Versailles
The Kitchen Garden of the King
Le Potager du Roi - 10, rue du Maréchal Joffre - Versailles -
01.39.24.62.62.
At the time of the Roi Soleil (Sun
king), the castle of Versailles is a small city inhabited by hundreds
of courtiers, artists, guests, workmen, who should be feed every
day. Louis XIV, fine gourmet with a delicate palate, ordered
the construction of a kitchen garden closed to his field, in order to
supply the royal mouths out of fruit and vegetables. Placed under the
authority of La Quintinie, this kitchen garden becomes a laboratory of
extraordinary agricultural experiments. In this XVIIème
still ecological century, cutters are born to with it at March, of figs
are tasted there from June to October. The Normands try
successfully to acclimatize coffee and pineapple one century
later. This historical kitchen garden is placed today under the
supervision of the National School of the Landscape. The 9 hectares of
garden accomodate 5000 fruit trees and 2,5 hectares of
vegetables. It annually produces 50 tons of fruits and 30 tons of
vegetables. To distribute the productions in time and the
seasons, Quintinie had arranged many terraces and hollow gardens.
15 gardeners maintain this coloured garden. The diversity of the
varieties remains its signature today. 15 varieties of tomatos,
peppers, aubergines. Guided tours weekends and public holidays.
