Marlborough's Tower

Marlborough's Tower takes its name from a popular folk song of the era — a tune about a woman waiting in a tower for the Duke of Marlborough to return from war. Marie Antoinette was so taken with its simple, cheerful melody that she would play it herself on the harp and sing along. When the hamlet was being built, the sight of this tower by the lake reminded her of the song, and she named it accordingly.

At the top of the tower, a circular balcony let the queen look out over the entire hamlet, while boats used on the lake were moored below. The building attached to the tower housed a cheese dairy, complete with a room where cheese was actually made and a tasting room for visitors.