The Dovecote

This building is a dovecote. Pigeons came and went freely from the upper level, while chickens were kept below; every morning, eggs laid by the hens were gathered and brought to the Petit Trianon. Keeping pigeons was a common sight on French farms of the time, and the queen embraced that detail along with everything else. In place of the bustle of palace life, the sound of pigeons and chickens from this modest little building must have finally made her feel like she was on a real farm.