Who built Vaux le Vicomte castle?

It was built between 1658 and 1661 for Nicolas Fouquet, Louis XIV's superintendent of finances, by architect Louis Le Vau, painter Charles Le Brun and landscape designer André Le Nôtre.

Why is Vaux le Vicomte connected to Versailles?

Louis XIV hired the same team of artists, Le Vau, Le Brun and Le Nôtre, to build Versailles after seeing Vaux le Vicomte, which is regarded as its model.

Is Vaux le Vicomte privately owned?

Yes, it has belonged to the Sommier family since 1875, and their descendants continue to maintain it and keep it open to visitors.

Is there parking at Vaux le Vicomte?

Free parking is available on site for visitors.

Vaux-le-Vicomte

Moisenay

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Tickets and prices

Free for children under 6 (under 4 for certain events); 1 accompanying adult per 11 pupils for school groups

Prices and tickets on the château’s website

Prices checked at the source on October 25, 2026

Where: Moisenay

To make a day of it

Open within 20 km

Sleep nearby

Château de Vaux-le-Vicomte stands in Moisenay (Seine-et-Marne), in the Île-de-France region of France. The building is listed as a historic monument. Its opening hours and prices were verified at the source on October 25, 2026.

Located near Melun, in the village of Maincy, the château of Vaux le Vicomte was the first project to unite Le Vau, Le Brun and Le Nôtre, a trio later called upon for Versailles. Nicolas Fouquet, superintendent of finances to Louis XIV, had the estate erected over a three-year period starting in 1658, giving it a classical grandeur that would ultimately contribute to his ruin. The Sommier family acquired the property in 1875 and still owns it today, making Vaux le Vicomte one of the largest privately held monuments historiques in France.

Written from Vaux-le-Vicomte

What to know

The château stands in the commune of Maincy, in Seine et Marne, roughly fifty kilometres from Paris.
Free parking is available on site for visitors arriving by car.
The estate includes both the château and extensive gardens designed by Le Nôtre, and exploring them involves considerable walking.
The monument is listed as a protected historic monument.

Practical information

Opening hours

du 14 mars 2026 (réouverture) au 1er novembre 2026: tous les jours, 10h00-17h30 (dernière entrée aux guichets)
du 14 novembre 2026 au 3 janvier 2027: Le Grand Noël, 10h30-18h30 (fermé les lundis et mardis hors vacances, ainsi que les 25/12 et 01/01)

Annual closures : from January to mid-March (winter closure; except groups by reservation); during Grand Noël: closed on Mondays and Tuesdays outside school holidays; as well as 25/12 and 01/01

Prices

Free for children under 6 (under 4 for certain events); 1 accompanying adult per 11 pupils for school groups

Visit duration: Not verified
Wheelchair access: Not verified
Dogs: Allowed in the grounds
Parking: Free parking

On site

Food and drink
Picnic area
Child-friendly

Where this château is

Moisenay · Seine-et-Marne · Île-de-France

Map of the area around Château de Vaux-le-Vicomte

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This châteauChâteaux within 40 km

Address

Moisenay, Seine-et-Marne

Directions open from wherever you are, by car or public transport.

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4.6 / 5from 14,562 Google reviews

Heritage status: Listed historic monument (classé); Mérimée record PA00087106

Coming up at this château

Sat, November 14
Le Grand Noël au Château de Vaux-le-Vicomte
Seine-et-Marne

Itineraries

In pictures

Frequently asked

Vaux-le-Vicomte: how much is admission?: Free for: children under 6 (under 4 for certain events); 1 accompanying adult per 11 pupils for school groups.
Who built Vaux le Vicomte castle?: It was built between 1658 and 1661 for Nicolas Fouquet, Louis XIV's superintendent of finances, by architect Louis Le Vau, painter Charles Le Brun and landscape designer André Le Nôtre.
Why is Vaux le Vicomte connected to Versailles?: Louis XIV hired the same team of artists, Le Vau, Le Brun and Le Nôtre, to build Versailles after seeing Vaux le Vicomte, which is regarded as its model.
Is Vaux le Vicomte privately owned?: Yes, it has belonged to the Sommier family since 1875, and their descendants continue to maintain it and keep it open to visitors.
Is there parking at Vaux le Vicomte?: Free parking is available on site for visitors.

Information verified on October 25, 2026 · Hours and prices: see the official website