Versailles Orangerie

The Versailles Orangerie (French: L’orangerie du château de Versailles) was built by Jules Hardouin-Mansart between 1684 and 1686, replacing Louis Le Vau’s design from 1663 – that is to say, before work on the Château had even begun. It is an example of many such prestigious extensions of grand gardens in Europe designed both to shelter tender plants and impress visitors. Louis XIV’s gardens were no longer just a sanctuary for him to stroll through, but now the theatrical setting to entertain guests at court.[1] In the winter, the Versailles Orangerie houses more than a thousand trees in boxes.

During the winter the trees were housed in a cathedral-like space and during the coldest months, the gardeners would burn fires to heat the housing of the trees. In 1689 gardener Valentin Lopin created a device to transport and move the large orange trees. Most of the trees are citrus trees originally shipped from Italy, but there are many tender Mediterranean plants including oleanders, olive, pomegranate, and palm trees, totaling over 1,055 altogether. From May to October, they are put outdoors in the “Parterre Bas”.