The gardens of the Château de Versailles cover approximately 93 hectares. Supervised by Louis XIV himself, they were created and laid out from 1661 by André Le Nôtre. The alternation of groves, statues, fountains and basins required major levelling and drainage work. Several military regiments took part in this vast undertaking, which lasted some forty years. The trees planted by Le Nôtre came from many French provinces. To preserve their appearance, the gardens were replanted first by Louis XVI, then under Napoleon III and once again following the devastating storm of December 1999.