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Private Versailles Tour with Skip the Line Entry
- Your own expert guide for 2 to 8 people
- Customizable itinerary including the Trianon
- Perfect for families and first time visitors
from €495
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The Trianon Estate & Marie Antoinette's Hamlet
The private Versailles: two intimate palaces and a storybook village where royalty escaped royalty.
A 25 minute walk from the main palace lies a different world. The Trianon estate is where the kings and queens of France went to stop being kings and queens: smaller rooms, real gardens, and in Marie Antoinette's case an entire model village with a working farm.
The estate opens at 12:00, later than the Palace, which makes it a natural afternoon chapter. It is covered by the Passport and by a dedicated Trianon ticket at 12 euros. Crowds here are a fraction of the main palace, even in August.
Recommended Tickets & Tours
Guided tourThe Grand Trianon
Louis XIV built this pink marble palace in 1687 to escape the court he himself had created. One story high, wrapped around gardens that come up to the windows, it feels closer to a Mediterranean villa than to the Baroque monument up the hill.
Napoleon later refurnished it, and it remains the only part of Versailles where French presidents still host state guests. The peristyle, open to gardens on both sides, is one of the most photogenic spots on the whole estate.
The Petit Trianon
Louis XV commissioned this neoclassical cube for Madame de Pompadour, but history remembers it as Marie Antoinette's house. Louis XVI gave it to her in 1774, and she made it the one place where court etiquette did not apply. Entry was by her personal invitation only, a privilege that scandalized Versailles.
Inside, look for the moveable mirror panels in her boudoir that could cover the windows entirely, and the private theater where the queen herself performed. The English garden outside replaced formal parterres with winding paths and artificial grottoes.
The Queen's Hamlet
At the far edge of the estate, Marie Antoinette built a full village in 1783: thatched cottages, a mill, a dairy and a farm that still keeps animals today. It looks like a stage set because it partly was one, though the farm genuinely supplied the royal table.
The Hamlet is the most atmospheric corner of Versailles and the one visitors most often miss for lack of time. If you hold a Passport, save 45 minutes for it. Children who are thoroughly done with gilded ceilings tend to revive here.
Getting to the Trianon
Walking from the Palace takes about 25 minutes through the park, mostly flat and pleasant. The little train does the loop from the palace terrace, and golf carts and bikes are allowed on the park alleys.
A comfortable plan: Palace in the morning, lunch by the Grand Canal, Trianon estate from 12:00 or after lunch, then back through the gardens for the late fountain sequence. That order works with a single Passport ticket.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Trianon estate included in the Versailles Passport?
Yes. The Passport covers the Grand Trianon, the Petit Trianon and the Queen's Hamlet. A separate Trianon only ticket costs 12 euros and is a good option for return visitors.
What time does the Trianon open?
The Trianon estate opens at 12:00 and closes with the rest of the estate, 18:30 in summer season and 17:30 in winter season. It is closed on Mondays like the Palace.
How far is the Trianon from the main palace?
About 1.5 kilometers, a 25 minute walk through the park. The little train, rental bikes and golf carts all serve the route if you prefer not to walk.
Can I visit Marie Antoinette's Hamlet without a guide?
Yes. The Hamlet exteriors and gardens are freely explorable with a Passport or Trianon ticket. Some cottage interiors open only for guided visits booked on site.
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