Château de Vaux le Vicomte, Maincy

Name: Château de Vaux le Vicomte
Address: Château de Vaux-le-Vicomte, Maincy, 77950, France
Telephone: +33 1 64 14 41 90

#1 among attractions in Maincy

Top attraction, Forts and castles, History museum, Museum, More...

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Photo details 1. Wikipedia / CC BY-SA 3.0 / Jean-Pol GRANDMONT / URL • 2. Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 2.5 / Ikiwaner / URL • 3. Wikimedia Commons / CC BY 2.0 / @fub / URL • 4. Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0 / Zairon / URL • 5. Wikimedia Commons / CC BY 2.0 / @fub / URL • 6. Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 2.0 de / Citypeek / URL • 7. Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0 / Jean-Pol GRANDMONT / URL

Facts and practical information

Nestled in the picturesque commune of Maincy, France, the Château de Vaux le Vicomte stands as an exquisite example of French Baroque architecture. This 17th-century château, with its harmonious design and grandiose gardens, is a splendid attraction for those interested in history, art, and landscape design.

The château was built from 1658 to 1661 for Nicolas Fouquet, the Superintendent of Finances for Louis XIV. Its creation involved a trio of the era's most talented individuals: architect Louis Le Vau, painter-decorator Charles Le Brun, and landscape designer André Le Nôtre. Their combined genius resulted in a property that would become the blueprint for the Palace of Versailles.

Visitors to Château de Vaux le Vicomte are treated to a stunning display of luxury and innovation. The château's interior boasts lavish rooms, ornate decorations, and a collection of period furniture that captures the essence of 17th-century opulence. The highlight is the Grand Salon, a pioneering oval-shaped room with a dome that served as a model for the Hall of Mirrors at Versailles.

The gardens are equally impressive, stretching over 33 hectares and designed in the classic French formal style. They feature sculpted bushes, ornamental basins, and a grand perspective that extends for 1.5 kilometers, culminating with the Hercules statue. Nighttime visits are particularly magical, with the gardens illuminated and the château's façade bathed in light.

The château also has a turbulent history. Shortly after its completion, Fouquet was arrested by order of King Louis XIV, who was reportedly jealous of the estate's magnificence. The property was then confiscated and Fouquet spent the remainder of his life in prison.

Today, Château de Vaux le Vicomte is privately owned and open to the public. It hosts various events throughout the year, including candlelit evenings, Christmas festivities, and costume balls. For the average tourist, it offers a chance to step back in time and experience the grandeur of French aristocracy.

Local name: Château de Vaux-le-Vicomte Completed: 1661 (363 years ago)Architectural style: Classical architectureCoordinates: 48°33'57"N, 2°42'51"E

Address

Château de Vaux-le-VicomteMaincy 77950 France

Contact

+33 1 64 14 41 90

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Day trips

Château de Vaux le Vicomte – popular in the area (distance from the attraction)

Nearby attractions include: National Gendarmerie Museum, Château de Blandy-les-Tours, Collegiate Church of Notre-Dame, Musée aéronautique et spatial Safran.

3.1 miSW
Military museum, Children's museum, History museum
National Gendarmerie Museum, Melun
80 min walk • The National Gendarmerie Museum is a museum on the history of France's National Gendarmerie. It is sited at 1-3 Rue Émile-Leclerc in the town of Melun. It first opened in 1946 but has since been repeatedly extended.
3.1 miE
Forts and castles, History museum, Museum
Château de Blandy-les-Tours, Blandy
79 min walk • The Château de Blandy-les-Tours is a medieval castle in the village of Blandy-les-Tours; it is about 5 km from the château de Vaux-le-Vicomte and 10 km from Melun. The castle is in the middle of the village. Its restoration began in 1992.
3.2 miSW
Sacred and religious sites, Church
Collegiate Church of Notre-Dame, Melun
83 min walk • The Collegiate Church of Notre-Dame is a former collegiate church, now a parish church in the French town of Melun, on rue de la Courtille on the île Saint-Etienne.
3.5 miNW
Museum
Musée aéronautique et spatial Safran
89 min walk • The Musée aéronautique et spatial Safran is a French private aviation museum located in Melun, Seine-et-Marne. Established in May 1989 the museum contains a large collection of historic and modern aircraft engines.
4.4 miE
Church
Collégiale Saint-Martin de Champeaux, Champeaux
113 min walk • The former collegiate church of Saint-Martin de Champeaux is a Catholic parish church, located in Champeaux, in the French department of Seine-et-Marne. It replaces an older abbey church, where a chapter of twelve secular canons had replaced the...
4.1 miSW
Area
Le Mée-sur-Seine, Melun
106 min walk • Le Mée-sur-Seine is a commune in the Seine-et-Marne department in the Île-de-France region in north-central France, next to Melun. It is located in the south-eastern suburbs of Paris 41.1 km from the center.
4 miSW
Area
La Rochette, Melun
102 min walk • La Rochette is a commune in the Seine-et-Marne department in the Île-de-France region in north-central France. It a small, particularly affluent community bordering the Seine river to the east and the historical Fontainebleau forest to the south.
2.9 miSW
Area
Vaux-le-Pénil, Melun
75 min walk • Vaux-le-Pénil is a commune in the Seine-et-Marne department in the Île-de-France region in north-central France.
4.2 miSW
48°32'5"N • 2°38'7"E
Musée Henri Chapu, Melun
107 min walk • Museum
3.1 miSW
Sacred and religious sites, Church
Église Saint-Aspais, Melun
80 min walk • The Saint-Aspais church is a Catholic parish church located in Melun, France, on the right bank of the Seine. It is the only church in France dedicated to Saint Aspais, evangelizer of the city in late antiquity, whose life is unknown.
3.1 miSW
Forts and castles
Château de Vaux-le-Pénil, Melun
79 min walk • The castle of Vaux-le-Pénil is a castle located in the town of Vaux-le-Pénil in the department of Seine-et-Marne in France. It is listed in the inventory of historical monuments on November 23, 1946.