The South Beds (5)
spread under the Queen’s windows. On the right of the picture,
is the overview on the terraces of the Orangerie (see below),
and beyond, the water basin of the Suisses.
The North Beds (2)
spread under the King’s first appartment. In the centre of the bed,
one guesses the Fountain of the Pyramid and on each side the Basins of the Crowns.
The Basin of Neptune (4)
, at the bottom of the North Bed, is the biggest basin in the “small Park” of Versailles.
Immediately before the Great Basin, one notices a round basin, the Basin of the Dragon (3)
ornamented with several groups of lead statues scattered on the water. Four dolphins swim around the dragon.
The Water Beds (1)
are two large basins on the esplanade of the Palace.
The Orangerie (6)
, retaining the South Beds, is flanked by two wings supporting two large flights of stairs
(the Hundred Steps). At the time of Louis XIV, the Orangerie housed 2000 orange
trees and 1000 heads of pink laurel. The hall built under the South Beds
is organized around a central vaulted 155 meters long gallery.
The Bed itself is composed of six pieces of lawn around a circular basin.
The two side galleries of the Orangerie support the Hundred Steps (7)
which allow to link the water basin of the Suisses (8)
to the South Terrace. On the picture is the great stair on the east side.
