It was my third trip to Paris, and I was determined to add two important places to my visited list: the Louvre, and the Jardins du château de Versailles. Fortunately, I was able to check off both places, but with an added bonus: Grandes Eaux. The Grandes Eaux occurs during the end of spring and the start of fall. What is Grandes Eaux? It's when all of Versailles' fountains are active!
Begin in 1662, the gardens were constructed by Louis XIV in conjunction with the building of the massive palace. With over 800 hectares of green space, this incredible garden is more like an amusement park. Featuring fountains, ponds, mazes, and elaborate walkways, the grounds also offer other modern amenities. Restaurants, boating, and picturesque seating areas abound in this manicured marvel.
Most striking are the parterres. These are gardens designed in symmetrical patterns that tease the eye. Incorporating grassy areas, trees, hedges, and flower beds, these types of gardens create a sense of stateliness that must be seen to appreciate. Endless paths meander around and throughout the parterres.
The Latona Fountain was only partially in service on this day. My photo captures it in the foreground, with a view out towards the Grand Canal. Atop the fountain is a statue of the goddess Latona.
Surrounding Latona is six half-man, half-frog sculptures, spitting water back into the fountain. Interspersed between these creatures are a host of smaller golden sculpted frogs.
While we spent about 90 minutes touring the Palace of Versailles, we roamed the Jardins du château de Versailles enjoying the Grandes Eaux for half of a day. Honestly, the spacious gardens were far more impressive than the crowded Palace. And with a beautiful, warm autumn day upon us, we lunched on the grounds enjoying the sun and sounds of the park at our leisure.
On my next trip to Paris, I intend to visit the Jardins du château de Versailles again. I'm sure that I only saw half of what was available to see as the daylight seemed to escape us in a hurry. A big miss was not making it to The Petit Trianon. This small château was the personal hangout of Marie-Antoinette, who spent much of her time there to escape Royal life, visitors, and servants.
The Jardins du château de Versailles is a Top Recommend for any visit to Paris, France. Be sure to wear comfortable shoes!
Cheers!
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