Palace of Versailles

Complete restoration of the Queen's hamlet
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Information

The Queen's Hamlet, designed by Richard Mique between 1783 and 1787 at the request of Marie Antoinette, has the Queen's House as its central building. Facing severe deterioration in 2017, it underwent an extensive restoration program completed in 2018.

Versailles, 78000
France
Project owner

Etablissement public du château, du musée et du domaine national de Versailles (EPV)

Type of operation

Full catering

Mission(s)

Complete project management

Cleaning up the structures and restoring the surrounding land to its original condition. Restoration of masonry structures, roof frames, and roofing. Interior restoration (based on 18th-century records or early 19th-century renovations for Empress Marie-Louise).

Diagnostic study conducted in 2018

Surface

–

Amount of work

€3,900,000 excluding tax

Delivery

2018

Inspired by Jean-Jacques Rousseau's (1712-1778) theories advocating a return to nature, the Queen's Hamlet in the park of the Palace of Versailles was built on the initiative of Marie-Antoinette (1755-1793) between 1783 and 1787, based on designs and under the direction of architect Richard Mique (1728-1794). The Queen's House was the central building in the complex. Abandoned for nearly a century after the Revolution, the hamlet was listed as a historic monument in 1862, then classified along with the entire Versailles estate in 1906.

In 2017, the complex was in a state of general disrepair, both inside and out. A major restoration program was therefore launched in 2018, beginning with the renovation of the buildings and the restoration of the surrounding grounds to their original condition. This work was completed by the repair of masonry structures, roof frames and roofing, as well as the restoration of floors, woodwork and paintwork, in accordance with the provisions recorded in 18th-century memoirs or the renovations carried out in the early 19th century for Empress Marie-Louise.

 

The project culminated in the restoration of the interior décor and the refurnishing of the main rooms of the Queen's House, thus restoring the desired effect of a "surprise cottage": a striking contrast between a deliberately rustic exterior and an interior of exceptional refinement.

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