Google, on tricycle, captures gardens of Versailles

Google's tricycle-mounted cameras on Monday shot footage of the 17th century gardens of France's Chateau de Versailles destined for its Street View service by year's end.

The tricycle, carrying nine cameras set to take automatic shots every two metres (yards), provided footage of some of the most popular spots of the onetime home of Louis XIV, the Sun King -- the main courtyard, Grand Canal and Grand and Petit Trianon.

A World Heritage Site on the western fringe of Paris, the palace and gardens are visited by more than three million people a year.

"The pictures taken by the tricycle will complete those taken by car as it can get to places that aren't very accessible as well as to historically interesting pedestrian areas," said Google communications officer Anne-Gabrielle Dauba-Pantanacce.

Google last week began its photographic campaign of France in Paris, and next goes to the northern city of Lille and the Mont Saint-Michel abbey in western France, also a popular tourist site.

(c) 2009 AFP