It may appear rustic on the outside, but the inside of Marie Antoinette’s retreat is bursting with luxury.
Known as the Queen’s House, the three-story, neoclassical chateau is set the gardens of the Petit Trianon at Versailles, a place where the queen could relax and get away from the stresses of the royal formal court. (If it's anything like the getaway depicted in the film "Marie Antoinette," starring Kirsten Dunst, it was a beloved place.)
The home, which hasn’t been occupied for around two centuries, has undergone a massive restoration project and is now open to the public thanks to funding by the luxury fashion and beauty brand Dior.
Located in the heart of the hamlet built for Marie Antoinette by Richard Mique between 1783 and 1787, the house later belonged to Empress Marie-Louise and Napoleon I in the early 19th century.
The updated furnishings reflect the home’s oldest known historic condition, which is as it was when Empress Marie-Louise lived there.
A large formal living room features dramatic floor-to-ceiling windows covered in regal yellow drapes, while a breathtaking chandelier hangs above a table topped with an arrangement of flowers.
The home’s formal dining room features a colorful tiled floor and taupe walls. The food that was served here was actually made in an outbuilding called the Warming Room, which includes a kitchen area, pantry, vegetable garden and bread oven. It was also part of the restoration project.
A billiards salon provided recreation, and the bedrooms a place to rest. A green and yellow color scheme can be seen throughout the house.
The gardens have also been restored, replanted to reflect the condition of when Marie-Louise lived there in 1810. A spiral staircase and vegetable gardens are a few of the references that reflect Antoinette’s residency.
For more information on how to see the Queen’s House in person, visit the website for the Palace of Versailles.