Latona's Fountain brought back to life
restoration of the Fountain and Parterre, Thanks to sponsorship by Fondation Philanthropia
June 2012 - May 2015
Press contacts
Hélène Dalifard Aurélie Gevrey Elsa Martin Violaine Solari + 33(0)1 30 83 75 21 presse@ch ateauversailles.fr
You must then go st raight up to Latona's Fountain and pause to consider Latona himself, the lizards, ramps, st atues, the Royal Way, Apollo's Fountain and the canal, then turn around to see the parterre and the palace.
Louis XIV in Manière de montrer les jardins de Versailles
5
Contents
press release 6 the work : a few figures and a few people 8
challenges inherent to the work 13 essential restoration work 14 restoration choices 15 challenges inherent to the work, step by step 17
a synergy of professions of excellence 31 the gardeners 32 fountain engineers 34 metal restorers 35 metal gilders 36 masons compagnons 37 marble restorers 38 roofer compagnons 39
an experience shared with as many people as possible 41 un chantier à cœur ouvert 42
#latone : le chantier en direct sur internet 44
fondation philanthropia 47
the historiy of a masterpiece 51 appendices 59 Versailles, 18 th May 2015 Press release
Latona's Fountain brought back to life Latona's Fountain and Parterre restored thanks to a gift by Fondation Philanthropia
Thanks to a gift by the Fondation Philanthropia, Latona's Fountain and Parterre, two masterpieces of the gardens of Versailles, are getting a new lease of life. This exceptional restoration project has taken more than two years and has called upon a remarkable synergy of knowledge.
Created by Jules Hardouin-Mansart, Latona's Fountain is without doubt the most famous work in the gardens of Versailles with its tiered polych rome marble centrepiece, rich sculptures in lead and marble and cleverly designed water jets. Situated in the centre of Le Nôtre's Grand Persp ect ive, it is also the key st ruct ure in the hydraulic syst em of Versailles.
More than three centuries after its creation, deterioration had aff ect ed the fountain and its components. Work on the infrast ruct ures, hydrant syst em and sculptures was needed urgently. Modifi cations had aff ect ed the st ruct ure's overall st ability with impact s on the general watertightness of the pool. Launch ed in 2013, the work is now complete.
The restoration Latona's Fountain is one of the major works of public interest for which philanthropy has proven its importance and utility. Private funding complemented State fi nancing and resp onsibility, and Fondation Philanthropia's support to the est ate of Versailles for Latona's Fountain is a fi ne example of this. Th e foundation, created for clients of Lombard Odier bank, aims to facilitate their philanthropic engagement. Press contacts «Fondation Philanthropia is committed to supporting the rest oration of Latona's Fountain because Palace of Versailles Hélène Dalifard transmitting heritage is one of its major concerns. In the case of the fountain, this universal piece of Aurélie Gevrey heritage is not only an arch itect ural gem and its rest oration a tech nical ch allenge, but it also reveals Elsa Martin Violaine Solari the immense wealth of artist ic professions involved in its renovation. » +33 (0)1 30 83 75 21 Thierry Lombard, President of Fondation Philanthropia presse@ch ateauversailles.fr
Fondation This exceptional ‘open air’ restoration project has been followed st ep-by-st ep by the Philanthropia millions of visitors to the gardens of Versailles. With the object ive of re-creating the composition's Luc Giraud-Guigues +41 (0) 22 709 1908 original appearance, rest oration was planned for the overall st ruct ure including plant life, the l.giraud-guigues @fondationphilanthropia.org hydrant syst em, materials and sculptures.
François Mutter T +41 (0) 22 709 9364 [email protected] 7 Th is required employing the best tech niques and materials of the past and present, as well as a number of craft s, notably some rare and highly sp ecialised artist ic professions. Multiple craft smen, art mast ers and engineers have worked on the project under the leadership of Pierre-André Lablaude, Head Arch itect for Hist oric Monuments, and the Heritage and Gardens Direct orate of the Palace of Versailles.
In a manifest desire by the Palace of Versailles to preserve heritage and transmit knowledge, and with the support of Fondation Philanthropia, a sp ecial focus was placed on preserving the knowledge and tech niques of those who have worked on this major operation. Th is approach has taken on concrete form with the training of apprentices by sp ecialist companies; lead sculptors, marble workers, gilders, fountain engineers, st onemasons, metal rest orers and gardeners have all contributed to rest oring Latona's Fountain to its original sp lendour.
«The rest oration of Latona's fountain has allowed a 'bond of excellence' to be est ablished between the past and the present through the timeless work of artist ic professions. It has off ered the public the oppor- tunity to see the transmission of knowledge but has also, more concretely, allowed the employment of ten or so apprentices. We have decided to syst ematise this training across all our heritage project s from now on. This invisible yet exemplary ch ain that connect s the craft smen and artist s of today to those of the past is what gives the Mast erpiece of the gardens of Versailles its sp arkle.» Catherine Pégard, President of the Public Institution of the Palace, Museum and National Estate of Versailles.
About Fondation Philanthropia A philanthropic public-benefi t foundation connect ed to Lombard Odier bank, Fondation Philanthro- pia facilitates the implementation of its donors' philanthropic initiatives in all areas of citizen engage- ment, including art and culture, social act ion, education, the environment and medical research . www.fondationphilanthropia.org
Latona's Fountain A masterpiece of the garderns brought back to life
With its parterre, gilded lead fi gures of countrymen and animals, water jets and beautiful sculpted group in marble topping it all off , Latona's Fountain is the real gem of the gardens of Versailles. Created by Le Nôtre in 1665 and embellished by Hardouin-Mansart, it has now been rest ored to its former glory thanks to an exemplary renovation project . Th is book covers the hist ory of this mast er piece and the adventure of its rest oration, made possible thanks to the use of exceptional knowledge of gardeners, fountain engineers, masons, carvers and marble rest orers, moulders, metal rest orers, plumbers, roofers and gilders.
24 x 22 cm, paperback, inside cover, 84 pages, 65 Illustrations, € 17 Bilingual French / English. Jointly edited by Artlys/ Château de Versailles 8
The work: a few figures
Fountain key dates The FOUNTAIN The parterre
12th March 2013: 760m2 removal of of surface area 1.35 ha total surface area the Latona group of fi gures 110m3 of dressed-st one in the four-level 20,000 box trees May 2013: removal of the tiered centrepiece 90 yew trees sculpted lead fi gures 3 varieties of marble: 2 June – August 2013: removal of 4,200m of lawn - Carrara marble: 78 metres of the marble facing from the tiered 1,600 tonnes of gravel coping, 81 metres of footings centrepiece 150 tonnes of sand October 2013 - February 2014: - Red Languedoc marble: 49 3 km of metal edging disassembly of the dressed-st one metres of vertical slabs 6 months of work tiered centrepiece - Campan Grand Melange marble: th th 27 and 28 January 2014: 28 mètres of vertical slabs removal of the lead rings of the 74 sculpted lead decorative fi gures: Craftspeople sp ider - 6 countrymen being transformed, February - May 2014: st rengthening - 38 9 of the foundations of the centre- frogs, fountain engineers piece - 15 lizards 17 gardeners 29th September 2014: the lead - 15 tortoises. 7 gilders 9 rings of the sp ider put back 27 tonnes of lead for the ch anelling masons September - December 2014: reas- and fountain works 9 boilermakers, metal sculpture sembly of the masonry of the tiered 74 water features and 74 nozzles rest orers centrepiece 449 m3 4 roofers sp ecialised in lead November 2014 - April 2015 of water : the roofi ng marble facing put back 0.70 m water height 10 apprentices December 2014 - April 2015: improved watertightness using lead sheets October 2014 - April 2015: rest o- The restoration of Latona's fountain in figures ring the fountain's water supply March 2014 - March 2015: rest o- 26 months of work ring the lead sculpted fi gures and 14 tonnes of lead for the bottom of the 3 oval pools in the tiered gilding centrepiece for watertightness; lead sheets used 21st and 22nd April 2015: the 35,000 gold leaves for gilding the 74 lead sculptures gilded lead fi gures put back 200 'louche' weldings for the rest oration of the lead pipes 4th May 2015: placing the group 700 m2 110 metres of sculpted fi gures, fi rst water of paving and of white marble coping for the connect ion rest oration of the fountain 18th May 2015: inauguration 9
and a few people
Contracting Public Institution of the Palace, Museum and National Estate of Versailles, Heritage and authority Gardens Direct orate, Works Department Daniel Sancho, Heritage and Gardens Direct or Véronique Ciampini, Operations Leader
Project management Pierre-André Lablaude, Head Arch itect for Hist oric Monuments Laurent Choffé, project manager, agricultural engineer BMI – Engineering and structures design office : Assist ance to the contract ing authority, diagnosis for the hist orical foundations of the apron. Cetim-Certec: diagnosis for the hist orical lead crowns. Cossec- Degouy: health, Safety and Prodect ion Coordination for the fountain Conpas: Health, Safety and Protect ion Coordination for the parterres Alpha contrôle: Tech nical test ing
Companies for Pinson Paysage: green sp aces - sandy soils Latona's Parterre Idverde: incorporated watering Chapelle et Cie: st onemasonry - networks
Companies for Lanfry: Stonemasonry – Dressed st one – new marble work Latona's Fountain Tollis: rest oration of the deteriorated marble and copy of the st atue of Latona Fonderie de Coubertin: rest oration of the lead sculptures Gohard: Gilding Alain Le Ny: Waterproofi ng – lead sheets Entreprose: Struct ure Treccani: Wooden cladding and information panels
The Public Fountains department: execution and st eering st udies for work on the hydrant syst em Institution of (rest oration of the pipes, crowns, addition of taps and nozzles for the lead fi gures.) Versailles Gardens department: planting and pruning the topiary yews in Latona's Parterre. Technical equipments department: programming and monitoring work on the elect ric networks in coordination with the project management and contract ing authority. direction of the national museum direction of exterior relations, sponsorship department Cultural development directorate: informative events about the work, showcasing of craft s professions. Information and communications directorate: following the work with photos and video reports, creation of a dedicated website, informing the press about events, setting up educational measures for the public (signs, panoramic images), publishing documents. And all of the other of the institution's departments
Latona, and her Twins, the Bottom crown; These, to foul Reptiles, ch ange each savage Clown; Transform them, by th'unnumber'd Spouts they pour; One swims with Claws, which Fingers were before; Another, rising, ch anges with a Glance: 'Twixt Man and Reptile see a Third Advance; His Wife, loud-croaking, of his Fate complains, But Woman st ill, the human Shape retains: A Fourth, the more he bathes, can less eff ace The new ris'n Features which his Form disgrace. The Scene's a Bason, a capacious Round: Transform'd to Frogs, the Peasants here are found, Excited by Revenge, and ch eck 'd no more, They, on the Deities, a Deluge pour. To crown these Beauties which inchant the Eye, Fabled Nymphs, Heroes, Gods, at Dist ance lie; Terms, whose lone State soft Pity might excite, Did not the Scenes they view create Delight. O'er two Parterres the fond Spect ator frays, Pleas'd on the Turfs, with Flow'rs enrich 'd, to gaze: A Bason's in each , whence far their Treasures fl y; Now rise in Jets, and now, half-circling, die. Thro' various Reptiles, glitt'ring Currents glide; Here Lizards hiss, to Crocodiles allied: There Tortoises st retch forth their Neck s in vain, But, ever captive, in their Shells remain.
