FRENCH FASHIONS 205 



king. Behind the glass doors hundreds of Louis' 

 favourite orange trees were protected during the winter, 

 and thence distributed over the grounds in summer- 

 time. In front of the orangery was a parterre de- 

 signed by La Quintinie. 



The " bosquets " occupied by far the greater portion The bos- 

 of the park. Most of them still exist, although the q ' 

 wrought-iron gates which shut them in have often 

 disappeared, and the trees are kept less trim than 

 formerly. They were constructed by Le Notre, after the 

 symmetrical avenues, intersecting the old hunting forest 

 of Louis XIII, had been completed. Each "bosquet" 

 was a grove of trees arranged to outline some geomet- 

 rical pattern, and containing an ornamental feature in 

 its centre. The first was the " Labyrinth," designed 

 about 1615; the last, the "Colonnade," was finished in 

 1686. But each portion was remodelled again and 

 again. The Palatine writes that " there is not a place 

 at Versailles, which has not been done over ten times, 

 often only to be worse for the change in the end." 

 Among the most celebrated of these ornamental groves 

 were the " Labyrinth," the " Theatre d'Eau," the " Salle 

 de Bal," the " Marais," the " Bosquet des Domes," the 

 " Isle d'Amour," and the " Quincunx du Midi." 



The " Bosquet des Domes" is perhaps the most inter- The Bosquet 

 esting of those now remaining. On its site was origi- 

 nally placed the Grotto of Thetis, where La Fontaine 



