Château de Louvois

Built in the 13th century, the Château de Louvois, in the Marne, became the property of Michel Le Tellier, Secretary of State for War and close to the young Louis XIV. The new Marquis de Louvois replaced the medieval castle with a large, fine residence surrounded by gardens, planting many yews, buying orange trees and setting up a hunt.

The gardens were among the finest of Louis XIV's time, known from several plans by Michel Le Bouteux, Le Nôtre's chief assistant. Behind the château, embroidered parterres ran up to the horseshoe-shaped retaining wall of the hill. On either side, two ramps led to a terrace with a 60-foot pool and fountains.

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