake and adding to the fairytale ambiance of the Hamlet.
The Moulin.
The Moulin was a watermill. It was used for decorative purposes only, and a stream from the Grand Lake drove the wheel.
Not only was the architecture intriguing, but cottages meant a plethora of doors.
To see more doors around the world be sure to check out Norm’s blog where he hosts Thursday Doors.
Tranquility. Simplicity. Quiet.
It was easy to feel at peace while strolling along.
The area is spread out and there were not throngs of crowds (unlike the Palace and Gardens) as we walked at a leisurely pace.
While I don’t live in the stressful world of being scrutinized for being royalty, I do live in a world that rushes along at a frantic pace.
It’s always nice to slow down sometimes.
I can see why the Queen loved it so much.
Let your light shine!
Amy
Loved your tour. Seems like you had a great time!
Dwight
Thank you! It was a beautiful day that we spent there. 🙂 -Amy
Lovely. I would definitely come back to view a post which has a close-up of those gorgeous looking tulips.
Thank you. The tulips were lovely. I was there in April. This was the only place I visited with tulips in France, but I had traveled there from Amsterdam where there were tulips aplenty! 🙂
Memories…
What a beautiful walk! Thanks for letting me tag along. I, too, can see why she loved it, although I’m sure she still wore one of those elaborate dresses that would have driven me mad. Thank goodness for comfy clothes!! Love the quote, too.
janet
Thank you Janet. The rumor is that she sometimes wore peasant dresses while out there. I don’t know if that accurate, but anything that wanted to corset me up would not be enjoyable! Yes! Thank goodness for comfy clothes. I’m glad you loved the quote. It’s one of my favorite in the collection of photo quotes that I’ve made. -Amy
What a lovely peaceful place. You captured it so well. That one shot overlooking the lake towards the tower is wonderful. And the doors of course, all have a little something unique.
I loved this post 🙂
Thank you Norm. It was a very peaceful place. I loved that tower. It added so much to the ambiance. I love the door to nowhere on the watermill. It makes me wonder if it once had a landing. 🙂
Such a lovely post! As a lover of history and a French person I thought this was just wonderful!
christinsaysthings.wordpress.com
Thank you!
I can guess that this will be my favorite part of such a trip. I would not have planned checking it out, but I appreciate knowing that it is still there.
I only stumbled upon its existence while perusing photos before my trip. It seems set off quite a way so I probably would not have thought to visit it otherwise. I did not have time to tour the interiors of the Trianons, which are nearby.
The trip truly is an all day visit and we got there a little late with teens. I’ve mentioned it in another post, but should you get there later, its recommended to visit the gardens first as the line into the Palace is much shorter in the afternoon. I think we stood in line for well over an hour to get inside the Palace. By the time we left for the day, the line was about 10 minutes.
Utterly beautiful and ridiculously charming at every turn. Amazing share! 😀
Thanks Joey! That was just a small piece of the sprawling hamlet. Charming is the perfect word! 🙂
Lovely photographs and thanks for the history, too. I can see why the Queen loved the hamlet. Even for royalty, a simple life has it’s attractions.
Thank you. I think we can all find some relief in moments of simplicity. 🙂
I’ve been to Versailles twice and have never visited the Queen’s Hamlet. My loss – from your photo, iit looks so pretty. You’ve given me a reason to want to return for a 3rd visit 🙂
I only wish we’d had more time to spend. Tired feet…teenagers…and bathroom necessities all tended to cut my meanderings short. I hope to visit again someday and wander longer. Hopefully, the Queen’s home will be restored and available for viewing. I’d also like to see the interiors of the Trianons. They were spectacular from the exterior.
We also spent a shorter time in the gardens because the hamlet was on my “I insist I visit here” list. 🙂
3rd time’s a charm!
I’ve had a long-running deep, deep love for France. Returning a 3rd time would definitely not be a hardship. I will remember to add this to my list!
The cottages look like out of a fairy tale
I thought so too! The area had quite the magical feel.
The Queen’s Hamlet is so intriguing isn’t it!? Loved this post and photographs.
I visited Versailles in late Summer and found it soo fascinating that I can’t wait to return.
Thanks for an awesome post 😊
Alex
https://alexgettinglost.com/2018/01/09/one-day-at-versailles/
I loved the Queen’s Hamlet! We had a great time at Versailles. I wish we’d had an earlier start so I could have toured the inside of the Trianon’s and spent more time in the gardens. But late days are the norm with teens. 🙂 I’ll just have to return again to take the rest in. 😉
We were there in the summer of 2017 and loved every second. This was one of our favorite spots!
It truly is a beautiful spot!