The Chateau de Versailles is one of the most popular monuments in France, and it is certainly the one most appreciated by its visitors. While they come to admire the architectural marvel of the site and the charms of the garden invented by Le Notre, they do not always know the deep meaning of this extraordinary creation of the most luxurious of our kings, Louis XIV. This book is more than just a guide for visitors wishing to know about the site, but presents its symbolic meaning, recounts its history, and examines the Chateau in the much wider context of the signs of the monarchy and atmosphere of the 17th century. This Chateau and its park make up a fundamental unity which is the best example of Classical French art and which was used as a model for many similar palaces in other countries (from Prussia to Russia). To celebrate the tricentennial of the death of the gardener Le Notre, who contributed so greatly to the grandeur and symbolic meaning of Versailles, this unique work recounts the history of the chateau, the residence of the king, from its beginnings until its final incarnation as the Museum of the History of France. It also presents the gardens which are a reflection of the palace, the shining mirror that the storms of December 1999 may have wounded, but did not destroy. This book is a sentimental and historical depiction of the Chateau de Versailles.