Queen's Dairy and Shell Cottage - Rambouillet

Rambouillet

Queen's Dairy and Shell Cottage

Two architectural surprises in the heart of a historic garden, The Dairy of Queen Marie-Antoinette and the Shell Cottage of the Princess of Lamballe, two architectural gems from the 1775th century, nestled in the heart of the National Estate of Rambouillet.The shell cottage, a fancy cottage decorated with shells Unusual and unexpected, hidden at the bend of a river, the shell cottage surprises more than one visitor with its interior refinement. Located in the English garden, it was built around 3 by the Duke of Penthièvre to dazzle the Princess of Lamballe. In the small living room, walls and ceiling are entirely covered with shells, creating flowers, crosses and nets. As for the fireplace mirror, it is made of iridescent mother-of-pearl. The cottage seems straight out of the wonderful world of fairy tales! In the next room, wood paneling painted in the Pompeian style awaits your eyes... The Queen's dairy, Did you know that "playing farm girl" was one of Marie-Antoinette's favorite pastimes? A whim to which Louis XVI yielded by having him build the Queen's dairy in the park of the Château de Rambouillet, to attract the Queen to Rambouillet and entertain her. By visiting it, you will quickly understand that the sovereigns of the time had a strong vision luxurious country spirit. At the heart of the English garden, you will discover a sumptuous building, built in the form of a Greek temple, made of sandstone and marble, where the domed room is richly decorated with seven rows of rosettes...The royal dairy even has an artificial cave which houses a very beautiful sculpture of Saint-Julien, first Grand Prix de Rome. Far from being anecdotal, the dairy eloquently illustrates the extremely privileged living environment enjoyed by monarchical representatives. Are you interested in Marie-Antoinette's destiny? Take advantage of your visit to Rambouillet to visit XNUMX other emblematic sites of its passage: Conciergerie, the Expiatory Chapel and the Basilica of Saint-Denis, all with a single ticket, thanks to the Marie-Antoinette Pass!