In late 2025, our teams detected and georeferenced 4 kilometres of the pipeline network supplying the 55 pools and fountains at the Château de Versailles. A closer look at a technical assignment serving one of France's most iconic listed monuments.
Supplying Water to 55 Pools and Fountains
What would the Palace of Versailles be without its iconic fountains? Dating back to the 1670s, these installations are now among the best-known features of this historic French monument. To supply the estate's 55 pools and fountains with water, particularly during the summer Grandes Eaux fountain shows, a 34-kilometre pipeline network runs underground—and not only within the Palace grounds.
This extensive network runs beneath the streets of Versailles, connecting the Palace fountains, among other facilities, to two reservoirs located at the top of Montbauron Hill. Two pipelines, each 2 km long, allow water to flow in both directions, while an additional pipeline supplies the reservoir from the Grand Canal.
TT Géomètres Experts Teams Supporting Historic Heritage
In November 2025, the Public Establishment of the National Estate of Versailles commissioned our TT Géomètres Experts Versailles office to carry out georeferencing and detection of underground utility networks. Although paper plans of these networks already existed, accurate digital surveys had become essential. As the operator of sensitive utility networks, the Public Establishment of the National Estate of Versailles is required to maintain and provide up-to-date plans of its underground infrastructure at all times.
Extract from the Utility Network Plan for Montbauron Hill
Our surveying teams were therefore mobilised to detect and georeference the various underground networks:
- The pumping pipeline carrying water from the Grand Canal to the Montbauron reservoir in Versailles
- The pipeline carrying water from the Montbauron plateau reservoir to the reservoirs and pools across the estate
- The fibre-optic cable used to remotely control valves and hydraulic equipment
A preliminary site visit first brought together our lead Chartered Land Surveyor and the fountain engineers from the Public Establishment of the National Estate of Versailles. Our surveying teams then spent three weeks detecting and georeferencing 4 kilometres of the network, corresponding to the priority area defined with the client. This was followed by one week of data processing at our Versailles office. The client was then provided with a utility network plan and a longitudinal profile showing the depths of the underground networks.
Extract from the Longitudinal Profile of the Versailles Estate Water Networks
Expertise in Utility Georeferencing
Since 2016, our company has been a member of FNEDRE, the French National Federation of Underground Utility Detection Companies. Using state-of-the-art equipment, our teams can locate, map and assess all types of utility networks.
For this assignment for the Public Establishment of the National Estate of Versailles, our office used two detection methods:
- Ground-penetrating radar: this method can detect a pipeline regardless of its material (conductive or non-conductive), even when there are no accessible network features near the survey area.
- Electromagnetic detection: this method involves injecting an electromagnetic signal into a conductive network using a transmitter. The signal is then detected from the surface using a receiver.
The electromagnetic data was then cross-checked against the ground-penetrating radar surveys to improve the reliability of the network locations.
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Utility detection and georeferencing are recommended before any construction, excavation or development work near underground infrastructure. These operations make it possible to accurately locate existing utility networks, prevent damage and ensure safe operations in accordance with DT-DICT regulations. They are also essential for maintaining reliable infrastructure records and effectively preparing technical studies.
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