Hameau de Chantilly (Paris)

The Hameau de Chantilly features a cluster of thatched-roof cottages tucked into the gardens of the estate. Marie Antoinette commissioned this rustic retreat in the seventeen eighties to mimic the simple aesthetic of a working farm. While the exteriors resemble modest peasant dwellings, the interiors held silk upholstery and fine furniture for royal leisure. When the French Revolution broke out, the villagers of the area feared the site and avoided it, leaving the queen’s playhouse to fall into complete disrepair.