The entire 800-hectare (2,000-acre) park is laid out according to a precise symmetrical plan. From the terrace behind the castle, there is an astounding view that runs past two parterres, down a central lawn (the Tapis Vert), down the Grand Canal and seemingly on into infinity. Le Nôtre’s masterpiece is the ultimate example of French-style gardens; geometric, logical, and in perfect harmony—a reflection of the divine order of the cosmos. Given that the Sun King was the star of this particular cosmos, a solar theme is reflected in the statues and fountains along the main axis of the perspective; the most magnificent of these is the Apollo Fountain, where the sun god emerges from the waves at dawn on his chariot. On the sides of the main axis, near the castle, are a set of six groves, or bosquets, leafy minigardens that are hidden by walls of shrubbery; some were used as small outdoor ballrooms for festivities, others for intimate rendezvous out of reach of the prying eyes of the court. Today, you can picnic, bike ride (bikes can be rented next to the restaurant La Flottille), rent a Segway (from opposite side of the Grand Canal), or even row a boat on a sunny day.