Baptied as "Marie Adélaïde Clotilde Xavière", she was born at Versailles and known as Madame Clotilde. She was a daughter of Louis, Dauphin of France, only son of Louis XV, and Maria Josepha of Saxony. Because she was overweight, Marie Clotilde was nicknamed "Gros-Madame". She was raised with her sister Élisabeth.