Chateau de Vaux-Le-Vicomte - Day 6

Vaux-le-Vicomte

Wednesday, 26 September 2012
We had planned to go to Fontainbleu on this day. Bernard has suggested we go to the Chateau de Vaux-Le-Vicomte and he seemed to be gently hinting that this would be a good idea. So...we trusted him...and it was certainly a great idea. It was an overcast and quite cold day when we started. We wandered up the road first to take some more photos of the moulin from another angle. We stopped in town at a Boulangerie to pick up sandwiches, pizza for Michael and patisserie for after. All in French...we were pretty proud of ourselves.
Then off on our drive..,
We arrived at Vaux and ate our lunch in the car...it was pretty cold outside so any idea of finding a park bench went out the window. This Chateaux is SO beautiful! Here are some extracts from the website.
There are two elements of major significance that contribute to Vaux le Vicomte's lasting fame. Vaux was the tragic setting for the downfall of Fouquet, a faithful minister who paid the price of life imprisonment, because of an embezzlement he did not commit, because of the jealousy of others and also because he went a little too far in bestowing lavish hospitality.
In the early seventeenth century, between the royal residences of Vincennes and Fontainebleau, a small castle stood at the confluence of two small rivers. The domain was called Vaux-le-Vicomte: it was then just a place on the map and its reputation had still to be made. In 1641 a 26 year-old parliamentarian, Nicolas Fouquet, purchased the estate. Fifteen years later the first stone of a unique masterpiece was laid; it was to be the finest château and garden in France. This achievement was brought about through the collaboration of three men of genius whom Fouquet had chosen for the task: the architect Le Vau, the painter-decorator Le Brun and the landscape gardener Le Nôtre. The artistic and cultivated sensibility of their patron was a great stimulus to their talents.
Vaux-le-Vicomte was, moreover, the setting for one of the finest "fêtes" or celebrations, of the seventeenth century. It was lavish, refined, and dazzling to behold, but rich in hidden drama. The King had asked to visit, to throw Fouquet off the scent; secretly he had decided that Fouquet would die. Overcome with joy at the chance of parading Vaux-le-Vicomte before the sovereign whose faithful servant he remained, Fouquet assumed that he would take over the post of prime minister vacated by Cardinal Mazarin.
Two weeks later Fouquet was arrested. He was never to leave prison alive.
It may have been under threat of abandon or destruction, but Vaux-le-Vicomte has survived, thanks to the unfailing determination of three centuries of dedicated individuals. Resplendent today as it was in former times, Vaux-le Vicomte stands as a symbol of the intelligence, taste and independence of its creator, Nicolas Fouquet.
We spent a number of hours wandering through the chateaux. It had a great audio guide which told you not only about the uses of all the rooms and the furnishings, but also about Fouquet's story and the history of the chateaux. There were also dress up clothes for hire which Michael and Bruce enjoyed. After Louis XIV imprisoned Forquet's he engaged Le Vau, Le Brun and Le Notre to design Versailles. So Vaux is the forerunner of Versailles. Michael was not allowed up into the dome roof so Bruce and I went separately. It is recently restored and pretty awesome. The grounds are amazing and wonderfully the weather had improved. There is 1.5 k's from the chateau to a statue of Hercules at the very end. There are also good carts to hire...silly us...we walked! We got to the last Grand Canal and realise you had to walk all the way around that and THEN up the hill...and we gave up! Great photos on the way there and back. So I'm so delighted that we took Bernard's advice...and we will just have to return to Fontainbleu another day!
Then it was back to the Moulin for a spectacular meal. There were two American's staying as well. They were there for business - they work for a small American company which I think is doing environmental cleanup work for Total. Their boss had found the Moulin earlier in the year and they love staying there - the only downside for them is that they have to leave at 5.30 in the morning to beat the traffic to get to work. That is pretty hard after a good night at Bernard and Agnes'.!
We started with snails...and Michael had promised to try them. Well! He loved them! Bernard and Agnes were delighted and lots of photos were taken. I think this is the first time that snails were on the menu...he had tried them as a pre dinner canapé with the Americans and they were such a hit they became our entree. So..after our success I think they are now a permanent entree choice. And of course in true Agnes's style the rest of the meal was spectacular. Pork with beans wrapped in bacon; cheese and salad; and then of course an incredible desert. We moved to the lounge for coffee and then the cognac came out!
What a great finish to our stay in such a great Chambre D'Hote. Incredible food and great company (the American's - Alex and ...I never did get the other name it was so unusual) and such a convivial host.

	Le Moulin de Saint Martin [Map]		Front view of the chateau [Map]
	carriage houses..I think... [Map]		The entrance gates [Map]
	It has a moat! [Map]		More of those gates... [Map]
	Detail of the front entrance [Map]		Period dress by the fireplace [Map]
	The boys in character [Map]		Could Michael live here? [Map]
	The recently restored bell tower [Map]		View from the tower [Map]
	Tower views.... [Map]		Tower views... [Map]
	more tower views.. [Map]		Just before giving the costumes back.. [Map]
	The kitchens [Map]		Kitchens [Map]
	The back [Map]		the tower...when Bruce was up there the bell rang! [Map]
	so beautiful [Map]		Moat from the back [Map]
	Gorgeous [Map]		This is only part way to Hercules! [Map]
	Statues in the garden [Map]		Pretty flowers [Map]

---

Sent from my iPad by My Vacation HD app (www.myvacationapp.com)