King's Kitchen Garden

Built between 1678 and 1683 at the request of Louis XIV, the Potager du Roi is a unique example of a French Baroque kitchen garden whose original aims have been preserved: to produce, experiment and pass on knowledge.
Covering 9 hectares in the heart of Versailles, the Potager du Roi is a masterpiece of the art of the regular French-style productive garden. Built between 1678 and 1683 by Jean-Baptiste de La Quintinie at the request of Louis XIV, it is a listed historic monument and a remarkable garden. It is an integral part of the Versailles estate, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Since the 17th century, its gardeners have been perpetuating the art of pruning and growing a wide variety of fruit and vegetables.

Open to visitors only since 1991, the Potager du Roi is now the historic site of the École nationale supérieure de paysage, which is responsible for its conservation, management and development. In today's context of transition, this link has enabled it to assert a strong identity as a pioneering site since its creation: the Potager du Roi continues to produce in an urban environment with a focus on short circuits, an experimental approach to new cultivation techniques, such as agroecology, and a real involvement in training, research and creation.

Programming

The Potager du Roi is a place where people of all ages can meet, share and learn about a wide range of cultural themes, including gardening, cooking, dance, theatre, music, art and much more. In partnership with the town of Versailles, Esprit Jardin, for example, brings together garden enthusiasts. Le Mois Molière is a chance to (re)discover a classical repertoire staged in an exceptional setting, while Les Saveurs du Potager showcases the diversity of fruit and vegetable production.

Visits, workshops and training in the garden

Every weekend from April to October, at 11am, 2.30pm and 4pm, guided tours are offered to discover the riches of the site with professional guide-lecturers, gardeners or passionate landscape students. A wide range of workshops and short courses on gardening, such as the Natural Kitchen Garden, Embellishing and Cultivating a Garden and Medicinal Plants, are open to the general public (Guided tour provided in French only).

Loyalty programme

Unlimited access to the Potager du Roi is available thanks to an annual membership card, the Clé du Potager, which also offers a range of discounts at the site's bookshop.

Volunteering at the Potager du Roi

Volunteers are welcome to take part in a range of activities at the Potager du Roi. A programme has been put in place to enable volunteers to help with site maintenance, gardening and events.

The bookshop

The site's boutique-bookshop 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 grown in the Potager. Fresh produce is available according to the season and the weekly markets. The specialist bookshop has over 800 books and magazines on gardening, ecology, cooking, agriculture and landscaping.