The Admirable Trees of the Domaine de Versailles

The Palace of Versailles unveils a new walk to discover the "Admirable Trees" of the Versailles estate. These trees are full of history and are the living heritage of the estate. By their size, their beauty or their anecdotes, these subjects are a mine of discoveries.

For once, we are not going to talk about the walls but about the historical heritage of the domain, I mean the trees, some of which are almost 400 years old. Alain Baraton, head gardener of the great park of the Château de Versailles and present in the area for 43 years, is delighted with this showcase that celebrates for once the living, the majestic trees of the domain that are an integral part of the history of the castle.

Trees that the law, he reminds us, has not seen fit to protect and which suffered with the storm of 1999, a real hecatomb, reminding us that this heritage must be plebiscite and safeguarded. This storm had at least the merit to open our eyes and to launch a campaign of replanting with notably the sponsoring of trees, thus allowing to redesign the parks and gardens as in the time of Louis XVI. But obviously, only time will give us back its majesty.

The gardens of the Palace of Versailles, it is only a drawing imagined by Lenotre, spread over more than 800 hactares, they are an integral part of the royal domain and at their creation, were as important as the castle itself. From the French gardens in front of the castle to the English garden of the Trianon, we find extraordinary trees that are witnesses of the passing of time.

If some of the illustrious trees did not survive the sad storm of 1999, several remarkable specimens have survived and deserve to be admired, cared for and protected today. The gardeners of Versailles have thus identified and selected about thirty trees in the domain, from the Orangery of Versailles to the domain of Trianon through the groves.

During the time of Louis XV, who was passionate about botany, an experimental garden was born in the Trianon estate, demonstrating that the King was capable of dominating nature and importing and acclimatizing specimens throughout the world. The estate later became the field of experimentation of Bernard de Jussieu, allowing the estate to become the most famous collection in Europe with more than 4,000 different varieties.

Thanks to the sponsorship of the Rémy Martin company, which shares with the castle common values such as those of the soil, the men of time, the Domaine de Versailles has been able to set up a new marked out course and create a publication and an audio guide available on the application of the castle of Versailles. Discover these remarkable trees in the company ofAlain Baraton's passionate voice.

If, like me, you are passionate about trees, history and nature, you will be delighted to stroll through the estate to discover these illustrious and grandiose specimens. Stop in front of the 36 meters high oak tree on the Grand Trianon side which is as old as the castle, in front of the Virginia juniper or the Japanese Sephora (which is in fact native to China because Antoine Richard, an illustrious botanist, confused China and Japan). Take a look at the old Lebanese cedar next to the Petit Trianon, in front of the Temple of Love, and learn its amazing history.

You will also be amazed by the imposing plane tree that faces the Queen's Hamlet, planted in 1798, it is certainly, with its gigantic trunk, the most imposing of the place. Don't miss to sneak under the amazing Tortillard Beech which covers itself completely or to stand in front of the giant Sequoia of 7,15m of circumference, in front of the Pavillon de Jussieu.