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The Gardens of Versailles (French: Jardins du château de Versailles [ʒaʁdɛ̃ dy ʃɑto d (ə) vɛʁsɑj]) occupy part of what was once the Domaine royal de Versailles, the royal demesne of the château of Versailles. Situated to the west of the palace, the gardens cover some 800 hectares of land, much of which is landscaped in the classic ...
Oct 5, 2024 · The gardens have always been central to the full experience of Versailles. Louis XIV, even wrote a manual, How to show the gardens of Versailles (c. 1689–1705), which outlined his version of a ...
Seven versions were created between 1689 and 1705, including some written in his own hand. With How to show the gardens of Versailles in 1704, Louis XIV wrote not just a guide, but a true itinerary through the gardens of the Palace of Versailles. Historians are still uncertain as to the intended use of this “manual”, which was not destined ...
The future Louis XIV first came to Versailles in October 1641, when his father Louis XIII sent him and his brother here to escape a smallpox epidemic that had reached the Palace of Saint-Germain-en-Laye. He was just three years old and it is doubtful that he remembered this first visit; his next known visit was in 1651, when, now Louis XIV, he ...
- Overview
- The gardens
- The Trianons
The gardens of Versailles were planned by André Le Nôtre, perhaps the most famous and influential landscape architect in French history. Behind the palace, the ground falls away on every side from a terrace adorned with ornamental basins, statues, and bronze groups. Directly west of the terrace is the Latona Fountain, designed by Le Nôtre and sculpted by Gaspard and Balthazard Marsy. The fountain depicts the events of Ovid’s Metamorphoses. The Royal Walk extends westward from the palace. A broad avenue centred on the grass of the Green Carpet, it is flanked by rows of large trees and ends at the spectacular Fountain of Apollo. Beyond the fountain, the line of walk is continued by the Grand Canal, a 200-foot- (60-metre-) wide 1-mile- (1.6-km-) long waterway. During Louis XIV’s tenure at Versailles, Venetian gondolas traversed the Grand Canal, and modern visitors to the palace can ply the same waters in small rowboats.
To the south of the terrace, raised flower beds lead to a pair of staircases that flank the Orangerie, a grove planned by Hardouin-Mansart in 1685 that includes more than 1,000 trees. Palm, pomegranate, lemon, and orange are among the varieties represented, with tropical and subtropical species being moved indoors during winter months. Beyond the Orangerie is the Swiss Lake, an artificial lake that replaced a stretch of problematic marshland that was known to the ancien régime as the étang puant (“stinking pond”).
North of the terrace, manicured ornamental gardens slope gently down to the Water Walk, a path lined with bronze sculptures and geometric topiaries and bordered by imposing hedgerows. The path concludes at the Dragon Fountain, which features a spray of water that rises nearly 90 feet (27 metres) into the air. Beyond this lies the Neptune Fountain, built by Le Nôtre between 1679 and 1681. The crescent-shaped fountain is remarkable for its fine sculptures and the enormous volume of water projected by its 99 jets.
The walkways and paths of the parks are decorated with statues, vases, and manicured yews, and they are bordered by hedges and shrubberies. Around the Green Carpet are numerous groves, perhaps the most remarkable being the Ballroom Grove, a landscaped amphitheatre that features an artificial waterfall. A labyrinth constructed during the reign of Louis XIV was replaced by the Queen’s Grove, which became a scene of intrigue during the Affair of the Diamond Necklace. Other groves include the Colonnade, the King’s Grove, the Grove of Apollo’s Baths, and the Enceladus Fountain.
The gardens of Versailles were planned by André Le Nôtre, perhaps the most famous and influential landscape architect in French history. Behind the palace, the ground falls away on every side from a terrace adorned with ornamental basins, statues, and bronze groups. Directly west of the terrace is the Latona Fountain, designed by Le Nôtre and sculpted by Gaspard and Balthazard Marsy. The fountain depicts the events of Ovid’s Metamorphoses. The Royal Walk extends westward from the palace. A broad avenue centred on the grass of the Green Carpet, it is flanked by rows of large trees and ends at the spectacular Fountain of Apollo. Beyond the fountain, the line of walk is continued by the Grand Canal, a 200-foot- (60-metre-) wide 1-mile- (1.6-km-) long waterway. During Louis XIV’s tenure at Versailles, Venetian gondolas traversed the Grand Canal, and modern visitors to the palace can ply the same waters in small rowboats.
To the south of the terrace, raised flower beds lead to a pair of staircases that flank the Orangerie, a grove planned by Hardouin-Mansart in 1685 that includes more than 1,000 trees. Palm, pomegranate, lemon, and orange are among the varieties represented, with tropical and subtropical species being moved indoors during winter months. Beyond the Orangerie is the Swiss Lake, an artificial lake that replaced a stretch of problematic marshland that was known to the ancien régime as the étang puant (“stinking pond”).
North of the terrace, manicured ornamental gardens slope gently down to the Water Walk, a path lined with bronze sculptures and geometric topiaries and bordered by imposing hedgerows. The path concludes at the Dragon Fountain, which features a spray of water that rises nearly 90 feet (27 metres) into the air. Beyond this lies the Neptune Fountain, built by Le Nôtre between 1679 and 1681. The crescent-shaped fountain is remarkable for its fine sculptures and the enormous volume of water projected by its 99 jets.
The walkways and paths of the parks are decorated with statues, vases, and manicured yews, and they are bordered by hedges and shrubberies. Around the Green Carpet are numerous groves, perhaps the most remarkable being the Ballroom Grove, a landscaped amphitheatre that features an artificial waterfall. A labyrinth constructed during the reign of Louis XIV was replaced by the Queen’s Grove, which became a scene of intrigue during the Affair of the Diamond Necklace. Other groves include the Colonnade, the King’s Grove, the Grove of Apollo’s Baths, and the Enceladus Fountain.
Beyond the present park (but within the grounds at the time of Louis XIV) are two smaller châteaux known as the Trianons. The Grand Trianon was originally erected as a retreat for Louis XIV in 1670, but in 1687 Hardouin-Mansart built a new palace on the site. Louis XV, after establishing a botanic garden, commissioned Ange-Jacques Gabriel to build ...
- The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
The Orangery, Estate of Versailles by Jules Hardoin-Mansard Palace of Versailles. When you visit Versailles, you will not only be amazed by the grand architecture of the Palace, but you will also find many treasures hidden around the extravagant gardens. The grounds were first renovated by Louis XIV in 1661 and have been maintained to a royal ...
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The gardens are open from 8 a.m. to 5.30, 6 or 8.30 p.m.. The Grandes Eaux Fountain Displays or Musical Gardens take place most Tuesdays, Fridays and weekends between the end of March and the end of October. Outside these dates, the groves are closed; please follow to the Gardens and Fountains tour. Buy a 1 or 2-Day Passport (complete access to ...