Jean de La Fontaine, The Loves of Cupid and Psych e, 1668-1669
Part i
Challenges inherent to the work 14
Part I — Challenges inherent to the work Essential restoration work
Over the centuries, Latona's Fountain and Parterre have undergone multiple maintenance and reparation works. Th e last rest oration campaign dates from 1850. In the 1980s, having suff ered act s of vandalism, the white marble sculptures of Latona and her ch ildren were replaced by a moulding.
More than three centuries after its creation, deterioration had aff ect ed the fountain and its components. Work on the infrast ruct ures, hydrant syst em and sculptures was needed urgently.
The deterioration identified was first of all st ruct ural (the central pyramid notably showed signs of leaning sideways) and aff ect ed the overall st ability of the st ruct ure. It also concerned ele- ments of the decoration: the marble facing and sculpted lead fi gures were severely aff ect ed. Additionally, the internal and external hydrant syst em had numerous problems contribu- ting to hydraulic malfunct ions in the fountain.
Restoration work on the fountain and parterre was undertaken, led by Pierre-André Lablaude, Head Arch itect for Hist oric Monuments.
Example of the deterioration of the marble work. It was carried out according to the structural organisation of the fountain: Photo : Th omas Garnier - Infrast ruct ures of the fountain and pyramid. - Superst ruct ures of the pyramid. - Elements of the marble facing. - Watertightness devices. - Sculptures. - Water features and related networks.
The restoration operation entailed: - Reinforcement work on the infrast ruct ures and superst ruct ures. Example of wear on the gilded lead works - Rest oration of the marble facing. Photo : Th omas Garnier - Full re-working of the watertightness. - Conservational rest oration of the principal lead columns of the inner ch amber and repla- cement of two of them by new st ruct ures. - Rest oration of elements of the sculptures. - Re-est ablishment of lost water features and hydraulic recomposition of the fountain. - Treatment of the sand walkway and lawn st rip of Latona's fountain. - Reconst itution of Latona's Parterre to its original condition.
Example of crack s in the lead Photo : Th omas Garnier 15
Part I — Challenges inherent to the work restoration choices
Questions for Pierre-André replace only marble (original or that had already Lablaude, Head Architect for been replaced during previous rest oration work Historic Monuments, in in the middle of the 19th century) that was in such charge of the restoration. an advanced st ate of deterioration that any st rengthening or conservation work on the elements through traditional means (st aples, WAS IT NECESSArY TO FULLY DISMANTLE pins) or modern methods (gluing and Latona'S FOUNTAIN? st rengthening with suitable resins) was Given the st ate of deterioration of its foundations impossible. It was defi nitely the white marble as well our desire to remove the interior columns that proved to be the most damaged, fairly of the hydrant syst em with a view to preserving logically since it is naturally more porous and is, their integrity and allow their conservational moreover, the most exposed to water fl ow. Th e rest oration, fully dismantling the fountain's new white marble was sourced from the same tiered water centrepiece turned ot to be essnetial Carrara quarries in Italy and was ch osen from as early as the completion of the preliminary st rata possessing similar ch aract erist ics to the rest oration st udy. Th is disassembly also original ones. Th e others (Campan and confi rmed the diagnosis of the st ate of Languedoc) came from quarries that are now preservation of the foundations, and refi ned the closed but the st one was fortunately found diagnosis of the hydraulic syst em itself. Th is among remains from ancient quarries from ch oice was also guided by the desire to ensure sp ecialist suppliers. complete reinforcement work and maximal conservation of each of the ancient marble WAS CONSErVATION NECESSArY FOr THE LEAD block s, of which the coloured French marbles rINGS OF THE 'SPIDEr? can no longer be found in quarries today. Once again, disassembly allowed the diagnosis to be refi ned and the necessary pressure test s to IN TErMS OF THE MArBLES, WHAT HAS BEEN be carried out. Th e 'spider' hidden within the CONSErVED? WHAT HAS BEEN rEPLACED? WHY? tiered water centrepiece is a giant 'artery' syst em Th e aim of the rest oration has been to bring back of lead ch anels dating from 1666 that dist ributes the composition's original appearance, the water to the fountain's 74 jets. It was contrast ing the gold of the lead scultpures with disassembled to be rest ored. In the end, two of the brightness of the white marbles and the the three rings were kept, including the iridescence of the veins in the coloured marbles. hexagonal ring, the most beautiful one. Th e Th ree diff erent types of marble had originally small round ring, although weakened by age, been used for the const ruct ion. Th e fi r st is a was also kept working but has been back ed up, green-brown marble from the Pyrenees known for security, by a new analogous ring in case the as Campan Grand Melange or Campan Royal old one fails. If it breaks, the new ring will take (the rarest ), only 2% of which had to be replaced over from the old one without the whole during the work. Th e second is a red marble st ruct ure needing to be disassembled. from Languedoc (also rare), of which 8% was replaced, and last ly a white marble, from Carrara, of which 30% was replaced. We ch ose to 16 WHY IS THErE SO MUCH GILDING ON THE 'hierarch y' between elements considered to be SCULPTUrES TODAY? 'noble' and those that seem to be less so, by Th is is an example of a rest oration decision that placing everything on the same levels of 'artist ic' did not st rict ly go back to the original tech nique. and 'tech nical' heritage. Each element of Latona's In fact , the arch ive documents test ify to the use fountain, whether it is part of the foundations or at the time of 'metail' gilding for the decoration whether it is st ruct ural, tech nical, decorative or a of this lead st atue, using paint containing added detail, must be approach ed and treated as a work copper powder. Given the sp eed at which this of art in its own right, with scrupulous resp ect metal oxidises, it needed repainting every year, for the authenticity and integrity of the something which seems diffi cult to ach ieve today const ruct ion, and also for future reversibility of in terms of maintenance cost s. Durability and the work carried out today. For this reason, new long term maintenance were thus opted for; the replacements have been limited solely to failing tech nique of leaf gilding, also traditional, was devices and materials that cannot guarantee the ch osen as a replacement, admittedly a more real durability of the rest oration works. Concern expensive one initially but much more durable in for maximal conservation of the original the long term and which will naturally be materials, contrast ing with the insensitivity of a amortized over time. new refurbishment, allows us to pay homage to the passing of time and the age of the WHY NOT PUT BACK THE OLD STATUE OF Latona? arch itect ural work, with all the capacity for Th e original st atue of Latona in white Carrara emotion that it continues to bear. marble, sadly vandalised thirty or so years ago, had been placed in the Musem, rest ored, and IS THIS AN EXCEPTIONAL PrOJECT? replaced in its original position by a copy Th is mast erpiece disp layed a complex set of produced according to the innovative tech niques symptoms that were the result of its hist ory – of the time, in synthetic resin and fi breglass. transformation by Hardouin-Mansart of the fi rst Aft er thirty years the st ate of aging of this initial pool by Le Nôtre – but were also due to the fact replica, esp ecially through the deterioration of that the st ruct ure had remained in use for three its component materials due to ultraviolet light, and a half centuries. Th e role of Head Arch itect led to the decision to replace it with a new of Hist oric Monuments's task here was to act like moulding. Th is was made using a cast of the fi rst a conduct or of an orch est ra, taking into account replica, which was itself of very high-quality and considering the project in its entirety, precision in terms of the impression taken of the including the vegetal, hydraulic, mineral and original marble one. Th e material used, tried and decorative elements, and using a large number of test ed through several decades of pract ice, is professional trades all of which were rare and made of a mortar of resines with added white highly sp ecialised artist ic professions. It is this Carrara marble powder, giving the fi nished variety and wealth of knowledge that makes this moulding an asp ect closely resembling the an exceptional project , one in which nobody who original material. Moreover the disassembly of participated will forget how luck y they have been the st atue's pedest al led to a better to have been able to contribute. underst anding of the role of the movable marble parts forming its base, dest ined to hide the two 'bubbles' of the hydrant syst em that feed the top pool of the tiered water centrepiece. Th eir inner pipes, manifest ly abandoned for several centuries, were put back into use during the rest oration of the whole feature, perfect ing the monumental eff ect of the terraced waterfall positioned over the fi gures of Latona and her ch ildren.
