The Gardens of Versailles

For Le Nôtre, the chief architect of the gardens at the Château de Versailles, water was an essential element, charged with illuminating the facades of the chateau by reflecting the sunlight. Enjoy the mirrored reflections in the Neptune and Apollo Fountains and the large Pièce d’Eau des Suisses pond. The dozens of statues will transform your walk into an open-air museum tour.

In the Orangerie, discover more than 1,000 trees from Spain and Italy including lemon trees, oleanders, palm trees and pomegranate trees. During the winter months, the trees are protected indoors, accessible only through a guided tour but in the summer they are brought out onto the terrace for all to appreciate.

The grove as an open-air exhibition

As a counterpoint to the precision of the French-style garden, the groves are wooded spaces, decorated with statues, ponds and fountains. Just like the court of Louis XIV, you will appreciate the Jardin du Roi royal garden, planted with exotic trees.

From April to October, explore the gardens to a baroque soundtrack of Lully or Charpentier in the Jardins Musicaux, or Musical Gardens, or witness the fountains and waterfalls in the spectacular Grandes Eaux Musicales, the animated Musical Fountains show. At night experience the sublime, as a fireworks display lights up the night sky in the Grandes Eaux Nocturnes, the Fountains Night Show.

Before visiting the gardens, do as Louis XIV intended, sit in front of the central window of the Hall of Mirrors. There, you will have the best possible view onto the gardens, from the royal alley right down to the Grand Canal.