King Louis XIV had a lot of money to burn. He created the most opulent palace and stunning garden and moved the government from Paris to Versailles so he could control the nobility under his rule of absolute monarchy. King Louis XIV expanded the palace upon what used to be the hunting lodge of King Louis XIII. Covering 2,000 acres, the garden was designed by landscape architect Andre Le Notre in 1661 and took three decades to complete. Looking up towards the palace at the Latona Fountain, which depicts the mother of Diana and Apollo protecting them peasants whom she turned into frogs. The Orangerie contains orange, lemon and pomegranate trees. The Royal Walk is a main path that splits the right and left sides of the garden, lined with marble statues and perfectly trimmed trees. Separated by paths and towering walls of trees, the groves in the garden each have their own name and unique design. I felt like an ant lost in a maze, popping in and out of hedge openings to discover fountains and statues. The Ballroom, a grove with a semi-circular cascade decorated with millstones and shells brought back from the Indian Ocean and the Red Sea by the French royal navy. The cascade and the fountains weren't flowing today. The Encelade Grove is a representation of Enceladus, the chief of Titans who was punished for his pride by the Gods from Mount Olympus. The Colonnade Grove has 32 columns and 28 fountains. The Grove of Apollo's Bath. In the center, Apollo is hanging out with his nymphs while his chariot horses wait on the side. The Grove of the Arc de Triumph. The Dragon Fountain depicts Apollo killing a python with his arrow. The snake is surrounded by dolphins and Cupids with bows and arrows riding on swans. I think the Greeks were high when they created these myths. The Grove of the Three Fountains. The view from the bottom level. The garden is so huge that I was often alone in the groves and pathways and felt like I had this secret garden all to myself. I often thought about my grandma, who was fascinated with Versailles and wanted to see the movie Marie Antoinette despite not being able to speak English. I wish she was with me.
