Hameau de la reine

Hameau de la reine, also known as The Queen’s hamlet is found near the Petite Trianon, just walk and skip away from gardens.

The hamlet is a small and rustic farm made to be like the ones found in Normandy. It has a full working farmhouse dairy and mill. It was basically a chance for the Queen and her ladies to pretend playing the role of peasant in the countryside. I say pretend because inside, each of the farm house it is actually luxuriously furnished! The animals are specially picked and cleaned and if the Queen and her ladies wants to milk the cow,  uniquely crafted porcelain milk churns imitating the wooden ones are used.

Owing such make-believe model farms were all the rage of the French aristocrats in those days. They wanted to have a feel of the country life without actually being in the country!

When I visited, there were still many animals on the farm! From mules to cows to sheep and pigs. And the grapes and little farms are still being tended by appointed gardeners!

Here’s the video of my time there!