Grande terrasse de Saint-Germain-en-Laye, Royal terrace in Saint-Germain-en-Laye, France

The Grande Terrasse de Saint-Germain-en-Laye is a flat, roughly 30-metre-wide walkway about 2,400 metres long, built between 1669 and 1674 by André Le Nôtre for Louis XIV as part of the Château-Neuf gardens. Pale gravel and earth run between rows of lime trees, with a low stone edge and a blue-black wrought-iron balustrade of looping scrollwork along the drop toward the Seine valley. Three pale grey stone pedestals with urn-shaped finials stand on the terrace.

This terrace came into being in the late 1600s under King Louis XIV, as part of a major reshaping of the castle and its surroundings. Creating it required extensive earthwork and planning to sculpt the landscape into its current form.

The linden trees lining the terrace were replanted in the early 2000s, replacing older trees planted in the era of André Le Nôtre. At the northern end, the Octagon is a planted space named for its eight-sided shape. The wrought-iron balustrade running the full length was added later; it was not part of the original design.

The site is flat and straightforward to walk, with stable paths suitable for most visitors. It is wise to prepare for the weather, as the exposed location offers little shelter from wind or sun.

The terrace's slope is deliberate: it drops to a half-moon at one third of its length, then levels off, so walkers feel they have covered half the route. Seen from the south end, this dip flattens the 2,000-metre straight line so it does not discourage them.