This complex includes a small palace surrounded by gardens of various styles. The palace, a luxury structure built between 1762 and 1768, is located southeast of the Grand Trianon within the palace grounds of Versailles. Initially, Louis XV established in the area a zoo, a garden, a botanical school and a greenhouse.

In 1762, the king commissioned his first architect, Ange-Jacques Gabriel, to build a palace overlooking the various gardens. This building, a masterpiece of the nascent neoclassical architecture, has a square plan with four facades decorated in Corinthian style. It combines the talents of Gabriel, the sculptor Honoré Guibert and several decorators who brought a refined taste to the interior. The first floor was used for service, the main floor contained the reception rooms and an attic housed the "gentlemen's apartments". Madame du Barry, the favorite of Louis XV after Madame de Pompadour, inaugurated the palace in 1769.

After the death of Louis XV, his grandson Louis XVI gave the Petit Trianon to his wife Marie Antoinette, who created a personal and intimate space away from court life. She added a theater and transformed the botanical garden into an English-style garden. Between 1777 and 1782, Richard Mique erected additional buildings, including the Temple of Love, an alpine garden and an equestrian playground. Inspired by the painter Hubert Robert and the philosophy of Rousseau, he also established a rustic village in the area.

In 1867, Empress Eugénie assembled a collection of objects belonging to Marie Antoinette for an exhibition. The Petit Trianon, classified as a historical monument since 1862 and a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1979, is now part of the National Museum of the Châteaux de Versailles and Trianon and is open to the public.

The estate is named after the former villa of Trianon, acquired by Louis XIV in 1668. In parallel with the Grand Trianon, it was initially known as the Ménagerie de Trianon or Hermitage de Trianon before adopting its current name, Petit Trianon, in 1759.

The Petit Trianon palace, ordered by Madame de Pompadour, was not completed until 1768, so she was unable to see it finished. Madame du Barry occupied it later. With a square plan of 23 meters per side, its four facades have Corinthian columns and pilasters. The first floor, accessible from the south and east sides due to the slope of the land, was intended for service. The noble floor included the reception rooms and the Queen's apartment, and the attic housed several apartments and Marie Antoinette's library. During the First Empire, Pauline Borghese and Empress Marie-Louise refurnished the palace, and it was later occupied by the Duke of Orleans and his wife.

The property includes the Palace of the Petit Trianon, the French Pavilion, the Temple of Love, the Fresco Pavilion and several gardens, such as the French Garden and the English Garden, as well as the Queen's Theater. In the Queen's Village, around the Great Lake, there are several adobe cottages imitating the farmhouses of the Caux Country. In 2008, the Petit Trianon was completely restored thanks to the sponsorship of Montres Bréguet, Grand Patron of the Ministry of Culture and Communication.