Versailles - Green Topiaries

French painter, engraver, draughtsman and landscaper, Jean Chaufourier (1679-1757) was appointed as the king's draughtsman in 1730 and he produced a collection of plans for the palaces and gardens at Versailles. These gardens occupy what was once the royal domain of the Palace of Versailles. Located to the west of the palace, the gardens extend over approximately 800 hectares, greatly sculpted in the classical style of French gardens, a style created here by André Le Nôtre. In addition to the meticulously outlined and maintained lawns, flower beds and sculptures, there are also fountains, dating from the time of Louis XIV and still using the same hydraulic network as during the Ancien Régime, which contribute to making these magnificent gardens unique. In 1979 the gardens and the palace were listed as UNESCO World Heritage Sites.