More on Marie Antoinette in Paris, France

As discussed in an earlier post, the life and death of Marie Antoinette is something that captures the imagination. The story of the frivolous queen being sent to death by her own subjects has been played out time and time again in literature, film and theater. Visitors that still have a yearning for more Marie after a visit to the Grand Palais’ Marie Antoinette exhibition need not worry, Paris is the city where the history of Marie Antoinette’s rise and fall took place, and her lasting impression is everywhere. New York Habitat has dozens of  Paris rental accommodations near the gardens where Marie spent her youth, the prison she stayed while awaiting execution and the square where the guillotine finally struck down royalty.

Don’t feel too bad for the headless queen yet; visitors must first visit the grounds of Versailles to understand the causes for the public outrage and the queen’s eventual execution. Versailles can be a daunting place to visit, the grounds of the main Chateau are massive, attempting to visit the interiors and gardens of Versailles in one day is quite a feat. Instead of wearing yourself out with a marathon visit, guests should spend a full day focusing on Marie Antoinette’s life at Versailles. Save the long lines at the main castle for another day and continue on to the Petit Trianon, a neoclassical chateau on the Versailles grounds was the private domain of Ms. Antoinette. Marie sought refuge from the demands of royalty here, forbidding anyone to visit without her personal invitation. The cube-shaped chateau is rather small in comparison to the other castles in Versailles, however when viewed in the context of the late 18th century–a time of great hardship for France’s commoners–the scale and opulence of the building is quite staggering.

Also on the grounds of Versailles is the “Little Hamlet of the Queen,” a man-made pastoral village built to resemble an idealized Normandy. Here the queen and her subjects would pretend to be commoners, performing chores and tending to live

animals. The hamlet proves the gross naiveté and grand imagination of the young Marie Antoinette. Leaving Versailles and heading back into Paris guests can’t miss a visit to the gothic La Conciergerie, the 1st arrondissement prison where the queen awaited her execution. Recently restored, La Conciergerie is located on the Ile de la Cite and is one of the most recognizable structures in central Paris. During the French Revolution the prison was packed with enemies of the new French state, including queen Marie. Today, the prison features a tourist section where visitors can visit the restored cell of Ms. Antoinette. A final stop for history buffs is the Place de la Concorde the site of Marie Antoinette’s execution.

Check out this 1-bedroom rental apartment in Luxembourg, St Michel – St Germain – Notre Dame (PA-3385) is full of old-world charm.

Let us know your tales from your Paris excursions to famous Marie Antoinette sites below.