HOW DID YOU APPrOACH THIS rESTOrATION? With this sort of exceptional work you have to break away from any notion of a so-called 17
Part I — Challenges inherent to the work Challenges inherent to the work, step by step
restoration of Latona's Parterre. December 2012 - April 2013
Bringing back Le Nôtre's original design by combi- ning ancient and contemporary techniques.
Th e wealth of documentary sources on the st ate of the Parterre as Le Nôtre designed it meant that the rest oration work could be launch ed with a view to returning the com- position to its original appearance, in line with the overall replantation plan for the small Park and the gardens that has been carried out in Versailles since the 1990s.
Aft er removing all trace of the modifi cations made in the 19th and 20th centuries and pulling up vegetation, the garde- ners carried out major work levelling the ground, a precon- Arch ive document: the horseshoe and Latona's fountain and Parterre, 1687 Stock holm, Nationalmuseum. dition to laying out the large motifs of shells and scrolls.
Marked and laid out using GPS, the shapes were traced with plast er like in the 17th century. Th is act ed as a land- mark for the positioning of metal edging delimiting the boundaries of the future motifs, then covered with rolls of turf. Last ly, the sandy walkways twist ing amongst these turf patterns were covered by a layer of crushed fl int, which does not get blown around by the wind.
Laying the metal edgeing. Photo : Th omas Garnier
Harmonising with the climate Th e 2012-2013 winter period proved favou- rable for progress in the work, and the inauguration was the- refore able to coincide with the launch of the year of Le Nôtre.
Laying sand in the scroll. Photo : Th omas Garnier Large shell awaiting the placement of turf. Photo : Th omas Garnier 18
Bringing back the topiary decoration
Lost in later modifi cations to the Parterre, the topiary once marked the vertical lines of Le Nôtre's composition, const ituting a touch of fantasy that soft ened the severity of the French -st yle garden. To per- fect the rest oration work the gardeners replanted the box hedges and topiary, whose large variety of forms has const ituted the fame of the gardens of Versailles since the Ancien Regime.
Pruning the topiary. Photo : Th omas Garnier
Planting a yew. Photo : Th omas Garnier Example of a topiary form Motifs of the design. Photo : Th omas Garnier Photo : Th omas Garnier
Arial view of Latona's Parterre following rest oration. Photo : Toucan wings 19 Disassembly of the tiered water centrepiece. March - June 2013
The tiered water centrepiece was fully diassembled for the first time since its construction by Mansart.
Th e disassembly allowed: - Knowledge to be confi rmed of the const ruct ion of the fountain and its elements, as well as the fi xing of the marble facing and integration of the lead sheets, which is covered in little
th detail by the arch ive documents. Removal of the st atue of Latona on 12 March Removal of the sculpted lead fi gures in May 2013. 2013 (day of the anniversay of the birth of Le Photo : Th omas Garnier - Better evaluation of the act ual st ate Nôtre). Photo : Gilles Truyens of conservation of the masonry st ruc- ture of the tiered centrepiece, which was more damaged than fi rst thought. - Creation of an detailed plan of the positions of the st ones in the dressed- st one inner ch amber designed by Mansart, before careful disassembly st one be st one and aft er the analogous removal of all the exteriour marble coverings. - Confi rmation of the highly deterio- rated condition of the original base, const ituted of oak beams on a thin clay layer, and its replacement with a new foundation.
Detailed notes were made as the Th e terraces of the tiered water centrepiece, aft er the removal of the sculptures. Photo : Th omas Garnier operations progressed to allow an identical result to be produced upon fi nal reassembly.
We are following the work from a to z. We are const antly present at every st age and assist every const ruct ion operation. Laurent Bouillot, Lanfry
Removing the marble facing of the tiered Th e hydrant syst em brought up to date. Photo : Th omas Garnier centrepiece, June to August 2013. Photo : Th omas Garnier
removing the 'spider' Th e mast er part of the fountain's hydraulic network was taken out of the ground for the fi rst time in 300 years. Built in 1666, it later supplied all the fountains and water features in the central parts of the gardens. Removal entailed disassembling the interior dressed- st one vault of the tiered centrepiece and lift ing the whole st ruct ure by crane, which was then posed and rest ored nearby so that the public could follow its rest oration.
Removal of the lead rings of the sp ider on 27th and 28th January 2014. Photo : Th omas Garnier 20 restoration of the hydrant system. April 2014 - April 2015
restoration of the hydrant system: a difficult arbitration between conserving and replacing
Th anks to a variety of expert skills in piping and ancient welding tech niques: - Th ose that could be repaired and those that could not were able to be identifi ed. - Th e type of rest oration to carry out could be identifi ed through analysis of the nature of the lead and level of impurities, the aim being to preserve the old parts as much as possible. - Replacing the modern cast iron st ruct ures from the bottom of the pool with new lead pipes made by fountain engineers according to ancient tech niques.
Traditional 'louch e' welding with a hot iron fi nish. Photo : Th omas Garnier
Taking dimensions for the new nozzles. Photo : Th omas Garnier Preparation for traditional welding. Photo : Th omas Garnier
For the pressure to be consist ent throu- ghout, the rings needed reworking. We hoped to be able to keep them all and just do a few sp ots of welding or add cast lead patch es, but one of them had to be re-made. Gilles Bultez, Head of the fountains service
Preparation for welding on a large pipe. Photo : Th omas Garnier 21 restoration of the marble features. September 2013 - June 2014
Conservation of the old marble features and restoring their contrast and coloured iridescence
Th e project aimed for maximal conservation of the old marble features. Th ey received st ruct ural st rengthening and their dirty surfaces were cleaned in order to rest ore their original tone and lost polych rome colours.
However, certain sect ions that were too deteriorated had to be replaced by new ones, using sources of marble from the original quarries: - Th e coping most covered by water in the pools of the tiered water centrepiece, equating to 30%. - Th e coloured upright marbles and the white marbles of the foundations, between 5 and 10%. - White Carrara marble was put back for the outer coping of the fountain itself, which had been replaced by st one in the 19th century. - Because the old moulding of the st atue of Latona had badly aged, a new moulding was cast to maintain harmony with the rest ored marble st atues.
Rest oration using scree of the old marble. Photo : Th omas Garnier Cleaning the marbles. Photo : Th omas Garnier
We began by cleaning to remove all the dirt and lich en that had become attach ed. To do so we used cellulose compresses soaked with dist illed water that 'soft ened' the dirtiness. We then carried out a sort of 'micro-rub- bing' with micronised corundum powder. Our task also consist ed in repairing the crack s. We did so by piercing a hole or a notch on the back , into which we slid fi bre- glass pins. This done, we sealed the crack s by applying a resin with marble powder added to it, which diff ered according to the colour of the zone. Hence marble that had become brown was revealed to in fact be white (White Carrara). The colours red (Languedoc) and green (Campan Grand Melange) were equally brought out. François Mugg, Tollis
Taking the dimensions of the marble trim. Photo : Th omas Garnier 22 Lead restoration - March 2014
restoration of the lead figures
Th e rest oration operations for these diff erents fi gures were of a highly delicate nature due to the large number of reliefs, for example the tortoises' shells, the skin on the lizards' feet and the folds in the clothes of the countrymen.
Additions for missing feet or claws were created in cast lead in sand moulds and fi xed in place with welding, with the fi nishing touch es added by ch iselling.
Cleaning the lead. Photo : Th omas Garnier
Repairing crack s. Photo : Th omas Garnier Adding the fi nishing touch es by ch iseling on a new cast lead piece. Photo : Th omas Garnier
Following a detailed expert assessment of each lead fi gure and the initial pressure cleaning phase with water to remove the old paint, we proceded to brush the areas where the lead had deteriorated with crack s or internal swelling. We then fi lled the gaps with lead, an operation that, in cast ing terms, is referred to rather poetically as 'retreating with a leaden heart'. Next came the caulking, an operation that consist s in pressing down the newly added lead to remove any interst ices through which water may enter. Chiselling was used to add the fi nishing touch es, giving consist ency to the appearance of the metallic surface and thus removing all signs of reparation. Philippe Pagnon, Foundry de Cou- bertin
Tortue en plomb rest aurée avant sa mise en dorure. Photo : Th omas Garnier 23 re-gilding the lead - March 2015
A one hundred-year old technique for long-lasting gilding
Th e lead fi gures were originally gilded, in st ark contrast to the variety of diff erent coloured marble in the tiered centrepiece. Th is was once ach eived by 'metail' gilding, using a type of varnish containing a large amount of copper fi lings, but at the time the rapid oxidation of the latter meant it had to be repainted every year. Today, it was decided to use gold leaf gilding, also a traditional tech nique but one that is much more durable and therefore considerably more economical in terms of long term maintenance. Before proceding, the gilders prepared the lead sculptures by applying an anti-corrosion treatment followed by two coats of hard surface paint, whose ingredients have remained the same for centuries (linseed oil, turpen- tine, yellow och re as pigmentation and glossy varnish). Th e gold size layer is then applied, which allows the gold leaf to st ick to the surface. Th e leaves are then applied a few hours later. Gilders say that they 'put the size to bed' in the morning and gild in the aft ernoon'. Th ey st ill use the same tools as in the 17th century: gilding knife, cushion and pallet.
