On the grounds of the Petit Trianon was another charming little pavilion. The Belvedere was built for Marie Antoinette by her architect Richard Mique and the painter Hubert Robert as a highlight in her English style garden.
Built on a hill on an artificial island, the Belvedere is circled by a terrace with charming sphinx standing guard. It has a commanding view of the English gardens with the Petit Trianon resting nearby, hidden by trees.
The interior is painted with murals and flooded with light all day long.
What a charming room to have lunch in!
The decoration continues up to the ceiling.
As you can see the Belevedere is a private place as its' small size demands. 
Set as a folly in a 'natural' landscape, the building acts as a human foil.
The grotto is the entrance to the Belvedere and you must pass over the faux bois bridge to gain entrance: Probably the most real faux bois i've ever seen!
We admittedly spent a good 30 minutes here just relaxing in the sun before continuing our tour of the estate. Hope you enjoyed this folly as much as we did!
We admittedly spent a good 30 minutes here just relaxing in the sun before continuing our tour of the estate. Hope you enjoyed this folly as much as we did! 
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10 comments:
speechless.
The grotto is almost my very favorite spot to stop while walking through the gardens of Versailles...such beautiful images
The details are stunning. I found a similar spot in Greece on one of my visits. It was such a surprise!
Delightful.
The place is so beautiful it's impossible to NOT get great images. Of course, I feel the images are only 1/4 as strong as the amazing ones of the belevedere as seen in the book 'Marie Antoinette and the last garden at versailles' by Christian Duvernois and Francois Halard.
Even the word belvedere is beautiful. Such amazing details everywhere particularly in the angle of the windows. Imagine all of those miter cuts done by hand. Love the sphinx(s).
off topic: I was such a clueless person about Derry Moore until In Search of a Good Life set me straight. I thought if he had photographed Henry Mitchell's book, he was probably dead by now. Holy Resurrection! in the new book of his and MItchell Owens. What fun!
HBD - I LOVED the sphinx -if they weren't attached I might have taken one home. They had a beautiful lichened patina that the camera doesn't capture. Imagine having to make the glass by hand as well as all the miter cuts on the frames! Insane!
When does the new book drop? It seems to be getting a lot of positive press - I especially liked Little Augurys write up of it.
S-
You must start planning now to go back to France.
You've seen the glories...now's the time to start planning to return next May, the most beautiful time in France, end of May.
Bon Voyage!
STOP! Be still my heart. Love the details of this= thank you so much for sharing!
This little building is a masterpiece! You did it justice in your photo's. I own 5 18th century cups & saucers made for this Room by Marie Antoinette's porcelain factory and used by her here to serve tea. They are painted in the same pattern as the marble tiled floor.
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