CASTLE OF VAUX-LE-VICOMTE

"Envied by Louis XIV, never equalled" is the motto of Vaux-le-Vicomte. In 1641, Nicolas Fouquet, Louis XIV's Superintendent of Finances, purchased the seigneury of Vaux-le-Vicomte and decided to build a sumptuous residence there, starting in 1656. A visionary and passionate man, Nicolas Fouquet's ambition was to create a place in the image of his flamboyant success. The work lasted just four years, mobilized some 18,000 workers and combined the talents of three of the greatest artists of the time: Louis Le Vau, the architect, Charles Le Brun, the painter and sculptor, and André Le Nôtre, the gardener. Fouquet wanted to combine the genius of these three men to create a harmonious work of art. This communion is best embodied in the Grand Salon, where the gardens can be seen as an extension of the château. A great collector, Fouquet acquired a large number of sculptures, paintings and tapestries to adorn the rooms of his new home. Under Le Brun's direction, a team of painters, gilders and sculptors adorned the château's walls and ceilings. One of the most beautiful ornamental paintings is to be found in Fouquet's bedroom, nicknamed the "chambre des Muses" for its allegory of fidelity. To celebrate the inauguration of Vaux-le-Vicomte, a night party was held on August 17, 1661, in honor of the king, who visited the château for the first time. Fouquet did everything to dazzle Louis XIV: fireworks, a nautical ballet, a buffet organized by François Vatel, a play commissioned for the occasion from Molière (the very first performance of the comedy-ballet Les Fâcheux took place at Vaux-le-Vicomte, even before it opened in Paris, three months later). Nicolas Fouquet hoped for recognition from Louis XIV, but it was the royal wrath that he incurred: jealous of his magnificence and suspicious of the origin of so much money, the king decided to lose his minister. The Vaux-le-Vicomte party may not have been the only reason for Nicolas Fouquet's dismissal, but it was one of the triggers that precipitated the downfall of a minister deemed too ambitious. On September 5, Fouquet was arrested by d'Artagnan and taken to the fortress of Pignerol, where he died in 1680 on the eve of his release. Jealous but conquered, Louis XIV then called on the trio of artists who had worked on Nicolas Fouquet's château, Le Vau, Le Brun and Le Nôtre, to build Versailles, making Vaux-le-Vicomte the model from which many other châteaux in Europe would be inspired.

Meanwhile, the estate passed from hand to hand before falling into disuse. In 1875, the industrialist Alfred Sommier bought the château and restored it to its former glory. Heir to the estate in 1967, Patrice de Voguë opened it to visitors, helping to restore it to its former glory. The château also houses the Musée des Equipages, a magnificent collection of horse-drawn carriages, horse-drawn carriages, stagecoaches and carriages with their reconstructed crews.

The château's size, its finely decorated rooms and the immensity of its grounds mean that we can only recommend spending several hours here to fully appreciate the richness of the place. Grand salon, Hercules' antechamber, chambre des Muses, Louis XV's bedroom and other beautifully painted ceilings will hold no secrets for you. The view from the dome allows you to take in, at a glance, the perfect layout of the formal garden's paths, terraces, flowerbeds, green spaces, basins and statues. The park covers a total area of 500 hectares! Enough time to discover its grottoes, waterfalls, canals and wooded areas. The château's face changes with the seasons: sunsets on the façade, fountains flooding with water, autumn foliage glowing red, fresh snow delicately covering the flowerbeds and pathways on a winter's evening - all the elements are there to please the visitor. Almost 150 years after its acquisition by Alfred Sommier, Vaux-le-Vicomte is more alive than ever, offering a unique immersion in the Grand Siècle. Five generations later, Sommier's descendants continue his work of transmission and preservation, implementing various sponsorship strategies and organizing special events. Depending on the period, the château organizes dazzling events, starting with its famous candlelit evenings every Saturday during the summer months. The château and gardens are illuminated by over 2,000 candles. A timeless interlude punctuated by the ballet of the fountains and brought to a close by splendid fireworks, where spectators can relive the magic of the evening of August 17, 1661, organized for the king. You can also step back in time during the Journées Grand Siècle, when the château welcomes thousands of costumed visitors to relive the atmosphere of the ^17th century. During the Christmas season, the château is decked out in its finest finery, offering a magical atmosphere that you can soak up by the fireside... Exhibitions, treasure hunts, egg hunts and water games punctuate life at the château the rest of the year.