Ballroom Grove

Face the curved cascade and follow its stone steps upwards with your eyes. Millstones and shells cover the surface between marble ramps and gilded vases. André Le Nôtre, Louis XIV’s gardener, used the slope beside Latona’s terrace to make this outdoor room. Work began in 1680 and finished in 1685. The original dancing area included a small island reached by bridges. The architect Jules Hardouin-Mansart removed it in 1707. The planted tiers around the space marked places for spectators. Even when the water is still, the curve of the cascade and the terraces let you recognise the relationship between a performance and the people gathered to watch it. This is a seasonal grove visit.