In the garden of the Château of Vaux-le-Vicomte

A delightful creation (easily accessible from Paris) with a fascinating history 


Nicolas Fouquet 1615 - 1680
Superintendant of Finances in France 1653 - 1661

An extremely rich nobleman and a powerful, ambitious politician.  He had in effect free access to the finances of the kingdom, which enabled him to build this luxurious château and its garden.

Three villages were distroyed in the process; the villagers were then employed in upkeeping the gardens.
 

Louis XIV "The Sun King"  1638 - 1714
King of France from 1643 (at age 5) - 1714

In 1661, when the young King was resident in a nearby château (at Fontainebleau), Fouquet invited him to a sumptuous entertainment at Vaux-le-Vicomte.  (Every guest was given a horse!)  This was to bring Fouquet's swift downfall. 

The King was incensed by the lavishness of the event, and was furthermore convinced that Fouquet had used state funds in building the site.

The King's reaction must have been tingled with envy: Fouquet had employed the finest of experts in designing the site -architect Louis Le Vau, the painter Charles Le Brun, and the garden designer André le Nôtre


Charles de Batz-Castelmore d'Artagnan c. 1611 - 1673
served Louis XIV as captain of the Musketeers of the Guard 

A few weeks after the festivities at Vaux-le-Vicomte, Fouquet was arrested by D'Artagnan on the King's order.  During the four years during which Fouquet was then put on trial (for embezzlement, mismanagement of funds and high treason), D'Artagnan kept him under guard. The outcome of the trial, by the Kings command, was life imprisonment for Fouquet.

In 1661 Louis XIV commissioned major alterations to a royal palace at Versailles.  For this project he employed architect Louis Le Vau, painter Charles Le Brun and garden designer André le Nôtre.  And, of course, he intended to outdo Fouquet!



Versailles was built to impress, Vaux-le-Vicomte was built to seduce.  If you have seen one, you should compare it with the other.  (In my opinion, Vaux wins hands down, but you may of course disagree.....)