Vaux le Vicomte candlenight evening

Nothing is more romantic than a candlelit evening in Vaux le Vicomte, when the castle is illuminated inside and out with 2000 candles to recreate a unique atmosphere. Vaux le Vicomte was the setting for one of the most impressive parties in the 17^th century in which 3000 guests were entertained. With your guide, you will relive this famous night of festivities of the 17^th August 1661 and you will  feel to be a part of it. Discover at night one of the jewels of French architecture built by Louis XIV’s superintendent of finances, Nicolas Fouquet. On 17^th August 1661, Fouquet organised a lavish reception to impress the King. After the famous party, the young monarch had decided to have Fouquet arrested and imprisoned until his death in 1680. Voltaire had these famous words to say about the turn of affairs: “On 17 August at 6 in the evening, Fouquet was King of France; at 2 in the morning, he was nobody.”

Just south of Paris, between the royal houses of  Vincennes  and Fontainebleau, Vaux le Vicomte, also known as the small Versailles, is the creation of three men’s genius: the architect Le Vau, the painter-decorator Le Brun and the landscaper Le Nôtre (the three same men who built Versailles after the downfall of Fouquet). The Château became soon the favorite  meeting place of artists and intellectual like Madame de Sévigné, the poet La Fontaine and the playwright Molière. Today, Vaux le Vicomte is the largest privately owned Château in France and is classed as historical monument.

Your Licensed English-Speaking Guide will pick you up from your hotel in the afternoon at 3.30 pm in a luxury private vehicle. On the way to Vaux le Vicomte, he will give you a complete introduction to the century of Louis XIV, and the life of Nicolas Fouquet. You will start your visit by a private guided tour of the castle. You will be amazed by the rich collection of paitings, stuccowork and tapesrties. See the famous entrance vestibule and oval salon, the King bedchamber, the dinning room, the richly decorated state rooms. Next, you will  explore the lower level to experience the unique kitchen where butler François Vatel invented a new dessert for Louis XIV, which became what we now know as crème Chantilly.

After the visit, your guide will drive you to the best gastronomic restaurant in the countryside with a delicious local cuisine, far from the crowd. You will be charmed by this authentic restaurant wich offers certainly one the best wine list of the region.

After dinner, at sunset, your will return to the castle for a romantic stroll through the garden brilliantly lit by 2000 candles ; This garden “à la Française“ is the first great work of André Le Nôtre which would later be copied all over Europe. To accompany this enchanting moment, recorded classical music is played in the garden to bring a special touch. Alternatively, you will have the opportunity to sip a glass of Champagne in the garden while  relaxing in a  lawn chair.  Taste and enjoy! At 11.00, a  fireworks display illuminates the gardens and evokes the enchanting evening  that dates back to 1661. After this memorable night, you will be dropped at your hotel around 12.30 am with stars in your eyes…

Entrances to the castle and dinner not  included

Category : All our destinations, Private tours

Tags: Castle, Evening, Louis XIV, Romantic, Vaux le Vicomte