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Informations pratique
Access
Château de Vaux le Vicomte
77950 MAINCY
At 55 km south east from Paris, coming with the A4 or A6 then A5b.
At 40 km south from Eurodisney and at 5km from Melun.
In train: 25 minutes from Paris gare de Lyon station to Melun Station, shuttle on week ends during the high season.
Contact
owner : Jean Charles de Vogüé
Tel. : +33 1 64 14 41 90
Fax : +33 1 60 69 90 85
Services & opening times 2009
Open every day from march 27th to November 7th from 10a.m. to 6p.m. and from december 18th to December 31st 2010. The estate is closed on wednesdays except in july and august.
Open until 11p.m. on candlelight evenings (every saturday evenings from may to october, excepts on september 25th).
Restaurant for groups and individuals
Library and souvenir shop
rental of electric club cars in the gardens
many animations for kids.
Visites Virtuelles
(Video In FRench)
Domaine et jardins de Vaux le Vicomte.
Historical monument garden, 3 stars in the Michelin Guide
Of the many gardens created by André Le Nôtre, it is the one at Vaux-le-Vicomte that most clearly demonstrates the genius of this landscape architect. This masterpiece is the fruit of a meeting of minds, between Nicolas Fouquet and the three artists who are behind the creation of Vaux; Le Nôtre was one of them.
The north-south perspective is the garden's dominant feature. From the north, where it begins, it descends towards the château, traverses it through three sets of captivating arches, extends to the south of the château in successive terraces, plunges down to meet the river Anqueuil which widens its course into a mirror, then rises sharply above the Grottoes to continue across the forest and on to the invisible horizon.
And everywhere, lots of water, which can be sleeping ponds or spurting out fountains, making a total of 20 acres in 24 ponds (40 in 1661)
It is the perfection of the relationship between all the parts of the garden, so well-balanced that it creates an apparent symmetry, that lends the garden its enchantment and charm.
In the basement of the château, an exhibition id dedicated to Le Nôtre and recreates the atmosphere of a french style garden. Visitors can discover the major gardens around Paris created by the landscape gardener and an extraordinary interactive model explaining the creation of the gardens of Vaux, with all the rules characterizing the work of Le Nôtre such as the visual effects he offers to the visitor during his walk.
Three centuries after its creation, Mother Nature had taken back its rights and had wiped out the garden. The house and outbuildings had the destiny to be destroyed, until when, in 1875, Mr Alfred Sommier, bought the estate and saved it. The Vogüé family, its directs descendants are today trying to keep up this work and are sharing it with the visitors.
Events
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New Exhibition : "Splendeur et infortune" from Nicolas Fouquet, everyday from March, 27 to November, 7 2010.
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Easter Sunday and Monday : Egg hunting
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Saturday nights from May to october 2010 : Candle Nights (Except September, 25). New : Fireworks on every 1st and 3rd Saturday of the month.
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Sunday June, 20 2010 : Lunch on the grass, Great Century Day.
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From September 23 to 26 2010 : Outside Opera (Carmen).
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November 6 and 7 2010 : Chocolate Fair.
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From december, 18 to 31 2010 : Vaux le Vicomte celebrates Christmas.