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.  I first came here in 1992 , and have been coming here regularly thereafter ; as well friend of the castle since 2004. This is a wonderful story and a beautiful castle still in private hands ! Do see my other posts on the castle in my blog, 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. Let me tell on older paper pictures now finally in my blog on the library, billard, and games room of the Château Vaux le Vicomte !!! Hope you enjoy it as I.

The Cabinet des Jeux or games room in the street level of the castle or first floor, Flowers guirlandes, love and painted with finisse, in the center of the celing Le Brun represent Sommeil  (sleep) the best of the painter The arch and the paneling are decorated with a decoration featuring various animals. The Cabinet des Jeux or games room reveals rare 17C sets still of origin. Open on the gardens of André Le Nôtre, the games room is a very bright room thanks to the game of ancient mirrors constituted, with the Muses and Hercules Salons, the ceremonial apartments Superintendent Nicolas Fouquet received and diverted his society in an intimate atmosphere. This piece has a light, pleasant and decorative aim. However, the symbolic message is never far away, and figurative animals at the time have a very different meaning from that of today See ,on the eastern wall, the scene of the felines who pursue the snake and threaten the squirrel could refer to the support of Nicolas Fouquet to the royal cause and his loyalty to the king during the episode of the Fronde, period of unrest in reaction to the rise of the monarchical authority which struck France during the minority of Louis XIV. The lion and lioness scene (which would represent the king and queen-mother) protecting the squirrel could be a metaphor for royal protection of which the superintendent believed (wrongly) assured. The southern wall could appear the triumph of the wisdom on opponents, also illustrated by the composition under the window which reveals the peacock, an animal attribute of Juno, under the good guard of two molosses. The two lionesses (without the male) would make it possible to represent the triumph of the Regency (and the Queen Mother) at the end of the Fronde.

The former antichambre du roi ,current bibliothèque or the King’s anteroom current library is unfinished It is marked by the alternation of paintings and bas-reliefs: the central oval of the ceiling includes a painting of the 18C, because the unknown Le Brun project was not carried out. In the center of the wall, there are four paintings: « Diane se déchaussant après la chasse, L’Amour et la Foudre, Achille implorant Vénus de lui rendre le bouclier que l’Amour lui a dérobé, L’Amour et un cep de vigne ». Which goes in Eng sort of as Diane is unleashed after hunting, love and lightning, Achilles imploring Venus to give him back the shield that love stole from him, love and a vineyard. The mahogany library body dates from the 18C. The angles are arranged with the Fouquet figure.

The Grande Chambre Carrée (see post) or the large square room is the only room in the Louis XIII style in the castle. From its original decoration, it has retained the large frieze painted by a Roman triumph which, in the time of Fouquet, crowned a series of tapestries replaced in the 18C by a Cordoba leather portrait today gone. Above the fireplace, portrait of the Marshal of Villars. Between the windows, portrait of the Duchess of Villars by Coypel. Supervised in the woodwork, five paintings from the victories of Marshal de Villars. Boulle style billiards with exceptional dimensions were produced by Dasson in 1877.

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 in my belle France, and 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 wonderful castle, Again, you must come to this off the beaten path castle that needs to be seen more, me think, Again, hope you enjoy the post on the library, billard, and games room of the Château Vaux le Vicomte !!! as I

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