Château de Vaux-le-Vicomte

The Château de Vaux-le-Vicomte stands near the village of Maincy, about an hour from Paris and a short drive from Fontainebleau, and it is one of the most perfectly harmonious houses of the French seventeenth century. It was built for Nicolas Fouquet, the powerful superintendent of finances under Louis XIV, who brought together three artists to create a showpiece: the architect Louis Le Vau, the painter and decorator Charles Le Brun and the garden designer André Le Nôtre. Their collaboration set the pattern for French classical architecture.

The estate is known for the party that cost Fouquet his freedom, and Fouquet’s fall is a famous episode of the Grand Siècle. On 17 August 1661 he gave a lavish evening for the young King Louis, with a play, a banquet and fireworks. Louis, struck by the display of wealth, saw it as a challenge to his own authority, and some weeks later Fouquet was arrested and later imprisoned. The king then took Le Vau, Le Brun and Le Nôtre into his own service, and the Château de Versailles, begun soon afterward, grew from the lessons of Vaux. That is why the house is called a prototype of the great palace.

Inside, the visit follows the grand apartments, with painted ceilings by Le Brun, the oval salon beneath the central dome and richly furnished rooms that give a sense of how a great household lived. The kitchens and cellars show the working side of the house. The interiors are well preserved and used for historical dramas, including the TV series Versailles, which makes it a good place for film lovers.

The Gardens are the other great attraction, and the gardens-only ticket is cheaper than the full visit. Le Nôtre's design uses perspective and water, so that parterres, terraces, a grand canal and fountains unfold as you walk, and some features appear only as you reach a certain point. The reflecting pools and the cascades are best seen from the steps by the house. On selected days the fountains play, and in the summer evenings the Candlelit Evenings, when thousands of candles illuminate the house and garden, are among the best-known events. At Christmas the house is decorated for The Grand Noël. Special evenings need online booking and cost more than a standard visit.

Allow half a day to see both house and gardens. The estate is open on most days in the main season, closed on Tuesdays and during the winter months. Since the property stands in the countryside, a car or taxi from Melun or Fontainebleau helps, and the Château de Fontainebleau makes a good pairing for a day exploring royal France.