Informations pratique

Access

Château de Vaux le Vicomte

77950 MAINCY

At 55 km south east from Paris, coming with the A4 or A6 then A5b.
At 40 km south from Eurodisney and at 5km from Melun.

In train: 25 minutes from Paris gare de Lyon station to Melun Station, the shuttle on week ends during the high season.

 
 

Contact

owner : Jean Charles de Vogüé

Tel. : +33 1 64 14 41 90

Fax : +33 1 60 69 90 85

chateau@vaux-le-vicomte.com

 
 

Services & opening times

Open every day from march 25th to November 9th from 10a.m. to 6p.m. and from december 20th 2008 to January 4th 2009. Closed on December 25th and January 1st

Open until 11p.m. on candllight evenings (every saturday evenings from may to october, and friday evenings of july an august).

Restaurant for groups and individuals
Library and souvenir shop
rental of electric club cars in the gardens
many animations for kids.

Accessible to people with limited mobility Airport / Aerodrome nearby Children's playground Shop Parking area for camper vans and caravans Dogs admitted when kept on lead Group visit Audio guide Room hire Free bus parking Open 7 days out of 7 Shady picnic areas Sale of flowers and plants Restaurant Tearoom
 
 

Visites Virtuelles

 

Domaine et jardins de Vaux le Vicomte.

Historical monument garden, 3 stars in the Michelin Guide

Of the many gardens created by André Le Nôtre, it is the one at Vaux-le-Vicomte that most clearly demonstrates the genius of this landscape architect. This masterpiece is the fruit of a meeting of minds, between Nicolas Fouquet and the three artists who are behind the creation of Vaux; Le Nôtre was one of them.

The north-south perspective is the garden's dominant feature. From the north, where it begins, it descends towards the château, traverses it through three sets of captivating arches, extends to the south of the château in successive terraces, plunges down to meet the river Anqueuil which widens its course into a mirror, then rises sharply above the Grottoes to continue across the forest and on to the invisible horizon.

And everywhere, lots of water, which can be sleeping ponds or spurting out fountains, making a total of 20 acres in 24 ponds (40 in 1661)

It is the perfection of the relationship between all the parts of the garden, so well-balanced that it creates an apparent symmetry, that lends the garden its enchantment and charm.

In the basement of the château, an exhibition id dedicated to Le Nôtre and recreates the atmosphere of a french style garden. Visitors can discover the major gardens around Paris created by the landscape gardener and an extraordinary interactive model explaining the creation of the gardens of Vaux, with all the rules characterizing the work of Le Nôtre such as the visual effects he offers to the visitor during his walk.

Three centuries after its creation, Mother Nature had taken back its rights and had wiped out the garden. The house and outbuildings had the destiny to be destroyed, until when, in 1875, Mr Alfred Sommier, bought the estate and saved it. The Vogüé family, its directs descendants are today trying to keep up this work and are sharing it with the visitors.

Events

  • easter week end : Major egg hunt in the gardens

  • Saturday evenings from may to october : Candllelight visits.

  • June 15th 2008 : 17th century dressup feast and lunch on the grass.

  • August 15th and 16th 2008 : Anniversary of the unique party given by Nicolas Fouquet on august 17th 1661

  • September 11th - 14th 2008 : Open air opera with Les Contes d'Hoffmann.

  • from December 20th 2008 until January 4th 2009 : Vaux le Vicomte celebrates Christmas.