Applying a coat of primer. Photo : Th omas Garnier Applying a coat of size. Photo : Th omas Garnier
Leaf gilding. Photo : Th omas Garnier Finishing the gilding. Photo : Th omas Garnier
For the lead sculptures we gild using size, onto which we place 23.5 carat gold leaves. This is what is generally used for outdoor st atues. Florence Bruneau, Atelier Gohard
omas Garnier omas
Photo : Th 24 re-assembling the tiered water centrepiece. September 2014 - April 2015
re-assembling the tiered water centrepiece as it was before
Aft er reinforcement of the foundations, the tiered water centrepiece was re-assembled layer by layer, resp ect ing the original position of the st ones, and mainly using old materials (st one and marble).
Re-assembling the masonry of the tiered centrepiece. September - December 2014. Photo : Th omas Garnier
Th e main pool before re-assembly of the fountain. June 2014. Photo : Th omas Garnier 29th September 2014: putting back the lead rings of the sp ider. Photo : Th omas Garnier
Posing the marble monolith pool. Photo : Th omas Garnier It is our fountain! We have sp ent two years disassem- bling it and moving all the st ones one by one, and fi nally re-assembling it all. When we posed the last slab there was a silence. It was a pleasure to see two years of work Re-assembling the marble facing. November 2014 - April 2015. Photo : Th omas Garnier completed. Laurent Bouillot, Lanfry
Improving the watertightness of the tiered water centrepiece and the pool
Additional waterproofi ng lining was inst alled using a modern method (membrane and resin) in the new st one st ruct ure before the marble was put back . A team of highly- skilled lead craft smen then covered the elliptic pools of the diff erent levels of the tiered water centrepiece with a waterproofi ng layer of thick lead sheets, laid in segments sp rea- ding from the middle outwards. Th is allowed various tech nical problems linked to the expansion of lead and the lead/ marble interface could to be resolved to avoid leaks, thanks to the development of fi xation syst ems compatible with lead waterproofi ng. Th e main pool itself, covered with cement in the 19th century, has received new waterproofi ng all over using a membrane and resins which were then covered, according to the original st ruct ure, with new paving
Waterproofi ng using lead sheets. December 2014 - using sandst one from Fontainebleau. April 2015. Photo : Th omas Garnier 25 Putting back the gilded lead figures - 21st and 22nd April 2015
return of the 74 figures
Th e gilded lead decoration was put back with careful attention paid to positions in order to re- est ablish the perfect ly balanced water features. Th is decoration contrast s, as it did originally, with the white and polych rome marble of the foun- tain whose st ruct ure it lauds.
Photo : Christ ian Milet Photo : Christ ian Milet
Photo : Christ ian Milet Photo : Christ ian Milet
ian Milet Milet ian Photo : Christ : Photo 26 Posing the Latona group of sculpted figures - 4th May 2015
Final stage
Putting back the st atue of Latona, which is a new copy of the original work (taken inside in the 1980s), is the fi nal st age of this rest oration work. Th e new resin and marble powder moulding sits on a new marble monolith pool, whose two bubbling water features were able to be re-est ablished during the rest oration project .
Th e copy of the group of sculptures at the Tollis Th e new copy opposite its predecessor. Photo : Th omas Garnier company workshop. Photo : Th omas Garnier
Photo : Christ ian Milet
Photo : Th omas Garnier Photo : Th omas Garnier Photo : Christ ian Milet 27
First water hook-up of the fountain. 4th May 2015.
Bringing back the original water effects
Th e forms and direct ion of the various jets were meticulously st udied in order to authentically reproduce the wealth of the various water features of the 17th century, as they were list ed in the preliminary st udy phase using diff erent arch ive drawings, paintings or prints of the time. Th e form of the nozzles was modifi ed in conformity with the original place- ments. Th e fountain engineers were able to recreate the form and volume of the jets as they were at the time of the Sun King. Two fountain engineers were trained in bronze work to create new nozzles. Some of the lost , removed or modifi ed water features were also able to be rest ituted, such as the bubbling eff e cts that once animated the upper pool below the st atue of Latona and whose pipes, previously put out of act ion, were uncovered during the disassembly of the st onework of the tiered water centrepiece.
Th e fountain engineers also rest ituted the original taps for controlling the fl ow of the jets and in this way modifying the overall asp ect and the hydraulic arrangement.
View from the façade of the Palace of Versailles over the gardens and view of Latona's Fountain A new nozzle for the lead fi gures. Photo : Th omas Garnier A Heriset (printer). Circa 1715 Versailles, musée national des ch âteaux de Versailles et de Trianon © RMN (Château de Versailles) / Droits réservés
Photo : Christ ian Milet Photo : Christ ian Milet Photo : Christ ian Milet 28
omas Garnier omas Photos : Th Photos 29
omas Garnier omas Photo : Th Photo
Part II
A synergy of professions of excellence 32
Part II — A synergy of professions of excellence The gardeners
Le Nôtre's design restored
André Le Nôtre, the king of gardeners and gardener to the King, gave the French -st yle garden its marks of nobility. Author of the most beautiful gardens of the 17th century, he made Versailles his mast erpiece. Th e gardeners today, in keeping with tradition of the grand parterre de broderie, the gardeners today have been able to being back the face of Latona's Parterre and the area surrounding the Fountain originally given to them by André Le Nôtre.
Landscaping for a more than a century
Posing the st rips of turf by the The company Pinson Paysage Pinson paysage teams. was ch arged with the rest oration Photo : Th omas Garnier of Latona's Parterre and the area surrounding the Fountain, in collaboration with the Gardens Service of the Palace of Versailles.
3,000 metres Today Pinson Paysage is, thanks to its skills, the France's second ranking company for green of metal edging sp aces. A bench mark act or in landscaping for over a century, it employes more than 600 st aff and 700 metres executes numerous project s on a regional and national scale. of box tree border 4,200 m2 of turf The company currently employs 30 apprentices at diff erent levels of training, including one st rips who was taken on esp ecially for this project . 4,500 m2 of sandy soil The project team 6,000 hours of PINSON paysage work : 2 Team Leaders, 2 Mach ine Drivers, 4 highly skilled workers, 1 apprentice and other orphan apprentices from Apprentis d'Auteuil. 33 The legacy of the garden
For more than four centuries the gardeners of Versailles and Trianon have been maintaining with passion one of the world's biggest and most beautiful parks. Th e Palace's vegetal equivalent, the park is a majest ic setting desired from the beginning by Louis XIV for his Palace.
No less than two teams of gardeners are required for the maintenance and management of the gardens and park of Versailles. Assist ed by temporary workers and apprentices, a team of 23 gardeners are resp onsable for the 85 hect ares of the gardens of Versailles and Balbi, situated next to the Royal Vegetable Garden, while a team of 22 gardeners look aft er the 900 hect ares of the gardens of Trianon, the Grand Parc and the Parc du Marly.
Pruning the topiary. Photo : Th omas Garnier Their principal task is the general upkeep of the gardens and park and ensuring the longevity of the groves and Parterres (South, North, Grand Trianon, and the Orangery etc.) Th e gardeners are allocated to certain areas and work all year round, in every season.
These skilful workers are able to: - plant and prune the topiary and rose bushes by hand (with shears and secateurs), We gardeners are - see to the product ion of the 700,000 or so annual plants (340,000 for Versailles and the pairs of hands 350,000 for Trianon) necessary for the decoration of the diff erents parterres for at work every the sp ring and summer fl owering periods, day. Our aim is to - design and produce the fl oral decoration of the large parterres, work discretely, - cut the lawn edging by hand in order to highlight the diff erent parts of the garden, which requires - maintain the green sp aces and adjoined areas, such as the perimeter of the Lake of the great rigorousness. Swiss Guard and the Allée des Trianon, The garden is a - conserve the collect ion, the only one of its kind in the world, of the 1,500 trees in pots living element that in the Versailles Orangery, which includes the 40 orange trees and 20 pruned yew trees ch anges every day. for the Palais de l'Élysée. Joël Cottin, Head Gardener of the These men and women - and there is an increasing number of the latter - have inherited valuable Gardens of Ver- sailles. knowledge from their predecessors, which they in turn transfer to those they train. Th ey st ill use some traditional working methods, as old as 300 years, including pruning the topiary, weeding with hoes and pruning with shears or secateurs.
The Versailles gardeners are employed after a competitive exam, Discover the their qualifi cations job of being a ranging from professional diplomas in horticoltural product ion to engineering degrees in gardener at the horticulture. Palace at latone.chateau- After the work done by Pinson paysage, the Versailles gardeners planted and pruned the versailles.fr 90 topiaries of Latona's Parterre, and are in ch arge of the daily looking aft er of these new sp aces now rest ored to their original arrangements. 34
Part II — A synergy of professions of excellence Fountain Engineers
One hundred-year old knowledge
More than a profession, fountain engineering at Versailles is an inheritence full of traditional and skilled tech niques transferred by generations of fountain engineers. It is this knowledge, which is the only one of its kind in France, that the team of the Water and Fountains Service of Versailles, Trianon, Marly and Saint-Cloud has employed during the rest oration of Latona's Fountain.
