by sylvia13 on November 29, 2006
Versailles is the most famous garden in the world, yet one can’t really call it a “garden“, as the scale is just monumental! The story of Apollo is what determines the subject of statues and fountains there. The grounds were laid out geometrically around axes, with pathways and pools between them. Everything was set out symmetrically on several levels. Trees were trained and pruned into unusual shapes and pools were ringed with masterpieces of sculpture. I visited the Gardens keeping in mind that we would be going our for dinner on the River Seine that same evening. It was nearly 9am and the sun was just rising, giving the entrance to the palace orange hues. There were not that many people around at that time and tourist buses had not arrived, so I concentrated on taking pictures. I soon realised that I would first have to cross the palace to get to the gardens, but as soon as I did, the majesty and size of the place immediately manifested itself. The cobblestones at the entrance were difficult to walk on, but it got better once in the garden. I soon realised that I had no hope of seeing it all, as distances were just insurmountable! The garden was huge, seeming to stretch in all direction around me! It was the time for autumn colours and greens, so I wondered whether they would have flowers providing colour in other seasons.Renovations were taking place when I was there, with much noise and mud around, so I did not get to see the groves and I also had to be careful where I walked. I saw two horseback riders and thought that a horse driven carriage would have been a fantastic way to get around that garden!Muddy, cold, and tired of walking, I headed towards the Convention Centre to warm up, have a cup of much deserved coffee and get directions for walking back to our hotel. It is true that our hotel was small, but I was surprised to find that the taxi driver the previous night and the girls in the Centre had never heard of it before and did not know where it was either! I did find the Residence du Berry eventually though, and I enjoyed the nice walk back through the old Versailles streets.
http://www.igougo.com/review-r1325971-Chateau_Gardens.html
©Travelocity.com LP 2000-2009