Paris1972-Versailles2003

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. 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 and sassy with new pictures ,even if some repeated text.This is all from our latest visit this week. A reminder, the Château Vaux le Vicomte is in the village of Maincy, Seine et Marne dept 77 of the Île de France region, of my belle France.  Hope you enjoy again the sublime Château Vaux le Vicomte and the king as I.

The king’s bedroom showing for the first time the style and decoration that would be later in Versailles and all of Europe. The ceiling by Le Brun « Le Temps enlevant au ciel la Vérité »,or Time taking away the Truth from the sky,and on the corners four gods Mars or courage, Jupiter or power, Mercury or vigilance, and vertue or abundance, and further the corners monochromes of Diana, Leda, and the Swan, Parks spinning destiny, and knights combat,all represented in 8 octagonal medallions, above the doors tell the story of Io , The alcove has a grand bed Régence with tapestries representing the story of psyche with commodes on each side the same as those made in 1705 for Louis XIV in Trianon ,Versailles. Facing the chimney a great tapestry of Mois or Maisons Royales representing the Château de Versailles, a big bust of Louis XIV in carrera marble, The tapestry of the Savonnerie and one of the 93 carpets done for the Grande Galerie du Louvre.It is the most richly decorated room in the castle ! King Louis XIV never slept here !

The King’s Antechamber (current library) is unfinished; It is marked by the alternation of paintings and bas-reliefs: The central oval of the ceiling includes an 18C painting, because the project of Brown, unknown, has not been realized. In the center of the covings are 4 paintings: Diane stripping after the hunt, love and lightning, Achilles imploring Venus to return to him the shield that love stole from her, love and a Vine. The Mahogany library body dates back to the 18C. The angles of the covings include the figure of Fouquet.  Each box receives a table; with four, enrolled in rectangular compartments and represent Apollo (fire), Diane (air), Flora or Ceres (the Earth) and Tritons and Naiads (water). In the octagonal compartments of the ceiling is each of the seasons. In the center of the ceiling is peace bringing back the abundance of Charles le Brun, referring to the peace of the Pyrenees (1659 France and Spain borders still today), The arcade overlooking the buffet includes trophies of war and peace. The balcony does not date from Fouquet. 

You have the cabinet Louis XV a small room on the former bedroom of Mme Fouquet, it had the toilet, bathtub, bidet, and wc, ,then the bedroom Louis XV it was probably one of the room for guests of marshal and duchess of Villars with comfort and fantasies, Decorated with nice flowers and colors and a large canopy bed.  The bedroom Louis XVI, the apartment created by Praslin 18 years before the French revolution, Done in the Louis XV style and wooden forms done locally, An alcove bed, a long chair lounge type, small furniture and trinkets ; all done on wallpaper,

The chambre Praslin was Madame Fouquet’s former antechamber was divided around 1780 by the Choiseul-Praslin family in order to obtain a complete apartment made up of smaller, comfortable and easy-to-heat rooms. It was decorated with wood paneling from 1767 by the Duke of Praslin to accommodate his guests. The initial volume made it possible to create a bedroom, a bathroom, an antechamber, a service room and a wardrobe. The furniture is from the Louis XVI period, with an alcove bed in carved painted wood, a broken wooden chaise longue. Portrait of the Duke of Praslin, Minister of Foreign Affairs, by Roslin.

The official Château de Vaux-le-Vicomte:https://vaux-le-vicomte.com/en/

The town of Maincy on its heritage/castle: https://www.maincy.fr/patrimoine/

The Seine et Marne dept 77 tourist office on the castle: https://www.seineetmarnevivreengrand.fr/explorer/676128/

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 gardens are just gorgeous and merit philosophical time on them forever,,,Again, hope you enjoy the post on the Château Vaux Le Vicomte, and the king as I

And remember, happy travels, good health,and many cheers to all !!!

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. 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 and sassy with new pictures and text.This is all from our latest visit this week. A reminder, the Château Vaux le Vicomte is in the village of Maincy, Seine et Marne dept 77 of the Île de France region, of my belle France.  Hope you enjoy again the sublime Château Vaux le Vicomte and the Grand Chambre Carré as I.

The ground floor or 1^st US you have the Grand chambre carré or grand square room , the only one with a traditional ceiling à la Française, In 1661 six tapestries were done in Maincy by sketches of Le Brun representing the history of Iphigenia, they were hanged under a painting showing the siege of Fribourg commanded by Marshal de Villars. You have here portraits of Villars by Rigaud and others of his family.  It is the only room in the castle in the Louis XIII style. From its original decoration, it has retained the large painted frieze of a Roman triumph which, in the time of Fouquet, crowned a series of tapestries . Above the fireplace, portrait of Maréchal de Villars. Between the windows, portrait of the Duchess of Villars by Coypel. Framed in the woodwork, five paintings of the victories of Marshal de Villars. The exceptionally large Boulle-style billiard table was made by Dasson in 1877. Since 2004, this room has been redesigned to bring it closer to the decoration of Nicolas Fouquet’s time.

In the Grand Chambre Carré you see the bust on the right that of Richelieu, bronze On the left, the marble bust of Louis XIV. Above the fireplace, the smiling portrait of Nicolas Fouquet attributed to Le Brun, There are two large oval tables in black and red marble on a carved wooden base. These come from the furniture of Nicolas Fouquet. They have never left the castle, the only vestiges of the original furnishings. Also take a look at two of the four gilded bronze chandeliers which are replicas of those that illuminate the large gallery of the Mazarine library at the Institut de France. On the walls, five tapestries from “The Story of Diana” executed according to cartoons by Toussaint Dubreuil.

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/

The town of Maincy on its heritage/castle: https://www.maincy.fr/patrimoine/

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 gardens are just gorgeous and merit philosophical time on them forever,,,Again, hope you enjoy the post on the Château Vaux Le Vicomte, and Grand Chambre Carré as I

And remember, happy travels, good health,and many cheers to all !!!