The Grille de l’Etoile Royale of Versailles !!!

Posted in Europe, France, Versailles

Here I am back to my dear Versailles , once a home never forgotten for the wonderful experiences in the royal City of my belle France, I have written many posts on the City and monuments and anecdotes but never enough. In France, we make a distinction between the Château or Palace and the Domaine or estate of Versailles. One is just one building while the latter is the whole property including dependencies. I found me new pictures from my cd rom vault that should be in my blog for you and me, Let me take you way back in the gardens a bit of walk but all marvelous who said you can see it in one day lol !! Therefore, let me tell you a bit of the Grille de l’Etoile Royale of Versailles !!! Hope you enjoy the post as I.

Way back of the Grand Canal you can walk past the Etoile Royale and to the Grille De L’Etoile Royale that gives to the D7 road or Rue du Dr Vaillant past it you go into the Chemin de l’Avenue de Villepreux and past the Fermes de Gally (see post) and moving straight on you are in the plaine of Versailles, This is now the territory of the town of Saint Cyr l’Ecole (see post), Before the French revolution it was all part of the Domaine de Versailles which includes the palace, trianons, hameau, gardens of today,

Designed in 1680 by Jules Hardouin-Mansart, the Grille de l’Etoile royale or Royal Star Gate marked the main entrance to the domaine (estate) under Louis XIV; it was the solemn entrance for ambassadors and monarchs. Access has been exceptionally closed since the 2015 Vigipirate anti terrorist plan. Following a petition, the gate was reopened from June to October, only on weekends and public holidays. This Allée Royale station is located on the Grande Ceinture line of Paris, which became Line 13 of the Île-de-France tramway, between Les Portes de Saint-Cyr and Bailly stations. The gate is under restoration work , which should be completed in October 2025. With the celebration of the gardens’ 350th anniversary in 2027 with a formal entrance. The Grille de l’Etoile royale, which provides access to the palace grounds from Saint-Cyr-l’École, should reopen at the end of June.

The Allée royale de Villepreux, created in 1680 by André Le Nôtre, gardener to Louis XIV and chief organizer of Versailles, is at the center of the plaine de Versailles plain. An extension of the Grand Canal, this axis is part of the “Grand Perspective” imagined by André Le Nôtre on either side of the Palace. It starts at the Bassin d’Apollon with the Tapis vert, an esplanade that descends towards the Grand Canal. Beyond, the alley starts from the roundabout known as L’Étoile Royale and crosses the cities of Versailles, Saint-Cyr-l’École, Fontenay-le-Fleury, Rennemoulin and Villepreux. The Royal Alley was the main one of the five alleys that branched off in a bundle from the Etoile Royale, forming a majestic landscaped ensemble that was compared to “the hand of the King resting on his territory.” Originally, it was a grassy avenue 97 meters wide. Clear in its center, it is framed on both sides by two main 5 meters avenues, bordered by a double alignment of field elms. Having fallen into oblivion, this axis is now the subject of an ambitious restoration project by the Versailles Grand Parc urban community. The 18.8 km long Tram 13 Express line, serving 7 towns, connects Saint-Germain-en-Laye to Saint-Cyr-l’École. The Allée Royale station provides access to the parc/gardens of the Château de Versailles.

The official Château de Versailles on some walks in the domaine: https://en.chateauversailles.fr/discover/estate/gardens/walks#the-water-walk

The Versailles tourist office on the parc domaine de Versailles tour : https://www.versailles-tourisme.com/parcours-velo-la-plaine-de-versailles.html

The city of Versailles on history/heritage : https://www.versailles.fr/65/decouvrir-versailles.htm

There you go folks, another bit of the Domaine de Versailles, the property was huge,and even if some still hidden I will bring them out for you in time, This is the historically huge architecturally stunning Versailles! Again, hope you enjoy the post on the the Grille de l’Etoile Royale of Versailles !!! as I. 

And remember, happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all !!!

Unknown's avatar

Published by pedmar10

I am a lover of travels to Europe , Americas , Africa and Asia as well ,who like to share my experiences of the last 53 years with the world, visiting so far 81 countries; living in 6, working in 5, and Citizen of 4, speaking fluently 4 languages. I can deal with sports especially football/soccer and love music, arts, wine collector/drinker, and go out to restaurants, and just visit the world. My background comes all the way from Candelaria and Pajara in Tenerife, Spain where my grandparents came from ;not knowing each other then, to Punta Brava, west of Havana, Cuba. There , my parents born in Cuba met and later on I was born there too. 100% guanche (annexed Tenerife to Spain on April 10 ,1496). I left Cuba as many have to Madrid, Spain where I lived for 4 years. Then, move to Perth Amboy ,New Jersey USA (living there 13 yrs) ; where I completed high school, became a US Citizen, learned to drive a car, and learned English. Afterward, went to the university in Florida, ERAU, and upon graduation decided to moved there to Ormond by the Sea, near Daytona Beach, finally moving North Miami, then Hialeah, then another moved to Silver Lakes division in Miramar, Broward county, Florida; in Florida I lived a total of 18 years. Finally , moved to France in 2003 ,Versailles call me for its royalty, and working in Paris was great. It was time to seek frontiers again and moved to Brech near Auray, Morbihan in Brittany , and later move to not too far Pluvigner. Total so far in France has been 20 years, and counting. Moving average a home every 5.5 years hopefully this will be my last. Cheers All rights reserved. No part of this blog may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means or stored in a retrieval system of any nature, without the written permission of the copyright holder, me. No part of this work may be modified, without the written permission of the holder, me.No part of this work may be exposed to public view in any form or by any means, without identifying the holder as the author, and with the before mentioned permission.

Leave a comment

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.