I. INTRODUCTORY 13 II. THE EVOLUTION OF FRENCH GARDENS 14 III. THE ROYAL HUNT IN FRANCE 43 IV. THE PALAIS DE LA CITE AND TOURNELLES 61 V. THE OLD LOUVRE AND ITS HISTORY 75 VI. THE LOUVRE OF FRANCIS I AND ITS SUCCESSORS 85 VII. THE TUILERIES AND ITS GARDENS 106 VIII. THE PALAIS CARDINAL AND THE PALAIS ROYAL 131 IX. THE LUXEMBOURG, THE ELYSEE AND THE PALAIS BOURBON 151 X. VINCENNES AND CONFLANS 168 XI. FONTAINEBLEAU AND ITS FOREST 180 XII. BY THE BANKS OF THE SEINE 203 XIII. MALMAISON AND MARLY 215 XIV. SAINT CLOUD AND ITS PARK 229 XV. VERSAILLES: THE GLORY OF FRANCE 244 XVI. THE GARDENS OF VERSAILLES AND THE TRIANONS 260 XVII. SAINT GERMAIN-EN-LAYE 279 XVIII. MAINTENON 296 XIX. RAMBOUILLET AND ITS FOREST 309 XX. CHANTILLY 324 XXI. COMPIEGNE AND ITS FOREST 342 INDEX 363 [Illustration: List of Illustrations] PAGE