Paris
Chateau Le Petit Versailles
A listed château in 75 hectares of parkland, with gardens by Le Nôtre, forty minutes from Paris
- 14 bedrooms
- 15 bathrooms
- 30 guests
- 2500 m²
Forty minutes from the centre of Paris, Château Le Petit Versailles is one of the most remarkable châteaux in France, listed as a historic monument since 1942. Originally designed by François Mansart and later completed by his great-nephew Jules Hardouin-Mansart, who was overseeing the construction of Versailles in the same era, it sits within 75 hectares of wooded parkland. Its gardens were laid out by André Le Nôtre, creator of the gardens at Versailles, which is how the estate earned its name.
The seven suites of the main château were each individually designed by a celebrated interior decorator. The interiors capture eighteenth-century France in full splendour, furnished with fine period pieces and objets d'art from the reigns of Louis XIV, Louis XV and Louis XVI, some of royal provenance. The main château sleeps thirteen guests, and a separate wing adds room for more, bringing the estate's capacity to thirty. For celebrations, the Octagonal Salon seats eighty comfortably for dinner, and the park can host events of almost any scale.
Days here have a gentle rhythm: strolls through the formal French garden, rowing and fishing on the two lakes, a chic party by the outdoor pool, riding lessons and the finest French cuisine prepared by a private chef. Beyond the cascading fountain, greenhouse and orangery, Giverny, the Palace of Versailles, Deauville and Reims are all within reach. Charles de Gaulle airport is around forty minutes away, while private flights can land at Le Bourget, thirty minutes away, or Pontoise-Cormeilles-en-Vexin, just twenty.