The Francine legacy
Les Francine, the INTENDANTS OF WATER AND FOUNTAINS for Louis XIV, are the authors of the hydraulic syst em of the 'Louch e' welding. Photo : Th omas Palace of Versailles, and notably of Latona's Fountain. Th is Garnier famous dynast y of fountain engineers made Versailles a place of excellence for fountain engineering and a bench mark for the whole of Europe. During the King's visit to the gardens the We're ready for 200 fountains were set in motion in accordance with his passing. Th e blow of a whist le was the signal years more! for the fountain engineers to turn their 'clé-lyre' keys to act ivate them. Th e sovereign could thus Gilles Bultez, Head enjoy the full sp lendour of his gardens. of Service for Fountains. A unique profession at Versailles
9 fountain engineers maintain the inestimable hydraulic heritage of the gardens of 200 'louch e' Versailles, constituting 55 fountains, 600 water effects and 35 km of piping. Tech niques weldings and knowledge are carefully preserved to maintain and put on the oldest show at Versailles: the 1,051 hours of work Grandes Eaux Fountain Disp lay. Th e fountain engineers mast er ancient welding tech niques such as on the project 'louch e côtelée' and 'joint coulé' welding. 50 hours of st udies and monitoring The fountain engineers are plumbers by training (Certifi cate of Professional Competence in 39 tonnes of lead plumbing). Th ey become sp ecifi cally fountain engineers at Versailles aft er passing a competitive used exam for plumber-fountain engineer organised by the Minist ry of Culture and Communication, but the real heart of the profession is learned on the job.
The project team See the videos on the fountain Gilles Bultez, engineers Led by head of service Guillaume Acarregui, Jean-Pierre Bianchin, Jean Cancellier, Frédéric Dia, Christophe for Latona. Di Vito, Olivier Grain, Gabriel Novello, Adrien Renault, Julien Garoche Jean-Luc chateauversailles. and renard fr . Studies: Patricia Perron, Daniella Malnar, Gilles Bultez. 35
Part III — A synergy of professions of excellence Metal restorers
Over seventy pieces of lead to restore
With the exception of the marble group of sculptures of Latona and her children, all of the fountain's sculptures are in gilded lead. Countrymen halfway through transformation, frogs, lizards and tortoises were rest ored by the teams of Fonderie Coubertin before being entrust ed to the gilders who added the fi nal touch es to this large scale decoration.
Fonderie de Coubertin
Fondation de Coubertin, recognised as being of public benefi t in 1973, aims to perfect the cultural and professional training of young people from manual professions, and to transfer to them a certain number of values such as concern for perfect ion and quality of work and a sense of honest y and resp onsibility. Repairing crack s with fi nishing by Every year the inst itution contributes to the training of thirty of so young fi ling down. Photo : Th omas Garnier people: joiners, cabinetmakers, metal workers, masons, plast erers and boilermakers, most ly from the Association Ouvrière des Compagnons du Devoir du Tour de France.
An educational project 13,000 kg of lead sculpted in total. 3 young grant-holders, in training with 'compagnons du Devoir', took part in the work on Latona's Fountain, as well as one person in an Act ion Prior to Recruitment agreement (Pôle 3,000 hours Emploi de Guyancourt et Fondation de Coubertin) in the framework of a professionalisation of rest oration work contract . Trained in ironwork tech niques, the apprentices were able to benefi t from the Fondation of the sculptures de Coubertin training programme which is taught in expert workshops: Ateliers St Jacques for and placing the lead metalwork, joinery and st onemasonry and Fonderie de Coubertin for boilermaking and decorative pipework. cast iron.
The project team
Yvon rIO, Direct or of Fonderie de Coubertin. Boilermaker Compagnon du Devoir. Philippe PAGNON, in ch arge of the rest o- ration team, (coppersmith, rest orer of metal sculptures, decorative boilermaker). Gilles LAOT, decorative boilermaker, rest orer (coppersmith, rest orer of metal sculptures), Boilermaker Compagnon du Devoir. Vincent DUPUIS, decorative boilermaker, rest orer (coppersmith, rest orer of sculptures in metal). Boilermaker Compagnon du Devoir. Young people in training at Fondation de Coubertin: Thomas PAGES, Jérémy LAMBOU, Alaric GIrArD, Coralie SZAMEI- TAT, boilermakers, from Compagnons du Devoir, Professional Baccalaureate level in Boilermaking. Young person in training in alternance: Tristan PANSArDI, boilermaker, Advanced Tech nician's Certifi cate in boilerma- king Tech nician in Indust rial Boilermaking at Lycée Jean Macé d’Ivry /Seine, Professional Baccalureate in boilermaking. 2-year apprenticeship contract . 36
Part II — A synergy of professions of excellence Metal Gilders
The experience of Ateliers Gohard
Created in 1962, Ateliers Gohard are located in Paris and New York. Th ey have made a reputation for themselves for their mast ery of gilding, their knowledge and highly skilled teams. Th anks to their profound attatch ement to resp ect ing the rules of the art they have executed prest igious project s such as the fl ame for the Statue of Liberty in New York, the dome and cupola of Les Invalides, Place de la Concorde and, more recently, the principal theatre of Rio de Janeiro and roofs at the Palace of Versailles. Now it is the turn of the lead suclptures of Latona's Fountain.
Since 2013 Ateliers Gohard has been carrying out work for hist oric monuments and private individuals (collect ors, art lovers, artist s or decoration professionals) in both decorative painting and gilding.
Leaf gilding. Photo : Th omas Garnier Adapted training
Gilders work with gold leaf on all surfaces. Th ey see to the preparation and primer coat, the reparure (rest itution of the forms in their st yle), the leaf gilding, or st rict ly sp eaking 'à la détrempe' or 'au mordant', and last ly the fi nishing (burnishing, polishing, varnishing etc.)
Holders of a Certificate of Professional Competence of Ornemanist Gilder work in st udios sp ecialised in framing or the rest oration of ancient object s. Teach ing is focussed on working with wod (frames, seats), fi brous plast er (decorating celings, cornices) and metal. A full piece of work requires twenty or so operations, from the primer to the fi nishing touch es. Before / aft er rest oration. Photo : Th omas Garnier
The project team
200m2 total Lucie Gohard, Laura Mey, Stéphanie Martin, Henda Lazla: gilders with the Certifi cate of surface area to be Professional Competence for Ornemanist Gilder, trained by Ateliers Gohard, who worked in the gilded Coubertin workshops. 35,000 23.5 carat Fabrice Gohard: a Mast er of Art who worked from time to time on the project . gold leaves placed Julie Foucart, Marie-Caroline Bardy: 2 apprentices in their 2nd year at the Bonne Graine 600 hours of work training centre (Certifi cate of Professional Competence for Onemanist Gilder) who contributed during the Artist ic Professions days. 37
Part II — A synergy of professions of excellence Masons Compagnons
reconciling the old and contemporary
Simultaneously inheritors of the legacy of the masons of the 17 th century, and also craft smen using the most recent tech niques, the team of masons from Lanfry have ensured the longevity of the rest oration project for the fountain. Th ey have worked on all the st ruct ural elements, from the underground ch ambers dug in the 17th century to the fi xation syst em for the decorative marble.
Education team work
Lanfry works every day to transfer its knowledge. Th e quality of the work carried out with resp ect for the rules of the art and ancient const ruct ion tech niques is passed on through apprenticships and ongoing training. Consequently, Lanfry const antly
Putting back the keyst ones of the st one vault. employ Compagnons who are learning the profession or their perfect ing skills. At the Photo : Th omas Garnier end of their contract , if they have demonst rated their motivation and validate their correct learning of the skills taught, they are off ered a permanent contract . Th e permanent aim of Lanfry is to create teams of Professional Compagnons who thrive in their work, aqcuire skills, create quality st ruct ures and transfer their knowledge.
The personnel taken on for the work on Latona's Fountain where thus able to perfect their skills in: the removal of st ruct ures with the location and rest oration of sp ecifi c materials; reading a st one-positioning plan; cutting and placing of shoring; rest oration of rubblest one work; carving and placing st ones; and treating and fi nishing.
Rest oration of the joints of the vault. Photo : Th omas Garnier The experience of Lanfry
A family firm, proud of its unusual age and knowledge, Lanfry sp ecialises in the rest oration of hist oric monuments, and is one of the most important in its fi eld on a national level.
3,089 hours The project team of cutting and carving st ones in régis Leclerc: Works Leader, Laurent Bouillot: General Foreman, the workshop 4 people employed on fixed-term contracts: Xavier Allais, Yacouba Diakitte, Moussa 16,038 Diakitte and Pascal Hurteloup 2 stonemason apprentices in the workshop: Jordan Lecourtois and Sach a Kaloupsch i hours on site. 38
Part II — A synergy of professions of excellence Marble restorers
A team of specialists at the service of Latona
Organised into restoration workshops, Tollis is const ituted of sp ecialised teams in which each rest orer brings their sp ecifi c skills in a variety of domains: st one, metal, mosaics, st ucco, fi brous plast er, gypsum, new sculptures and mouldings, mural and multicolour painting, removal and transp ort of works of art, expert examinations and preventative conservation. Th ese teams, who work as much for the Musées de France as for hist oric monuments or private cust omers, are made up of young rest orers who contribute their knowledge through the most innovative methods, and Compagnons with a high level of experience. Th e company regularly trains apprentices.
The teams are composed of restorers trained in the greatest European Inst itutions, such as the École nationale Supérieure des Beaux-Arts, École d'Avignon, the University of Tours, Faculté de la Sorbonne, École Boulle,the Fixing the marble facing during re- assembly. Photo : Th omas Garnier University of Genoa and the Spinelli Inst itute in Florence.
