The Château de Vaux le Vicomte and its gardens, a fabulous estate in Seine-et-Marne

The Château de Vaux-le-Vicomte, 50 km from Paris, is one of the jewels of the Île-de-France region: its beauty even inspired the Château de Versailles. Come and visit this French heritage treasure, and its gardens, which offer great walks and activities for children.

The Château de Vaux-le-Vicomte, located in Seine-et-Marne, 50 km from Paris, is an architectural masterpiece and historic monument dating from the 17th century, built for Nicolas Fouquet by architect Louis Le Vau, the king's first architect, painter Charles Le Brun, founder of theAcadémie de peinture, and landscape architect André Le Nôtre.

This jewel of France's heritage is open to the public: the château and its gardens offer a great day out for history and heritage enthusiasts. For children, the visit is even more fun: princess and musketeer costumes are available for hire.

This château, which served as a model for the Château de Versailles, hides a history full of anecdotes to be discovered without delay.

The history of Château de Vaux-le-Vicomte

Vaux-le-Vicomte is the dream of one man, Nicolas Fouquet. This wealthy statesman was superintendent of finances for the young King Louis XIV, during Mazarin's regency. He bought an estate far from Paris to build a château. To showcase his power and immense fortune, he called on the best professionals of the day: architect Le Vau, painter-decorator Le Brun and gardener Le Nôtre. He entrusted them with the construction of an estate stretching over four kilometers. The project began in 1653. By July 1659, Nicolas Fouquet was able to receive the king.

Hoping to impress Louis XIV and pay homage to him, Nicolas Fouquet pulled out all the stops, and on August 17, 1661, organized a majestic feast for the monarch, who was accompanied by his 600 courtiers. Water fountains, fireworks, a play by Molière and a spectacular party later recounted by La Fontaine... The celebration was a testament to the young superintendent's power.

A power that greatly displeased the monarch. Judging the superintendent to be too ambitious, too wealthy and too daring with state finances, he decided to have Nicolas Fouquet arrested.

The king then seized almost all the furniture, tapestries and paintings, and it took Madame Fouquet 10 years to recover her property, where she retired with her eldest son. The Château was put up for sale in 1705. Passed through several wealthy dukes and marshals, the estate was finally bought by an art lover, Alfred Sommier, who chose to restore it. Today, his descendants Jean-Charles, Alexandre and Ascanio continue the work begun 140 years ago.

Symmetrical architecture

The Vaux estate stretches over four kilometers, and the Château, at its center, respects a perfect symmetry, with its three levels and four pavilions. The château has around 100 rooms spread over three levels and 2,500 m².

At Vaux-le-Vicomte, the rooms are not laid out in a row, but in a double layout, allowing you to see a series of parallel rooms. In keeping with the tradition of the period, the King had his own private apartments here. This was an important consideration, enabling the monarch to stop off at the estate if he were to travel in the region.

The gardens and their innovations

Vaux-le-Vicomte is one of those estates where the gardens are as important as the château itself. The 33 hectares of formal gardens, with their walkways, ponds and fountains, statues, majestic trees and flowering groves, provide an idyllic setting for strolls. Between the paths that seem to stretch endlessly to the golden statue of Hercules and the flower-filled bosquets, these gardens alone are worth the detour.

Every weekend, children are invited to sail colorful sailboats along the canals. Water games enliven the ponds and fountains and, from 3 p.m., the sweet kiosk awaits you for a snack break .

Throughout the year, numerous festive and family events are organized at the château and in the gardens. Easter egg hunts , candlelit evenings, Christmas decorations, vacation entertainment... Don't miss these exceptional events!

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