June 18, 2011 Fontainebleau & Vaux Le Vicomte

The Chateau of Fontainebleau.

Interior of Fontainebleau.

Vaux Le Vicomte

Posing for a photo on the steps at Vaux.

Time for candlelight!

A great fireworks show while in the gardens of Vaux le Vicomte. 

Today involved seeing the Chateau of Fontainbleau south of Paris. We got on a tour bus and were off. The palace is known for its horse shoe shaped staircase. Some facts about the palace is that it has three gorgeous chapels (which i loved the detailed ceiling work). The palace also featured some long galleries that held wonderful pieces of furniture and artwork. After touring Fontainbleau, we made a quick stop at the grocery store and gathered supplies for a picnic before going to Vaux Le Vicomte. We had a huge feast and filled our stomachs way too full. Next, we crossed the street and saw the sight of Vaux le Vicomte. This palace was once owned by a man named Fouquet. He was a minister who suffered at the hands of King XIV. Fouquet made Vaux a place that exuded with lavishness. To summarize the story, the King became jealous of what Fouquet had and sentenced him to a life in prison. One quote that sums up Fouquet's life is, "On 17 August, at six in the evening Fouquet was the King of France, at two in the morning he was nobody." While at Vaux Le Vicomte one special thing that happens when it gets dark is that they use candles to light up the house and gardens. It is truly something magical to witness. When it is completely dark outside you can hear a huge bang and the fireworks show begins. It was a fabulous end to a very fun day!!