Palace of Versailles Gardens
Designed by André Le Nôtre, the Garden of Versailles or the Palace of Versailles gardens are one of the largest in the world.
The gardens are the product of the hard work of countless men and loads of money.
The construction of the gardens began simultaneously with the palace and lasted for about 40 years.
The Orangery
One of the most extravagant parts of the Palace of Versailles gardens, the Orangery is filled with 1,055 trees.
The Orangery also consists of a gallery, an ornamental garden and a circular pond at the center.
This pond is the focal point for six mosaic lawns laid out beautifully.
Some of Louis XIV’s favorites can be seen here, including orange, lemon, pomegranate, olive and palm trees.
Groves
The Groves in the gardens of the Palace of Versailles are made up of 15 smaller groves decorated with statues, vases, and fountains.
These Palace of Versailles Groves are namely:
- Queen’s Grove
- Ballroom Grove
- Chestnut grove
- Apollo’s Baths Grove
- Girandole Grove
- Colonnade Grove
- Grove of the Domes
- Enceladus Grove
- Obelisk Grove
- Star Grove
- Water Theatre Grove
- Grove of the Three Fountains
- Triumphal Arch Grove
Each grove is filled with beautiful greenery and enhanced with ornaments and decor.
The Walks
The walks of the Palace of Versailles gardens are considered the most elegant section aligned with fountains, water basins and luscious trees.
The Water Walk, a beautiful stretch lined with 14 fountains, starts at the Neptunes fountain, crosses the Water Parterre and ends at the Orangery.
The Royal Way or the Great Lawn gets its beauty from the variety of trees and sculptures made by Puget that line the path.
This walk starts at Leto’s amphitheater and ends at the Iconic Apollo’s Fountain.
Parterres And Paths
There are three majestic parterres in the Palace of Versailles gardens: the North Parterre, South Parterre and Water Parterre.
The Water parterre consists of two large rectangular pools which reflect onto to the Hall of Mirrors, making it a scene of light and shade.
The North parterre is divided into two sections with a circular pool at the centerre of each, and two bronze statues indicate the start of this parterre.
The South parterre or the Jardin des fleurs can be reached by climbing up a few steps and during this short climb, you can see two impressive bronze statues of sphinxes.
Featured Image: Chateauversailles.fr