Through to a large number of projects the craft smen at Tollis have been able to demonst rate their skills in the use of diverse materials, such as marble, with resp ect for traditional tech niques. Enrich ed by such knowledge, Tollis was entrust ed, in 2008 for example, with the full rest oration of the marble marquetry of the fl oor in the ch urch of the Dôme des Invalides.
During the work on Latona's Fountain one apprentice rest orer was trained. He was able to help with the removal of parts and the handling in the workshop of the deteriorated marbl, assist with the pre-st rengthening treatment, cleaning by micro-abraision and putting the Before / aft er rest oration. fi nishing touch es to the marble in the workshop. Photo : Th omas Garnier
The project team Mineral matter is alive. When you Steering and administ rative and fi nancial monitoring: Anthony Bécaud, Heidi Derradji, Laurent touch a block , you Hernandez, Olivier Lescaux, Luc Pelletier and Pierre Salanon. see the energy of Rest oration of the marble: François Mugg, Jean-Michel Dausse, Christophe Pouyé, Paulo Hen- those who have riques, Julien rousseau and Gilles Verdure. sweated, like us, over Moulding in resin of the group of marble sculptures: Gwladyss Boissinot, Julien Carpentier, this work. Gilles Houilliez, romain Marot Philippe Torrès. François Mugg, and Julien rousseau Tollis : in social reintegration, employed for the project for treating the marble. 39
Part II — A synergy of professions of excellence roofer Compagnons
The choice of excellence
The watertightness of the lead sheets on the fountain was entrust ed to Le Ny, a company that has sp ecialised for more than 70 years in the rest oration of hist oric heritage. A 60-st rong team of Compagnons trained in ancient and modern tech niques, Le Ny always meets with excellence every demand connect ed to the profession of roofi ng and waterproofi ng, and recently worked on the repair of the roofs of the central sect ion of the Palace of Versailles.
A policy of training
Transfering their knowledge and training young people are priorities for the craft smen of Le Ny. An in-depth and exact ing monitoring of the apprentices gives them the means to carry out their profession with brio; four of them have, moreover, since been awarded the title of 'Meilleur Ouvrier de France' (Best Worker in France). More than 100 young people have been trained by Le Ny over the last 40 years.
There are different forms of training specific to this profession. Th ey Hammering the joints between the begin at the age of 16, either in a tech nical college or in an apprenticeship in an lead sheets. Photo : DR Apprentice Training Centre. Th ey lead to the following qualifi cations: Certifi cate of Professional Competence, Professional Training Certifi cate, Professional Diploma, Additional Specialisation in zinc, Mast ers diploma and Advanced Tech nician's Certifi cate. Th e Compagnons du Tour de France are sp ecial partners of Le Ny.
1,500 hours The project team of work. 12 tonnes of Patrice Giuliani, Anthony Lafond, Antoine Bonnet, Florent Leroux, Compagnons with a lead used. Certifi cate of Professional Competence for Zinc Roofi ng , sp ecialised in the creation of lead covering for hist oric monuments 180 ml of Adil El Mansouri, Works Leader autogenous welding. part III
An experience shared with as many people as possible 42
Part III — An experience shared with as many people as possible The work site uncovered
Because of the central position of Latona's Fountain and Parterre, in the heart of the gardens and the Grand Perspective, the Palace of Versailles wanted to open up this exceptional project to the general public. Th rough the Public Est ablishment's approach for the preservation of heritage and transfer of skills, with the support of Fondation Philanthropia, the craft smen's skills and the various artist ic professions used for the rest oration (decorative plumbing, marble work, gilding, fountain engineering, sculpting, hydraulic engineering, decorative cast iron work etc.) have been showcased throughout the duration of the work.
The millions of visitors who walked along the park's alleys between 2012 and 2015 were thus able to witness fi rst hand each st age of the rest oration of this mast erpiece of the arch itect ure of Le Nôtre's gardens.
In-situ installations for following the project
From 2012, information was provided in a physical format to prepare the public in advance before the st art of the work.
The public was able to follow the work at every st age from a viewing point built overlooking the site, enabling communication with the visitors.
Workshops for the different specialists were housed in temporary buildings situated right next to the site. Visitors were able to discover, for example, the unique rest oration processes and tech niques of the Versailles Fountain Engineers. Multiple events with diff erent members of the public (sch ool groups, people far from museums, the general public etc.) and guided tours were also organised.
Last but not least a multimedia room with free admission, situated next to the fountain engineers' workshop, enabled all the sp ecifi c act ivities developed in relation to the project to be broadcast const antly and in multiple languages, thanks to sp ecially designed and developed material.
In situ information. Photo : Th omas Garnier Viewing point overlooking the site. Photo : Th omas Garnier Th e multimedia room. Photo : Th omas Garnier 43 One-off information events
European Artist ic Profession Days on Latona
In the framework of the restoration of Latona's Fountain 6,570 and sp onsorship by Fondation Philanthropia, a dedicated communications event that last ed for 6 days was put on for sch ool participants groups, people far from museums and the general public. in the Artist ic Professions days Free activities, workshops, demonstrations and discussion sessions with the professio- 155 school nals working on the site were proposed. groups Visitors could notably witness on site: - rest oration of the deteriorated marble, - rest oration of the st ones, - rest oration of the lead sculptures, - rest oration of the gilding on the fountain's lead sculptures, - rest oration of the lead sheets, - rest oration of the piping, - rest oration of the parterre and topiairies.
These days allowed a total of 6,570 people to meet the professionals, which included 155 sch ool groups and groups of people far from musems, equating to 4,295 people, and 2,275 people from the general public.
An unusual collaboration with EPIDE
In a partnership framework the Palace of Versailles off ered the young people of EPIDE (a public est ablishment for integration), aged between 18 and 25, the opportunity to participate in the diff erent act ivities of the Palace: in 2014, 75 young volunteers from EPIDE took part in the artist ic professions days and discovered the work of the craft smen working on the rest oration project for Latona's Fountain.
Workshop with the gardeners on pruning the topiairies. Educational workshop on lead work. Demonst ration by a marble rest orer Photo : Th omas Garnier Photo : Th omas Garnier Photo : Th omas Garnier 44
Part III — An experience shared with as many people as possible #LATONE: the project live on the internet
A dedicated website: latone.chateauversailles.fr
For the first time, 158,000 the Palace of Versailles ch ose to share a major rest oration project live with the general public online. visits since March 2013 Throughout the duration of the works internet users were invited to discover the fountain's 362,000 page hist ory, the mythological legend of Latona and the st ages of the rest oration. visits Over the seasons and key moments of the works, several hundred photos and videos were post ed on the dedicated web site, available in 4 languages (French , English, Spanish and Japonese) as well as on the social networks with the hashtag Latone. Th ese images permitted an underst anding of a major heritage operation, its ch allenges, diff erent st ages and the synergy of talents that made it possible.
Enthusiastis and those simply curious could also ask questions to the gardeners, fountain engineers, arch itect s and rest orers of Latona, and share their own pict ures of the work. Th e web site's timeline allowed this content post ed by users to be viewed and discussions opened between visitors and sp ecialist s.
Screen print of latone.ch ateauversailles.fr 45 Discovering artistic professions
A dedicated playlist: https://www.youtube.com/chateauversailles 30 videos produced and The restoration of Latona's Fountain published. is a wonderful opportunity to reveal the artist ic professions that bring Versailles to life even today. 120,000 Throughout the duration of the work a camera followed the fountain engineers, views gardeners, marble workers, masons and metal gilders who contributed to this large-scale operation, unveiling their art.
How is 17 th-century piping restored? Where are the st atues re-gilded? What is 'louch e' welding?
All the secrets of this historic restoration are revealed on the Palace of Versailles's Youtube ch annel and at latone.ch ateauversailles.fr
Part IV
Fondation Philanthropia "Fondation Philanthropia is committed to supporting the restoration of Latona's Fountain. Th is is because the Fondation places great importance on transmitting heritage, one of its major concerns. At Versailles this heritage is not only an architectural 'gem'; it also reveals the invaluable skills represented by all the artistic professions involved in the renovation work. As a foundation our engagement is to bring about our donor's philanthropic initiatives. It does not only include the conservation of masterpieces and the transfer of knowledge, but also encompasses the adaptation of the estate of the Palace of Versailles to the major challenges of the future, whether in the development of new sources of private funding or long-lasting access to rare, traditional knowledge..."
Th ierry Lombard, President of Fondation Philanthropia
"The rest oration of Latona's Fountain has allowed a 'bond of excellence' to be est ablished between the past and the present through the timeless work of artist ic professions. The Latona project has off ered the public the opportunity to see the trans- mission of knowledge, but has also allowed the employment of ten or so apprentices by companies involved in the rest ora- tion. We have decided to syst ematise this training across all our heritge project s from now on."
Catherine Pégard, President of the Public Inst itution of the Palace, Museum and National Est ate of Versailles. 49
Part IV — Fondation Philanthropia Encouraging philanthropic engagement
200 years of civic-minded committment have taught Lombard Odier bank that giving is an art that is as wonderful as it is demanding. In order to share this long philanthropical tradition with its clients, and for them to profi t from the experience and expertise acquired over the years, Lombard Odier has developed a consultancy service in philanthropy. In this way the bank supports its clients by helping them put together sp onsorship st rategies that meet their ambitions and ch oose without st ress the ways and means of their donations.
Created by Lombard Odier, Fondation Philanthropia is one of the concrete forms of this philanthropical advice service. It is a recognised public-benefi t foundation in Switzerland, regist e- red in the administ rative dist rict of Vaud. It is part of the long Swiss philanthropic tradition with, in particular, the desire for citizen engagement on a local and international level, continuing in the sp irit of Geneva.
