King's Kitchen Garden

Park and garden

Built at the request of Louis XIV, the site of the École nationale supérieure de paysage, the Potager du Roi, is open to visitors. Classified as a historic monument and listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, it hosts a rich programme of events

The King's Kitchen Garden
Historic site of the École nationale supérieure de paysage

The Potager du Roi, the historic site of the École nationale supérieure de paysage, covers 9 hectares in the heart of Versailles. It is a masterpiece of the art of the regular French garden with a productive vocation. Built between 1678 and 1683 by Jean-Baptiste de La Quintinie at the request of Louis XIV, it is classified as a Historic Monument and Remarkable Garden. It is an integral part of the Versailles estate, which is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Since the 17th century, its gardeners have been perpetuating the art of pruning and cultivating a wide variety of fruits and vegetables.

Accessible to visitors only since 1991, the Potager du Roi is today the historic site of the École nationale supérieure de paysage, which ensures its conservation, management and development. In the context of current transitions, this link allows it to assert a strong identity as a precursory place since its creation: the Potager du Roi indeed pursues a production activity in an urban environment oriented towards short circuits, an experimental approach of new cultivation techniques, such as agroecology, and a real involvement in training, research and creation.

Programming
During the summer months, visitors can discover a rich and varied programme of cultural events at the Potager du Roi: dance, exhibitions, theatre, concerts, etc. regularly take over the garden. The Plastique Danse Flore festival, for example, offers an annual encounter with contemporary creation, while the Mois Molière allows visitors to (re)discover a classical repertoire staged in an exceptional setting, and Les Saveurs du Potager promotes the diversity of fruit and vegetable production. In connection with the ENSP's teaching and research, the Potager du Roi is also a reference venue for scientific symposiums, workshops and conferences, open to professionals and the general public.

Visits, workshops and training in the garden
Every weekend from April to October, group visits with lecturers are offered to discover the richness of the site. A wide range of workshops and training courses, such as the Art of Bonsai, Embellishing and Cultivating a Garden and Floral Art, are open to the general public.

Loyalty programme
The Potager du Roi has unlimited access thanks to an annual membership card, which also offers a range of discounts at the site's bookshop.

Volunteering at the Potager du Roi
Volunteers are welcome to participate in a range of activities at the King's Garden. A programme has been set up to help with maintenance work on the site, gardening work and activities to welcome visitors and organise events.

The bookshop
The site's boutique-library sells fruit and vegetables from the Potager du Roi as well as processed products - juices, jams, honey, coulis, etc. - and by-products such as cosmetics made from plants from the Potager. Fresh products are available according to the seasons and the weekly markets. The specialised bookshop has more than 800 references of books and magazines in the fields of gardening, ecology, agriculture and landscape.

General information

Spoken languages :

Suitable tourism :Accessible for wheelchairs with assistance

Surcharge tourismes adaptes :1

Surcharge descriptif handicap moteur :1

Surcharge descriptif handicap auditif :1

Surcharge descriptif handicap visuel :1

Surcharge descriptif handicap mental :1

Surcharge nombre fauteuils roulants :1

Specific customers :Cycle 3: college (6th)Cycle 3: elementary school (CM1, CM2)ChildrenCycle 1: nursery schoolCycle 2: elementary SchoolSpecial rate for jobseekersCycle 4: middle SchoolHigh schoolGroupsHigher EducationStudents

Openings

All year round, daily between 10 am and 6 pm.
Closed exceptionally on January 1st, May 1st and December 25th.

Fares

Full price: 5 €
Reduced price: 3 €
Student: 3 €
Job seeker: 3 €
Group adults: 135 €
Set price group adults: 200 to 260 €
Set price group children: 105 €.

Free entry for children < 26 years, accompanying guides, children accompanied by an adult, disabled people, disabled people and accompanying persons.

Normal price : 4,5€ the full week and 7€ the weekend and bank holiday
Reduced: 3€ ( students, job seekers, children from 12 to 17 years )

Low season (November till March) : Single rate of 3€ per adult, free for children under 12 years old and people with disabilities

Groups with lecturer (max 30 people per group) : 200€ (105€ for school and groups without lecturer).
Additional fee of 35€ for foreign language tour.