Plush Sheep from Marie-Antoinette's Farm

Queen Marie-Antoinette was so enchanted with the Petit Trianon that she created a real hamlet with all the buildings of a model farm, complete with thatch cottages, a dovecote, mill and dairy.

Far from the hustle and bustle of the Court, she would play at farming, surrounded by her close friends, including the Duchesse de Polignac. The Queen and her friends enjoyed pretending to be shepherdesses, dressed in light clothes, usually white, and wearing floral wide-brimmed hats.

Small flocks of sheep and herds of cattle were brought over from Switzerland to add a gay touch to the lawns. The necks of the sheep were decorated with a satin bow.