Gregg Versailles gardens First camp.

Louis XIV-First campaign

After Louis XIV realized that he loved Versailles and wanted to have it remodeled, as it were, he began redesigning it. The first campaigns began in 1661 and continued to 1668. Louis XIV felt that is was very important he be involved with every aspect of Versailles : "from the early 1660's until his death in 1715 Louis XIV directed the creation and elaboration of the Château and gardens of Versailles …the conception of the whole, its growth, magnificence and cohesion the overall vision was throughout that of the King, Louis XIV. "

Much of the funding for this campaign went toward improvement of the garden, which Le Nôtre took full advantage of. He wisely made a point to enhance what was already in place, rather than excavate the entire thing and begin again. He maintained the original arrangement with the south front of the palace facing the gardens so as to see them in all their glory. Le Nôtre centered the gardens on what became the Grand Canal and also the extended the Western terrace overlooking the broiderie, as well as widening the central walk way. The labyrinth quality of the gardens was augmented by his addition of the walkways beyond the Rondeau. Being a smart man, he kept the East-West axis which Louis XIV was so fond of and added both Northern and Southern terraces. With these terraces, and all the other aspects of his designs, Le Nôtre's trademark was to utilize natural shape of the terrain to his advantage and create the terraces and other creative yet practical spaces, such as the Orangery beneath the Southern terrace . With regard to the terraces, it was been argued that his usage of large green lawn on the North terrace was inspired by English landscape design. There is no definite evidence indicating this, but many believe it to be so. During this first campaign, a theme of whimsy and allegory was picked up and utilized in the 32 fountains throughout the Small Park which depicted different scenes from Aesop's fables. Each of these fountains were on a walkway intersection and they added to the maze-like structure. Extravagance was the order of the day, and full grown trees were shipped in to line the walkways. Many of these trees came from the greenhouses of the Vaux-le-Vicomte , the predecessor of Versailles .

Thacker, Charles (translated) “La Maniere de montrer les jardins de Versailles” Louis XIV and others

De Monclos, Jean-Marie Perouse “ Versailles ” 1997 Abbeville Press

Van Der Kemp “ Versailles ” 1978 Sotheby Parke Benet Publications