How to visit Vaux le Vicomte? The Château de Vaux le Vicomte is the ideal destination for a day trip from Paris! A tour of the château and its magnificent grounds is topped off with a candlelit evening and fireworks on Saturday nights in summer. It’s a unique experience that will delight young and old alike…
Vaux le Vicomte was built between 1653 and 1661 for Nicolas Fouquet, Louis XIV’s superintendent of finances. His dream of a grandiose castle led him to call upon the famous artists who would soon design Versailles. The architect Le Vau and the painter Le Brun magnified the castle, while the landscape architect André Le Nôtre created the gardens.
But the king’s jealousy got the better of him and Louis XIV had his minister imprisoned for life for embezzlement of public funds… shortly after the castle was completed in 1661! Nevertheless, Vaux le Vicomte remained a model that inspired Louis XIV and the whole of Europe for nearly a century!
After this brief history lesson, I invite you to visit Vaux le Vicomte with me!
PRACTICAL TIPS TO VISIT VAUX LE VICOMTE
Opening hours – visit Vaux le Vicomte
Opening hours: 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. (last admission: 5:00 p.m.) – closes at midnight on Saturdays for candlelit evenings
Admission: €18, free for children under 6).
Good to know: 10% off your tickets if you book online!
– Discovery of the dome: additional €3
– Electric car rental: €20 (45 min)
– Candlelight evening: €19.50 – admission from 2pm
Book your ticket here for Vaux le Vicomte!
More information on the website of the Château de Vaux le Vicomte.
How to get to Vaux le Vicomte from Paris?
The Château de Vaux le Vicomte is located 60 km southeast of Paris. By car, it takes about 50 minutes from central Paris. Rent a car here if you need to.
Compare car rentals to find the best price!
Vaux le Vicomte is accessible by car but also by public transportation! Take line P from the Gare de l’Est station to Verneuil l’Etang (35 min), then take the Châteaubus shuttle in front of the station. Round-trip fare: around €10, and €5 for minors.
Where to stay in Paris?
If you are visiting Vaux-le-Vicomte from Paris, below is a selection of my favorite places to stay in Paris, based on the neighborhood you prefer and your budget!
Find your accommodation in Paris !
3 accommodation I recommend in Paris
HÔTEL OFF PARIS SEINE
- Sleep on the Seine !
- With a pool
- From €150
HÔTEL DES ARTS MONTMARTRE
- Rated 9,6/10
- Quiet and with a view !
- From €180
HÔTEL JOSÉPHINE BONAPARTE
- In the heart of Paris
- In an old convent
- From €300
How long does it take to visit Vaux le Vicomte?
Allow about 1 hour to visit the castle, 1.5 hours if you climb to the top of the dome. The gardens are huge, so you’ll need about 2 hours to see them all, less if you rent an electric car. You can easily spend half a day in Vaux le Vicomte.
You can bring a picnic and spend the afternoon in the shade of the tall trees while waiting for the candlelit evening (admission from 2pm for “candlelit evening” tickets)! In the evening, you can also dine on site, as the castle restaurant offers refined cuisine.
VISIT VAUX LE VICOMTE CASTLE
Before visiting the interior of the Château de Vaux le Vicomte, we first discover the very pretty outbuildings. Their brick color contrasts with the stone of the castle. Part of it is not open to the public, but the large stables house the carriage museum. It displays carriages and horse-drawn vehicles in a beautiful setting.
You will then enter the main courtyard, where you can admire the majestic facade of the castle. The architecture combines classicism and Italian inspiration in a style that was new for the time.
The 1st floor
The tour of the interior of Vaux le Vicomte begins with the apartments of the family of Nicolas Fouquet, the first owner of the property. They are located on the first floor and give a glimpse of life in a castle in the 17th century. You can explore his private apartments, which include bedrooms, hallways, and even a bathroom! I am always amazed by the craftsmanship of the furniture, tapestries, and decorative objects from the period. The greatest artisans worked on this furniture…
This visit is also an opportunity to remember that the château served as a field hospital during the First World War, just like the château of Chenonceau. You can also see many of the tools used in the hospital at the time.
