Better than Versailles
Trip Start
Jun 25, 2008
1
8
11
Trip End
Aug 27, 2008
Melun,
Île-de-France,
France
Sunday, July 20, 2008
Nicolas Fouquet, the brilliant and successful finance secretary to Louis XIV, built the château for his own enjoyment. The famous landscape designer, André Le Notre, created the beautiful gardens. When the Sun King saw Vaux-le-Vicomte, he asked the same group of architects and landscape designers to create a château for him - et voilà Versailles!
Out of jealousy or other reasons still unclear, Fouquet was imprisoned for nineteen years after rumors were spread that he was mismanaging the State's finances. In fact, it was Chief Minister Jules Mazarin and Minister of Finance Jean Baptiste Colbert, who were being disingenuous. The latter made it a point to bring down Fouquet, who ended up being apprehended by D'Artagnan, Louis's chief musketeer, and sent to prison. The reasons for this are hazy, though some claim that Nicolas Fouquet was actually the Man in the Iron Mask or was privy to certain State secrets that had to be kept hidden.
The château is rather well-preserved. Inside, you can see the private chambers and the more magnificent public chambers. In particular, the king's bedroom (in which no king actually ever stayed) and the library are brilliant. The lavishness of the château are very true to form to such a personage as Fouquet, but they aren't as kitsch-y as the exuberance at Versailles. Or maybe it's the claustrophobia I felt in Versailles due to the unbelievable number of tourists that made everything seemed more tasteful and - better? - at Vaux-le-Vicomte. There's really nothing like feeling like a packed sardine to ruin a traveling experience, no matter where or what it is.
The gardens were perfect, too. They were impeccably kept, with fountains and hidden grottos galore. Apparently, Le Notre also designed the gardens in Aranjuez, Spain and Petergof, St. Petersburg, both of which I visited. The former may not have been so marvelous, but the latter is absolutely incredible. Built by Peter the Great, Petergof was evidence of the czar's desire to emulate everything French. He did an excellent job. Le Notre also created the gardens of Versailles, of course, at Louis XIV's request (or demand?).
Maybe because it's a bit tricky to get to, Vaux-le-Vicomte remains a somewhat hidden attraction. You have to take the RER to Melun and then wait for a Chateaubus that doesn't come very often. I'd rent a car, but unfortunately I don't drive a stick shift and it's hard luck finding an automatic. Anyway, it was very worth the trouble.
