Everything here was huge. Originally a hunting lodge for King Louis XIII, it was then enlarged into a palace through various expansions beginning with expansion by Louis XIV. In the palace everything was extravagant and over the top. The Hall of Mirrors showcased the first ever mirrors in France which were constructed by artisans from Venice. Sitting at over 700,000 square feet, its size was astonishing. All of the material for the palace was sourced from France in an attempt to minimize costs. However, it didn’t help all that much as estimates on the total cost of construction is in the billions.
The gardens cover over three square miles and contain hundreds of fountains and water jets as well as 200,000 trees. Each year, over 200,000 flowers are planted. The grounds once contained over 1000 fountains and it’s a work in progress on restoration of both fountains and rooms in the palace.
This was one of my favorite places we’ve visited so far and I’d love to go back again, especially in the spring time to see the garden in full bloom.