This is awesome, another reason to visit my belle France, in all its splendeurs! A must to visit indeed. Another wonderful memory of my dear late wife Martine, and I traveling in her native department the beauty is amazing here. We came here the second year after marriage in 1992 and have been coming here regularly in our visits from the USA, and then while living in France. This is a wonderful story and a beautiful castle still in private hands ! Do see my other posts on the castle in my blog, as this will be short ans sassy with new pictures. Hope you enjoy again the Château Vaux le Vicomte as I.
The Château Vaux le Vicomte have written plenty on it in my blog but this is new text and pictures from my visit this week, so sorry if repeat myself on the text, As a reminder, the castle is in the village of Maincy, Seine et Marne dept 77 of the Île de France region of my belle France! On this post will tell you a bit more on the exteriors and history of the castle!
The Château de Vaux-le-Vicomte, located in Maincy, yes a very small village about 50 km or 30 miles from Paris near the town of Melun, about 6 km and 52 km from my nostalgic Meaux, Maincy has managed to preserve both its characteristics as a Briard village and a quality natural environment. The charm of its streets and alleys traversed by an omnipresent water gives it undeniable tourist assets. First village in the Île-de-France region to receive the « Petite Cité de caractère » or Small City of Character label.
The castle of Vaux-le-Vicomte represent a French feodal architecture with four buildings ,two of rectangular shape along the gardens and two square along the courtyard; it has a Rotonda, Italian style in the center room with the king’s apartement on the left and the apt for Nicolas Fouquet on the right, the central room is of an oval shape something unique for the times.
Illustration of the genius of Le Vau, the castle will captivate you from the steps by the delicacy of its facade with the pediment sculpted with squirrels, emblem of Fouquet, and its view across the gardens. Crossing the threshold, you enter the intimacy of a large 17C residence. Woodwork, paintings and sculptures adorn the rooms highlighted by the beauty of Le Brun’s decorations. The furniture and decoration are beautifully preserved, from the King’s Chamber and its stuccoes enhanced with gold leaf, to the Fouquet’s Chamber decorated with works of art by the master of the house. In the basement, immerse yourself in the effervescence of the kitchens of the famous butler Vatel, who went down in history for having ended his life while in the service of the Grand Condé, because the catch of the day was arrived late…
The Château de Vaux-le-Vicomte was designed in the 1650s by the greatest artists of the time: the architect Louis Le Vau, the painter Charles Le Brun, the landscape architect André Le Nôtre, the master mason Michel Villedo , and butler François Vatel, Their talent had already been brought together by the young Louis XIV to build the classic Château de Vincennes in 1651-3. The king will call on them again to build the Château de Versailles, that of Vaux-le-Vicomte then serving as a model. Started in 1653, it took artists 8 years to build this magnificent estate, At the age of 24, Fouquet acquired the lands of Vaux-le-Vicomte thanks to the dowry of his first wife and at the age of 35, he bought the title of public prosecutor in the parliament of Paris. He anchors his network there thanks to the family of his 2nd wife. This meteoric rise does not only attract him friends… even if he has many. Fouquet disturbs and some high-placed people await his downfall. Jean-Baptiste Colbert who is the strongest and who will help bring down Fouquet. Both ministers of Louis XIV, the rivalry between the 2 men is lively. Colbert only wants one thing: to take Fouquet’s place and become Louis XIV’s Superintendent of Finances. In May 1661, Colbert succeeded in convincing Louis XIV to arrest Nicolas Fouquet, on the grounds of personal enrichment and the crime of lèse-majesté On August 17, 1661, Fouquet organized a sumptuous party in honor of the king. Three weeks later, Fouquet was arrested in Nantes by D’Artagnan, and thrown into prison. He is just over 45 years old. His trial will last 3 years. Thanks to the magistrate Olivier Lefèvre d’Ormesson (ancestor of Jean d’Ormesson), he avoids the death penalty and should “only” be banned. But it is without counting on the will of the king who wishes to make Fouquet disappear and condemns him to life imprisonment. Fouquet died, alone, at the age of 65, in the Pignerol prison (located in the Alps). Rid of Fouquet, the king confiscates all the works of art amassed by Fouquet in his castle of Vaux-de-Vicomte: tapestries, furniture, paintings, books, carpets. There is nothing left.
The official Château de Vaux-le-Vicomte: https://vaux-le-vicomte.com/en/
The Seine et Marne dept 77 tourist office on the castle: https://www.seineetmarnevivreengrand.fr/explorer/676128/
Founded in 1983 by the Count and Countess of Vogüé, (current owners of the castle are their 3 sons) this association aims to restore and preserve the estate of Vaux-le-Vicomte as well as to enrich the castle’s collections. Thanks to nearly 2,700 members, 60 works of art related to the site and its history have found their place in the castle since the association began operations.
The official friends of the castle of Vaux le Vicomte :https://www.amis-vaux-le-vicomte.org/
There you go folks, another dandy road warrior trip this time only with my 3 young men and dog Rex , less but nevertheless, a wonderfully trip down memory lane in Seine et Marne, dept 77. The Château Vaux le Vicomte have written plenty on it in my blog but , never enough on this marvel of our belle France ; of course I am friend of the castle since 2004 and have come more times that I write about it as many in our official visits pictures are not allowed, You must come here to the Château de Vaux le Vicomte and enjoy the wonders of my Seine et Marne, The castle is just sublime and merit more time in it,,,Again, hope you enjoy the post on the Château Vaux Le Vicomte , exteriors as I
And remember, happy travels, good health,and many cheers to all !!!
Paris1972-Versailles2003 
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