The Grand Canal

Have you made it to the spot where you can see the Grand Canal in the distance?

It looks much more impressive when you see it up close.

It stretches for more than 1.6 kilometers.

Doesn't it seem to extend endlessly from the Palace of Versailles behind us all the way to the Grand Canal?

It was designed to make visitors naturally wonder, "Just how far does the king's world extend?"

The Grand Canal was yet another symbol of the king's power.

It extends toward the west.

That's where the sun sets, isn't it?

As the sun sets, its golden light reflects off the surface of the Grand Canal and shines into the palace where Louis XIV resides.

Even nature's light seemed to exist for the king, making the entire landscape a magnificent stage created for the Sun King.

And that grand stage also became a place for entertainment.

People enjoyed boating on the Grand Canal, staged mock naval battles with miniature warships, and even celebrated with fireworks.