alcove beautified by exquisite marbles and a
fountain that stirred the muse of La
Fontaine to sing. This graceful conceit,
dominated by Apollo seated among the nymphs
of Venus, was destroyed when Mansard
built the north wing of the palace; the
groups were removed to adorn other sites.
While the vast pleasure-house was in course
of construction, each year marked the
creation of new fountains and woods. In 1664,
the _Parterre du Nord_ was laid out below the
windows of the north wing; in 1667 and
1668 the _Théâtre d'Eau_, the Maze, the Star,
the Grand Canal, the Avenue of Waters,
the Cascade of Diana and the Pyramid on
the North Parterre, and the Green Carpet
(_Tapis-Vert_) spread out in view of the
windows of the rear facade of the palace. In
1670 and the three succeeding years the
low-lying _Marais_ (fen) was constructed next to
the Parterre of the Fountain of Latona, to
meet the wishes of the King's favorite,
Madame de Montespan. While she was in
power "people spoke of the _Marais_ as one
of the marvels of the gardens, but it was
undoubtedly considered less wonderful after
her fall," a writer comments. "In the
center stood a large oak surounded by an
artificial marsh, bordered with reeds and grasses,
and containing plants and a number of white