L'Orangerie

A feature of most grand châteaux in France (and probably Europe in general) is the orangerie, a protected indoor space for storing orange, other citrus, and other cold-sensitive trees and plants during winter. An orangerie is not a greenhouse, but is a much larger building that can accommodate tall trees such as palms. Citrus and palms were planted in large containers, taken outside during the summer, and brought back indoors for the winter.

Workers were assembling a stage and bleachers on the southern edge (left) of the garden for some kind of summer show.

The orangerie at Versailles is built beneath the south parterre. The main windows face south, but there are side galleries as well. The exterior space enclosed by the orangerie's window walls is where the trees spend the summer. I didn't have the time on this visit to thoroughly explore the orangerie's garden (guided tours of the interior are available by appointment), but I did admire it from the terrace above and snapped this photo from there.