Like Fondation de France, Fondation Philanthropia is a foundation that allows its donors to become involved via two means: 1. Financing project s that bring together multiple donors through funds known as 'Thematic Funds'. 2. Creating their own personalised compartment called 'Host ed Funds'.
In this way it allows the administ rative procedures to be simplifi ed and cost s to be shared. It also facilitates the sharing of experiences and consequently maximises effi ciency and the impact of donations.
Backed by an establishment that is over 200 years old - Lombard Odier bank - Fondation Philanthropia also guarantees donors durability for their philanthropic engagements and resp ect for their desires across the generations.
Fondation Philanthropia covers all domains of citizen engagement such as art and culture, social act ions, education, the environment and medical research .
Since its creation in 2008 Fondation Philanthropia has committed more than 43 million Swiss Francs to 75 or so organisations.
In France, for example, the donors of Fondation Philanthropia have supported causes as diverse as the international work of Apprentis d’Auteuil, the creation of a socio-psych ological support unit for young patients at Inst itut Curie, and the development of the SOS Amitié telephone list ening platform.
In parallel, 18 Hosted Funds have pursued their own project s in areas ch osen by the donors, such www.fondationphi- as supporting people with Parkinson's disease, research against cancer, education and ch ildhood in lanthropia.org Asia, professional integration for disabled people and giving university bursaries.
Part V
The history of a masterpiece 52
Part V — Th e hist ory of a mast erpiece Construction of Latona's Fountain
Today, Latona's Fountain is one of the most prest igious decorative st ruct ures in the park of Versailles, situated at the top of a Parterre which bears its name. Positioned on the principal axis of the palace, it was designed in several phases, each one attatch ed to the const ruct ion of an element: landscaping work on the Parterre itself, const ruct ion of the main pool and fi nally const ruct ion of the pyramid.
The current pyramid-like shape of the fountain was the work of Jules-Hardouin Mansart (1687-1689). Th e Latona pyramid is composed of four oval-shaped tiers covered with white and red marble. Each of the foun- tain's three levels form a pool containing a collect ion of lead frogs, mixed in the lower pool with people part way through transformation. View from the facade of the Palace of Versailles over the gardens and view of Latona's Fountain The statue of Latona surrounded by her children A Heriset (printer) at the top of the upper tier, and Apollo and Circa 1715 Diana, a work by the brothers Gasp ard and Balthazar Marsy, dominate the composition and look © RMN (Château de Versailles), DR towards the Grand Canal. At the foot of the pyramid, surrounding it, are tortoises and lizards emer- ging from the surface of the water, representing the countrymen punished by Jupiter. Th e fountain is animated by multiple water features sp read out across the three upper pools and the lower pool. Th e 74 water jets are fed by a double ring in lead forming a veritable 'sp ider' situated in the underground vaulted ch amber. With its marble pyramid, decorative st atues and water eff e cts, Latona's Fountain const itutes the greatest decoration of its kind across the park of Versailles, playing an essential deco- rative and hydraulic role.
Changes to the fountain over the centuries
The fi rst works (1665-1671)
A single pond, called the Oval Fountain, built from 1665 on the site of the current Latona's Fountain, to open up the Grande Persp ect ive harmonize with Apollo's Fountain at the other end. Lack ing any decoration, the fountain was fi rst embellished with water eff e cts in 1666: 6 bubbling features were sp read out around a tall central water jet and 20 peripheral jets were placed at the edge.
In 1667 the first lead decorations were installed. 20 frogs, painted or left plain, were placed around the edge of the pool. Th e Oval Fountain then became the Frogs Fountain. At the same time, 24 tortoises were inst alled to decorate the two circular pools of the Parterre. 53 In May 1668, the Marsy brothers were tasked with sculpting the pool's figures. Th e iconographic programme illust rates the fl ight of Latona and her ch ildren, Diana and Apollo, thus introducing the theme of the sun god so dear to Louis XIV. Gasp ard Marsy worked on the white marble centrepiece depict ing Latona and her ch ildren isolated on a small rock ; this sculpture was to give the pool and indeed the entire parterre its name. At the same time, Balthazar Marsy created the lead fi gures of the 6 countrymen set above the 6 water jets.
In 1670, the countrymen, the frogs and the tortoises were covered with a gilded size, giving them a precious appearance. Treatment of lead with bronze paint was a traditional tech nique in the late 17th century that was extensively used on the lead sculptures in the various fountains at Versailles. Th e golden appearance was ach ieved by applying a composition based on bronze powder (copper, pewter, zinc, iron, etc.)
The defi nitive fountain by Jules Hardouin- Mansart (1686-1689)
In 1686, Jules Hardouin Mansart enhanced the
View of the façade of the central part fountain's décor by adding elements in the decorative tast e of of the Palace of Versailles (prior to const ruct ion of the Hall of Mirrors) the time. An oval centrepiece with four tiers was built. Th e last tier served as a base for the st atue of on the Water Parterre and the Latona Fountain, circa 1675. Latone; on the other three st and the frogs, which had previously been placed at the edges of the pool's Collect ion published under the reign of Louis XIV (1643-1715). Perelle coping. On the lower tier the countrymen mingle with the frogs. At the foot of the tiers feature new family fi gures by Bertin: four frogs and six lizards. Th e pyramid, initially built of st one and given a fake Versailles, musée national des ch âteaux de Versailles et de Trianon marble paint, was now rebuilt in real marble. © RMN (Château de Versailles) / Gérard Blot Rest oration campaigns in the 19th and 20th centuries
1824-1826 Work was carried out on the bottom and banks of the pool, including cleaning the marble.
1850-1851 A major rest oration was performed by Charles Quest el. Th e work mainly focused on the st ruct ural parts of the pool and the pyramid. A general overhaul of the fountain was also engaged: the marble, lead and st atues were rest ored.
1888-1889 A maintenance campaign was conduct ed, mainly to improve the pool's appearance.
1941-1942 Aft er the rest orations of the 19th century, no work was done until 1940, when a series of interventions were carried out on the masonry, the marble and the lead fi gures.
In the 1980s, act s of vandalism led to the replacement of the original group of sculptures of Latona and her ch ildren by a marble-powder mould. It is kept in the sculptures and moulds gallery of the small st ables of the Palace of Versailles. Th e sculpted group is currently on show (until 20 March 2016) at the Musée des Beaux-Arts in Arras, as part of the exhibition titled Le ch âteau de Versailles en 100 ch efs-d'œuvre. 54
Part V — Th e hist ory of a mast erpiece Mythology at the service of the message
The legend of Latona
In roman mythology, Latona, the mother of Diane and Apollo, was forced into perpetual fl ight by Juno, jealous of the infi delities of her husband Jupiter. As she passed through Lycia in Asia Minor, she halted by a lake to drink, but some peasants prevented her from doing so. Aft er pleading with them, Latona fell into a rage and implored Jupiter to avenge her, cursing the peasants: “May you live forever in your pond”. Th e peasants were immediately transformed into frogs and toads.
Interpretation
The Latona Fountain portrays this precise moment as if caught in a snapshot: the metamorphosis of the peasants while Latona pleads to Jupiter and her two ch ildren st retch out their arms. Some of the peasants have already become frogs, while others are st ill being transformed. Several of their hands now have just four fi ngers and are on the point of becoming webbed. Some of their heads have assumed hybrid shapes. Th e monst ers were originally created in polych rome-painted lead to give the illusion of real colour and highlight Latona and her ch ildren the whiteness of the marble group by contrast . Th e water sp outing from their Photo : Christ ian Milet mouths symbolises the curses and threats they are heaping upon Latona and the harsh croaking noises to which they are now condemned.
Historians have seen the tale of Latona as an allusion to the punishment of the 'Frondeur' nobles who rebelled against royal authority during Louis XIV’s ch ildhood, but there are no commentaries from the period to back up this interpretation. However, it is undeniable that the theme of the fountain does illust rate the divine protect ion aff orded to Apollo, the symbol of the sovereign. More generally, it embodies the vict ory of civilisation, sculpted in white marble, over the monst rous forces of revolt fi ghting against the divine order.
Details of the sculpted décor of the Latona Fountain Photo : Th omas Garnier 55
Part V — Th e hist ory of a mast erpiece A masterpiece of hydraulic engineering
The Latona Fountain is the central element of the garden's Grand Perspective, but is also the heart of the hydraulic syst em at Versailles. It plays a key role in supplying the fountains, forming a link between the upper pools (on the terraces: Water Parterre and Fight of the Animals) and the lower pools (Apollo's Chariot, Bacch us, Great Mirror and Roman Ladies, and the fountains in the Dauphin, Girandole, Obelisk and Colonnade groves). All these fountains depend totally on Latona which , thanks to its water features and water collect ed in the underground tunnels, supplies the necessary fl ow and pressure through valves.
Water effects Underground mach inery of the Latona Fountain prior to rest oration The Latona Fountain Photo: Th omas Garnier is ch aract erised by the number, type, tiering and combination of its water features dist ributed between the three upper ponds and the lower pool.
In line with the pyramid, the fl owing water supplies pools which fl ow out incrementally in waterfalls, ending up in the lower pool.
