French Castle Guide: Vaux le Vicomte

The chateau was built at huge expense, and the result was magnificent.

Perhaps a little too magnificent (for the King's liking, anyway.)

Shortly after the castle's opening ceremony, Louis had Fouquet arrested....and he then employed the same architect, landscape artist and painter for his own Palace of Versailles!

You might recognise the castle from the movies: Vaux le Vicomte was used to film scenes from Sofia Coppola's Marie Antoinette; Eva Longoria from Desperate Housewives had her wedding reception here.

Vaux is the perfect french chateau - beautiful and elegant, with supremely good taste.

If you get the chance to visit Vaux le Vicomte, don't miss the stunning Salon des Muses and the elegant baroque style gardens. On summer evenings, hundreds of candles are lit throughout the château and grounds (check their website for details.)

The best way to reach Vaux le Vicomte is by car. You can take the train (from Gare de Lyon in Paris) to Melun but then you'll need to either take a taxi or shuttle bus (operating in the summer months) from there to the castle.

Before you head out, check that the castle is in fact open - sometimes it's booked for functions or events and will be closed to visitors.