The dome of Vaux le Vicomte
The first floor also provides access to the dome. The €3 supplement is not cheap, but the view is definitely worth it! To get there, you have to climb a narrow spiral staircase through the (remarkable) roof structure. The dome itself is a real architectural feat, more commonly found in churches than in castles…
At the top, there is a 360° view of the outbuildings, the surrounding forest and, of course, the superb 3-kilometer-long perspective!
The ground floor
The ground floor of the castle houses the most spectacular rooms in Vaux le Vicomte. Reception rooms, library, king’s bedroom: the decor is grandiose. It is clear that Nicolas Fouquet was an art collector. The exceptional furniture and tapestries make for an unforgettable visit. It even has a touch of Versailles, and it’s easy to see how Louis XIV was inspired by it for his palace in Versailles…
The tour ends in the basement with the kitchens and cellars of the château. A permanent exhibition also provides a better understanding of the genius of André Le Nôtre’s gardens, which I now invite you to visit.
VISIT VAUX LE VICOMTE GARDENS
The gardens of Vaux le Vicomte, created by André Le Nôtre, demonstrate an ingenious mind and an extraordinary gift for perspective. The whole is in perfect harmony. The mineral and plant elements, as well as the architecture of the castle and the gardens, complement each other perfectly. Vaux le Vicomte is a bit like a theater set, with the castle staged in the middle of its park.
The gardens broke records for their time, and the figures are staggering:
- 500 hectares of parkland
- 33 hectares of French gardens
- 3 km of perspective in line with the château
- 13 km of hedges
- 8 km of pipes to supply the water features
The gardens are actually divided into several “plateaus” at different heights to enhance the view.
At the foot of the castle, on the south side, flower beds and shrubs make up the French garden. Two small canals then separate it from the ponds and the reflecting pool.
At the bottom of the perspective, the large pond lies at the foot of the woods. On the hill, the statue of Hercules stands in the middle of the perspective and offers a breathtaking view of the different levels down to the castle… This is also where the picnic area is located: you won’t find a better view!
VISIT VAUX LE VICOMTE BY CANDLELIGHT
The candlelit evening was the reason for our visit to Vaux le Vicomte. Every Saturday evening in summer, until October 6, 2,000 candles are lit in the gardens to illuminate the view of the château.
Inside, too, the château is plunged into semi-darkness, allowing visitors to discover it in a different atmosphere.
A magnificent fireworks display ends the evening once the sky is completely dark. Although it is quite short, it is worthy of the extraordinary celebrations held in the time of Nicolas Fouquet! Young and old alike looked up at the sky in wonder. All that was missing were period costumes to take us back to the lavish celebrations of the 17th century.
If you like castles and want to discover another kind, I recommend reading my articles on the 3-day Loire Valley itinerary. You can find all the articles in the “travel by theme – history and castles” section.
And to explore other destinations for a getaway from Paris, I suggest other articles on Palace of Versailles, the Saint Denis Basilica, the Château de Fontainebleau, Chantilly and its château, and Provins!
VISIT VAUX LE VICOMTE SURROUNDINGS
– Fontainebleau Castle (25 minutes away): A visit to this royal castle is impressive, and its grand apartments are beautiful. Fontainebleau has been shaped over the centuries by each king and emperor who stayed there, adding their own style to the interior decoration. It’s a masterpiece that’s well worth a visit, as you can see in my article dedicated to Fontainebleau.
– Fontainebleau Forest (25 minutes away): This magnificent forest is quite surprising, with its expanses of white sand and climbing rocks that look like huge cannonballs. While Fontainebleau Forest has long inspired Impressionist painters and photographers, it is now popular with sports enthusiasts for outdoor activities. Find out more on the blog soon!
– Provins (40 minutes away): This pretty medieval town is another perfect getaway for a day trip from Paris. You’ll soon be able to read about my visit to Provins on the blog!
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