Le Château de Vaux-le-Vicomte is a historic French château located in Maincy, near Paris. Constructed from 1656 to 1661, the château was commissioned by Nicolas Fouquet, the Superintendent of Finances under King Louis XIV. Fouquet enlisted the talents of architect Louis Le Vau, painter Charles Le Brun, and landscape architect André Le Nôtre to create a harmonious blend of architecture and landscaping.
Vaux-le-Vicomte’s grandeur, luxurious interiors, and formal gardens were considered unparalleled at the time. However, Fouquet’s lavish display of wealth ultimately led to his downfall. In 1661, he hosted a sumptuous celebration at Vaux-le-Vicomte in honor of Louis XIV. The King, feeling overshadowed by Fouquet’s splendor, became suspicious of potential embezzlement and subsequently arrested Fouquet, seizing the château.
Why is Le Château de Vaux-le-Vicomte Famous?
Vaux-le-Vicomte is one of the largest châteaux in France and was a source of inspiration for the Château de Versailles. In fact, the gardens that you see at Vaux-le-Vicomte are the original French gardens, or jardin à la française, that became popular in the 17th century. Additionally, it is the largest private estate listed as a historical monument in France. Since its creation, four successive families have privately owned the estate and the château officially opened to the public in 1968.
How to Get to Château de Vaux-le-Vicomte from Paris
You can get to Château de Vaux-le-Vicomte by car or by Paris public transportation.
By public transportation:
- Take the RER R train to Melun from Gare de Lyon (it is a 30-minute direct train). You can purchase tickets in front of the track.
- When you arrive in Melun take a 10-minute taxi or Uber to the chateau.
- You can also take their Chateaubus shuttle from Melun which runs every Saturday and Sunday from 18 November to 22 December, then every day during the school holidays from 23 December to 7 January 2024. For the 2023 schedule click here.
- *** Make sure to pay attention to the timetables to the RER R, especially if you plan to that the Chateaubus ***
By car: (if you need to rent a car, you can do daily rentals with Rentalcars.com at about 75e-125e a day)
- Take the A4 or A6 motorway, then follow signs to Troyes via the motorway A5.
- Take exit 15 and follow the signs to the chateau.
- Parking is free.
Important Details
Booking Tickets
Château de Vaux-le-Vicomte is open every day (except during holidays) from 10:30am – 6:30pm. You must book your tickets online before you visit as no purchase of tickets can be made on-site. You can book your tickets on their official website.
Events at Vaux-le-Vicomte
Depending on when you visit, there are sometimes shows that take place at Vaux-le-Vicomte at no extra charge. December is a great time to visit the château as it is decked out for Christmas festivities. There is an impressive light show at the end of every day, and visitors can enjoy a 7-minute projection on the castle walls to top off their Christmas visit.
If you’re visiting in the summer months, you can catch their candlelit evenings, Les Soirées aux Chandelles, where 2,000 candles light up the château at sunset. I’d recommend you bring a picnic to enjoy a beautiful summer night on the castle grounds — and if you’re lucky, you can catch the fireworks too! These nights start as early as April, but you’ll have to check their website to get exact timing and details.
Hot tip: the castle grounds take about 3-4 hours to visit if you plan to walk it in its entirety. If you’re going to Vaux-le-Vicomte in hopes of catching the evening shows, I recommend arriving at around 2pm or later to not feel like you’re waiting around for the show to start.
Visiting Le Château de Vaux-le-Vicomte in December
As I’ve mentioned, Le Château de Vaux-le-Vicomte is particularly beautiful during December and makes for a great activity to get into the Christmas spirit. On arrival, you are given red capes to wear, which gives such a charming effect seeing everyone in their red capes against all the Christmas decor. Some people even rent 17th-century costumes to wear, and you’re bound to see a few groups of people dressed up.
The castle is adorned with all kinds of Christmas decorations, both inside and out. Don’t miss actually going inside the castle, where each room has been ornately decorated with all kinds of different themes. You’ll even find some of the installments moving!
Every room is truly a sight to see, but the Grand Salon really stood out. For their 2023 set up, the Grand Salon was decorated in a crystalline, frosty atmosphere. The 18-metre-high dome housed an 8-metre-high Christmas tree, posing as the centerpiece of a dinner table. As if this wasn’t enough, they added a 360-degree projection of icicles/shooting stars (wasn’t totally sure what they were) and of people dancing dressed up in 17th-century fashion.
Christmas Light Show
The light show was also seriously no joke — I was expecting a few dazzling lights or maybe even some lasers, but the show is actually a full 7-minute projection fit exactly to the castle’s facade in amazingly good quality. For 2023, the show has 4 showings in the evening: 5:40pm, 6pm, 6:30pm and the last one at 7pm. All information regarding the light show will be under monumental projection on the facade of the château on this page of their website.
