The gardens to the west of the Palace of Versailles are unparalleled. On a simple walk, you can meditate in the embrace of 200,000 trees, admire the artistry of 221 sculptures and marvel at the spectacle of 55 fountains shooting water as high as seven meters into the air. But this tour is more than just a pleasant stroll. By the end of it, you’ll be looking at the park in a totally different way. Our focus is on the hidden messages left by King Louis XIV. They’re lost to average visitors today, 300 years after their creation, but I’ll reveal them to you. The Sun King, as he was known, left absolutely nothing to chance in the gardens, and the details told a story that his subjects understood loud and clear. If you are intrigued by history, mythology, numerology, hydrography, meteorology or astronomy this is a tour for you! On this tour you’ll discover: • A man-made view stretching 14km into the distance • Which mythological character Louis XIV thought he was • Symbols to identify the seasons and the gods • Jupiter coming to the aid of his mistress Latona and their demigod twins • Tales of brave and eternal heroes like Perseus, Hercules, Achilles and more • Who the city of Paris named for • Lessons from the tragic demise of Fouquet, once France’s richest man • The abduction of Proserpina and how this changed the weather • How Louis XIV became the Sun King • What book was brought to life in these gardens This tour fully immerses you in the experience the Sun King had in mind when he planted these gardens, with a soundscape of background music, original performance and special effects. Voices of historical figures and statues are resurrected along with dramatic narration. Your guide’s humor, pop culture references and unique perspective make this tour enjoyable and thoughtful. *__Please Note:__ This tour covers the gardens only and not the palace. On most days, entry into the gardens is free. If there are special events, then you may have to pay an entrance fee. You can check if entry is free using this [calendar](https://en.chateauversailles.fr/news/palace-versailles-calendar). You can [purchase an entry ticket online](https://tickets.chateauversailles-spectacles.fr/uk/node/30387) which will save you about 10%. Alternatively, you can [purchase a pass for the entire grounds](https://billetterie.chateauversailles.fr/passport-visite-chateau-css5-chateauversailles-lgen-pg51-ei552471.html) if you want to also visit the Palace. On the first Sunday of every month from November to March, the entire estate, including the Palace of Versailles and the Estate of Trianon, is open free of charge to all.* Sound credits: voices: Joe Start; effects: freesfx.co.uk sound-fishing.net Music: musopen.org