The Admirable Trees of the Domaine de Versailles

The Palace of Versailles unveils a new walk to discover the "Admirable Trees" of the Versailles estate. These trees are full of history and are the living heritage of the estate. By their size, their beauty or their anecdotes, these subjects are a mine of discoveries.

For once, we're not going to talk about the walls, but about the estate's living historical heritage - the trees, some of which are almost 400 years old. Alain Baraton, head gardener at the Château de Versailles , who has been with the estate for 43 years, is delighted with this project, which for once celebrates the living, majestic trees that are an integral part of the château's history.

Trees which, he reminds us, the law has not seen fit to protect, and which, with the storm of 1999, suffered a veritable hecatomb, reminding us that this heritage needs to be praised and safeguarded. The storm at least had the merit of opening our eyes and launching a replanting campaign, including tree sponsorship, enabling us to redesign our parks and gardens as they were in Louis XVI's time. But of course, only time will restore its majesty.

The gardens of the Château de Versailles are more than just a design by Lenotre. Spread over more than 800 hectares, they are an integral part of the royal estate and, when they were created, were as important as the château itself. From the French gardens in front of the château to the English gardens of the Trianon, you'll find extraordinary trees that bear witness to the passing of time.

While some of these illustrious trees didn't survive the devastating storm of 1999, several remarkable specimens did, and now deserve to be admired, cared for and protected. The Versailles gardeners have thus identified and selected some thirty trees on the estate, from the Orangerie de Versailles to the Domaine de Trianon, not forgetting the bosquets.

During the reign of Louis XV, who was passionate about botany, an experimental garden was created at the Domaine de Trianon, demonstrating the King's ability to dominate nature and import and acclimatize specimens from all over the world. The estate later became Bernard de Jussieu's field of experimentation, enabling it to become the most famous collection in Europe, with over 4,000 different varieties.

Thanks to the sponsorship of Maison Rémy Martin, which shares common values with the Château, such as terroir and people of the past, the Domaine de Versailles has been able to set up a new signposted itinerary and create a publication and audioguide available on the Château de Versailles app. Discover these remarkable trees in the company ofAlain Baraton's passionate voice.

If, like me, you're passionate about trees, history and nature, you'll be delighted to stroll through the estate and discover these illustrious and grandiose specimens. Stop in front of the 36-metre-high oak on the Grand Trianon side, which is the same age as the château, the Virginia juniper or the Japanese Sephora (which actually originated in China, as Antoine Richard, an illustrious botanist, confused China with Japan). Take a look at the old Lebanese cedar next to the Petit Trianon, opposite the Temple de l'Amour, and learn about its astonishing history.

The imposing plane tree facing the Hameau de la Reine, planted in 1798, with its gigantic trunk, is certainly the most imposing on site. Don't miss the astonishing Tortillard Beech, which completely covers itself, or the giant Sequoia, 7.15 m in circumference, in front of the Pavillon de Jussieu.