Versailles Off The Beaten Path

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The final point of a route is "Village of the Queen". It was constructed for Maria-Antoinette in the English-Chinese style - with lakes, grottoes and twisting streams. The idea of this "village" was connected with Russo's appeal "returning to the nature". There are twelve small houses, dairy and cattle-breeding farms, a dovecot and a mill in the village. They have straw roofs.

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The water orchestra is formed around of two greater reservoirs surrounded by statues. The greatest fountains - pools Latony, Apollo, the Dragon and Posseidon.
However Versailles fountains work only one and a half hour per day from 16.00 till 17.30. Therefore I have not seen them in all magnificence. Here I recollected our Peterhof where fountains work all the day long in summer!

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At creation of the park huge problems were connected by that the area around Versailles was flat. So there were developed the most complicated engineering water installations - "a Marly's machine" and an aqueduct for maintenance of gardens and fountains by water. However it was nevertheless insufficiently simultaneously to include all fountains. Therefore public, examining one fountain, switched it off and passed to the following fountain.

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The southern orchestra of the park which has stretched under apartments of the queen, is decorated by short-haired box trees in the form of pyramids. It is adjoined with an orange and palm grove. Palm trees stand in tubs in summer. 1200 orange trees and palm trees are removing in a greenhouse in winter.

You can watch my 1 min 42 sec Video Versailles Park part 2 out of my Youtube channel.

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Further the way lays near the Big Channel to Big and Small Trianons. These are the small palaces which are being the bottom part of the Versailles park. Usually tourists are left with forces, and they come back to the main building. Don't make it! Go further!
The Grand Trianon was built in the northwestern part of the Domain of Versailles at the request of Louis XIV, as a retreat for the King and his maîtresse en titre of the time, the marquise de Montespan, and as a place where the King and invited guests could take light meals (collations) away from the strict étiquette of the Court.

The Grand Trianon is set within its own park, which includes the Petit Trianon (the much smaller château built between 1762 and 1768 during the reign of Louis XV).

King Louis XIV wanted a place to escape the everyday duties of political and royal life, so he purchased a village close to the Chateau, then demolished it and put up some "small" apartments to accomidate him and his family. Kind of a get away from it all type of place. The Trianon actually consists of 3 separate buildings, but linked together: The Porcelain Trianon, the Marble Trianon, and the Trianon-sous-Bois. When visiting, you can view all of these buildings. The Trianon-sous-Bois has special significance because ever since president Charles de Gaulle, one wing has been reserved for the head of state of France.

Off to one side of the Chateau lies Apollo's fountain (Le bassin d'Apollon) Here is a brief description as given from the website below :
The story of Apollo illustrates the solar myth and governs the subjects of statues and fountains along the main axis of the gardens. The large basin at the western end is adorned with Apollo's chariot the sun god can be seen emerging from the waves at dawn, beginning his daily path. Nearer to the chateau is Apollo's mother, Latona, who dominates the central fountain. The cycle terminated in the Grotto of Thetis, where the north wing now stands; it showed the god being tended by nymphs in the evening, as depicted in Fran?ois Girardon's masterpiece of sculpture (now in the Baths of Apollo).

If you get a chance to explore the town of Versailles, take it. There is much more than just the Chateau there. We found some wonderful shops and old churches to explore as well. It was facinating just being with the people and exploring.