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Fontainebleau Gardens, Paris | |
| The gardens at Fontainebleau are lovely places to walk and admire the Château and the natural environment. | ||
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There are four main gardens at Fontainebleau, each different in character. The Grand Parterre, created by Andre Le Nôtre and Louis Le Vau in the 1600s for Louis XIV, is the largest formal garden in Europe. During the season, it has some 45,000 flowering plants. The carp pond, with its kiosk in the middle, offers opportunities for boating. To the right of the Château entrance is the Jardin Anglais. Developed in the early 19th century, it has a series of paths and rivers and a variety of plants and shrubs, as well as statues and scuptures, making it a lovely place to wander and enjoy.
The smaller Jardin de Diane is noted for its central fountain with a statue of Diane the Huntress. The statue dates from the time of Henri IV, and the garden was traditionally the queen's private garden. Le Parc refers to the large forest and canal leading away from the Grand Parterre. The Bassin des Cascades was formerly the boundary of the royal estate. The canal was created in the early 1600s by Henri IV. The Parc is about 1.2 kilometers (3/4 of a mile) long. Visitors can walk through the park back to the town, and from the edge of the park through streets of the town to the train station. The park's large majestic trees and the canal are harmonious and beautiful.
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Above, Boaters on the lake at Château de Fontainbleau, France.
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