Day Trip: Vaux-le-Vicomte

Just an hour from Paris, this château is a wonderful, well-kept secret. Commissioned in the mid-17th-century by Nicolas Fouquet, Louis XIV’s finance minister, the castle was the work of architect Louis Le Vau, landscape designer André Le Nôtre and decorator Charles Le Brun. Unfortunately, the beauty of Vaux-le-Vicomte inspired Louis XIV not only to completely remodel Versailles but also to throw Fouquet in prison in a fit of jealous pique. Wear walking shoes: the gardens, a masterpiece of classical French design takes several hours to thoroughly explore (though you can also visit by golf cart). For something really special, visit on Saturdays nights from June to October, when the château is candlelit. There is a shuttle service between the castle and the train station in Melun, and trains for Melun depart from Paris’ Gare de Lyon. Indagare members can contact our Bookings Team to arrange visits with one of our preferred guides.