Potager du roi, Royal kitchen garden in Versailles, France
The Potager du Roi is a nine-hectare vegetable and fruit garden in Versailles laid out in distinct geometric sections. The land contains a central pond and multiple growing areas separated by structured pathways and boundaries.
Jean-Baptiste de La Quintinie created this garden in 1683 for King Louis XIV, converting swampy land into productive farmland. This transformation made it the primary source of fresh food for the royal court.
The garden keeps alive traditional French growing methods that once fed the royal household. Visitors can see how rare vegetable and fruit varieties are cultivated using techniques passed down through generations.
The garden welcomes visitors from April through October on Tuesdays through Sundays, with guided tours lasting around 90 minutes. A farmers market operates on weekend mornings, offering seasonal produce and allowing time to explore the grounds at your own pace.
Over five thousand fruit trees are trained here in elaborate geometric patterns as living sculptures. More than fifty pear varieties are shaped into specialized forms that require years of careful pruning and training.
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