Chateau de Versailles' Gardens

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The gardens at Versailles are some of the largest and most ambitious ever created. They were designed by Andre le Notre, Louis XIV's chief landscape architect for over 50 years, whose reputation as the greatest ever French gardener was due to this, his magnum opus. The project was as much the monarch's as it was Le Notre's, however. The Sun King gave the same level of attention to his grounds as he did to his palace, and continually embellished and tweaked them throughout his reign. So proud was he of his creation that he even penned a guide for visitors on how best to enjoy the gardens. This itinerary survives today, and despite some subsequent alterations to the layout of the site, the King's footsteps can still be retraced.

Directly adjacent the Chateau is the Petit Parc, where the gardens are altogether more meticulous. These too are arranged aside a central strait, with each garden laid geometrically around it, in perfect symmetry.

Closest to the palace are the parterres

These are three extensive, immaculate flowerbeds, bordered with boxwood hedges and permeated with statues, all arranged around the central aquatic Parterre d'Eau. Their designs were purposefully inconspicuous as not to hinder the stunning vista of the gardens that is to be had from the steps; although their elaborate, colourful patterns, are stunning, and are best viewed from the Chateau's upper floor.

The Gardens' Bosquets or Groves South of the parterres is the large Orangery, the world's largest hothouse, which was designed by Le Notre's First Architect and effective rival, Jules Hardouin-Mansart, in 1684. To the west is the Tapis Vert (Green Carpet), a long stretch of lawn that leads to the magnificent Bosquet des Bains d'Apollon. This is one of the 9 fanciful bosquets (groves) that are dotted seemingly whimsically throughout the Petit Parc. Others, which can be found in the proximate subsections, include Bosquet de la Colonnade, a circular arcade of marble Ionic columns, and Bosquet des Domes, Le Notre's own amphitheatre-style ballroom, now minus its roof.

Although the gardens, or Le Parc, as they are known collectively, now cover 875 hectares. At one time the royal domain extended to 8,000 hectares, much of which was made up of the King's forested hunting grounds. The space is still massive, however, and the central tree-lined axis, which runs from east to west from the Chateau, stretches for 5 miles. Through this axis runs the Grand Canal, a 62-metre-wide body of water that's bisected by another, wider, perpendicular, canal, which together form the shape of a Greek cross. Fleets of gondolas were used here for Louis XIV's boating parties, and you can still hire a 4-person-seater rowboat to drift up and down the canal at your leisure. This is the crux of the Grand Parc, the orderly forest that occupies most of Versailles' grounds. It's made up of oak, ash, beech, cherry and linden trees, intersected by eclectically named pathways, such as Peacock Alley and Ha Ha Alley.

The grounds at Versailles are simply huge, and if you intend to venture into the Grand Parc it's recommended you hire one of the myriad bicycles, which are stored beside the Fountain of Apollo or take the small train, which costs a small fee in order to see it all.