The water effects include oblique jets on the peripheral crown at the base of the pyramid and two Volume: 449 m3 large lateral sp rays. Water height: 0.70 The hydraulics of the pool m remained virtually unch anged between the 1680s (const ruct ion of the pyramid) and the mid-19th century. Since then, the main ch ange has been the removal of the vertical 74 water eff ect s jets on the second tier. Modifi cations to the shape and intensity of the jets have also been identifi ed: 72 jets: Ø 50 transformation of the two lateral lances into sp rays, a reduct ion in the curve radius of the jets on the 2 sp rays: Ø 150 ring of lizards and tortoises, etc. 3 water blades Latona's water effects rely on adundance, with 74 nozzles allowing the controlled diff usion of the water jets. 56
Part V — Th e hist ory of a mast erpiece Latona Parterre
With a surface area of almost 3.5 hectares, the Latona Parterres mark the starting point of the garden's Grand Perspective and frame the monumental Latona Fountain.
Created in 1665 as part of the first embellishment work ordered by Louis XIV, these parterres of lawns cut out in the shape of shells lasted until the early 19th century, although they were modified somewhat in the 17th and 18th centuries.
The main changes only concerned the shape of the pieces cut out of the lawn, as the original palm leaf was turned into a shell motif. The general arrangement and size of the parterre remained unchanged, however. In 1818, the parterres were transformed into simple lawn compartments bordered by flowerbeds.
In 2013, on the occasion of the restoration of the Latona Fountain and the anniversary of André Le Nôtre's birth, a decision was made to return to the pattern of the original parterres.
Latona parterres aft er rest oration Photo : Toucanwings 57
Part V — Th e hist ory of a mast erpiece The sculptures in the Latona Parterre
Like an outdoor statue museum, the gardens of Versailles contain numerous masterpieces of French sculpture dating from the reign of Louis XIV. The Year of Le Nôtre in 2013 provided an opportunity to focus on the sculpted heritage of the gardens with a programme of restitution of statues in the style of the originals. The copies of two sculpture groups, Milon de Crotone and Persée et Andromède by Pierre Puget, one of the greatest artists of the reign of Louis XIV, were re-installed in their original positions at the entrance to the Great Lawn, thanks to the generosity of Fondation Nexans, HUGO et Cie, and Mr and Mrs Jacques Morau.
Standing in the place of honour on the instructions of Louis XIV himself, these two masterpieces show that the Versailles of Louis XIV did not confine itself to the talents of official artists working for the king in Paris and Milon de Crotone. Pierre Puget Persée et Andromède. Pierre Puget 1672-1683 1679-1684 Versailles: Puget spent the whole of his career working in Italy and Provence, Photo : Didier Saulnier Photo : Didier Saulnier far away from the Royal Court. In terms of iconography, the Milo statue is also quite surprising: it shows a presumptuous hero, caught out by his own pride, being devoured by a wild beast, thus seemingly contradicting the image of the all-power- ful Sun King. Puget's sculptures, the originals of which are now in the Louvre, left Versailles in the early 19th century.
return of the antiques
Since the 1680S the Latona Parterre has been home to around 20 marble sculptures which are copies of the antique masterpieces, now kept in Rome. Next to Puget's Persée et Andromède, the Paetus et Arria statue, also in the form of a mould, has recently been returned to its original position. The original work (restored thanks to the Société des Amis de Versailles and private donors) is now in the sculptures gallery in the King's Small Stables.
Paetus et Arria The campaign to protect the sculpted masterpieces of the gardens François Lesp ingola 1684-1688 Photo : DR More than two hundred marble sculptures feature in the gardens of Versailles: this is the world's biggest and finest collection of French sculpture. To protect this legacy of Louis XIV, a campaign to put the original works in shelter and replace them with copies has been underway since 2008. The campaign is currently focusing on the terms in the Latona Parterre. After Plato's term (restored and replaced thanks to a donation from the company International Exchange – ICE), that of Hercules (restored thanks to a donation from HUGO et Cie) has now been replaced. The remaining eight terms will be replaced in the coming years. partie VI
Appendices 60
Part VI - Appendices The Park of Versailles, a colossal work of art
Much more than a haven of greenery, the gardens of Versailles are an integral part of the royal est ate. With their complex, harmonious arch itect ure ech oing the persp ect ives of the Palace, they are an extension, an outdoor companion of the Palace. Struct ured by a succession of terraces, pools, parterres and persp ect ives, they are the very epitome of the French formal garden.
The groves, hidden amongst the park's woodland, contain water features, sculptures and arrangements that off er surprise and fantasy to off set this st rict orderliness. Once used as venues for private funct ions and concerts, they are outdoor salons enclosed by trellises.
redesigned countless times under Louis XIV and then View of the Grand Perspective th from Latona parterres to the under the reigns of his successors, as well as throughout the 19 century, the gardens of Versailles Grand Canal have always been a const antly-evolving landscape. Badly damaged by the hurricanes of 1990 and Photo : Bedrone 1999, the park and some of its groves have been replanted and rest ored over the last 20 years.
The Estate of Versailles in figures - 1500 trees in boxes in the Orangery, including 900 orange trees Total surface area of 787 hectares Effects of the 1990 and 1999 hurricanes 1500 trees - Grand Parc: 428 hectares - dest royed in 1990 10,000 trees destroyed in 1999 - Domaine de Trianon: 96 hectares - - Garden and its groves : 77 hectares Outdoor statues - Domaine de Marly: 53 hectares Sculptures in the Petit Parc (vases, bowls, terms, st atues, 39 hectares - Lake of the Swiss Guard: reliefs, mascarons, bust s, candelabras, capitals, groups), - Grand Canal: 24 hectares including:
- 235 vases The garden's plant structures - 155 statues, 86 sculpted groups - 350,000 trees on the est ate - 40 km of arbours Pools and fountains - 32 hectares of lawns - 55 pools and fountains - 43 km of walkways - more than 600 water features - 700 topiaries in 67 diff erent shapes - 35 km of hydraulic pipes - 300,000 flowers planted each year by the gardeners 61
Part VI - Appendices Prepare your visit to the gardens
For further Access information www.ch ateauversailles.fr On foot . From the Latona Fountain and through the est ate's gates. By car. Château de Versailles Via the Queen's Gate and Saint Antoine's Gate. Car parks. facebook.com/ch ateauversailles Authorised access with an admission fee: 7 am-7 pm in high season, 8 am-6pm in low season. @CVersailles DISABILITY ACCESS. Access free of ch arge to the park for vehicles transp orting disabled people. twitter.com/CVersailles Elevators at the top of the north parterre and at the Little Venice Gate. Château de Versailles Reserved parking sp aces. plus.google.com/+ch ateauversailles
Chateauversailles inst agram.com/ch ateauversailles
Photos Souvenir Opening times fl ick r.com/groups/versaillesfamille
Château de Versailles st youtube.com/ch ateauversailles High season (1 April - 31 Oct ober)
Versailles Media - Park open every day from 7 am to 8.30 pm*. media.ch ateauversailles.fr - Gardens open every day from 8 am to 8.30 pm*. - Groves accessible only on the Grandes Eaux days: Tuesdays and weekends from 9 am to 6 pm. Low season (1st November - 31 March ) - Park and gardens open every day from 8 am to 6 pm*. - Groves closed. * Except for exceptional events and during bad weather. Check with www.ch ateauversailles.fr before your visit.
rates
The park is free of charge every day, all year long for pedest rians and cyclist s. The gardens are free of charge except on Grandes Eaux days: Tuesdays and weekends through to 28 Oct ober.
Jardins de Versailles app
For a discovery of the gardens of Versailles, a symbol of French formal gardens and a mast erpiece by their creator, André Le Nôtre.
Free app available from the App Store and Google Play, in French, English and Chinese. 62
Part VI — Appendices Grandes Eaux Musicales
It was in 1666 - in order to please the King - that the water features in the pools and gardens were switched on for the first time: the very fi rst Grandes Eaux. Today this tradition continues at Versailles with water eff ect s and baroque music in the gardens.
Spectators of the Grandes Eaux Musicales will discover the fountains, pools and groves with their water fl owing to the sound of music. Several visit circuits include many of these mast erpieces and the most secret parts of the garden.
The Latona Fountain is now rest ored to the heart of the persp ect ive aft er two years of rest oration work, and will be the highpoint of the Grandes Eaux this year.
Grandes Eaux Musicales 4500 m3 of water per hour DISCOVErY OF THE FOUNTAINS AND GrOVES AND THEIr WATEr FEATUrES to the sound of music. 850 hectares Several visit circuits include many of these mast erpieces and the most secret parts of the garden. In of Parks and the sp irit of the ceators of Versailles, relive the mast erpeices created over a period of two centuries. Gardens to visit Saturdays and Sundays from 28 March to 1st November, Tuesdays from 26 May to 30 June 13 groves open Exceptional dates: 8 May, 14 May, 14 July, from 9 am to 6.30 pm for the occasion 55 fountains Jardins Musicaux st arted up 30 km of pipes, In summer, to allow visitors to discover and enjoy the gardens even more, the groves unch anged since the and protect ed parts of the park are open on certain Tuesdays for a musical st roll: a magical moment 17th century of discovery in the French gardens dreamed up by Le Nôtre, amongst the multitude of st atues on 10,000 - the walkways, and in the shade of the sp aces protect ed and preserved by the gardeners of Versailles. 12,000 Tuesdays from 2 April to 14 May 2014, then from 2 July to 29 Oct ober 2014, 9 am to 6.30 pm. visitors each day... Grandes Eaux Noct urnes
Every Saturday evening in summer information and , a walk last ing 2hrs30 in the gardens of Versailles with all rates at chateau- the water features in full fl ow, and with music, light and a fi rework disp lay at the Grand Canal. versailles-spec- Saturdays from 20 June to 19 September, except Saturday 4 July, walk from 8.30 pm to 11.05 pm, and tacles.fr fi rework disp lay from 10.50 pm to 11.05 pm.