BEAUTIFUL ROOTS PRESERVED BEAUTIFULLY! SEE THEM NOW!

Roots are a deep source of beauty. We gain such insight and inspiration as we explore our heritage and lineage. We have much reason to protect, preserve, and cherish both the beauty produced by nature and that which humans in our past have created.

Château Vaux-le-Vicomte is a jewel of French heritage.  Less known than its famous neighbor castle Versailles, Vaux was transformed, over 20 years (1641-1661), from a manor to a grand estate, for owner Nicolas Fouquet, superintendent of finances for King Louis XIV.

Fouquet commissioned renowned architect Louis le Vau, landscape architect André le Nôtre, and painter-decorator Charles le Brun, the same trio who would later go on to design Versailles. Le Brun is credited for creating the 17th century Baroque “Louis XIV style.”

Vaux was so rich & opulent, that it made the king jealous. At its opening party, he had Fouquet arrested by d’Artagnan, one of the famous Three Musketeers. Fouquet remained in jail for the rest of his life, served by the infamous “Man in the Iron Mask.” Fouquet died in 1680, at the age of 65.

French industrialist Alfred Sommier purchased Vaux in 1875. It remained in the family, as a private estate, until 1968, when Sommier's great-grandson Patrice de Vogüé opened Vaux to the public. 

In 2012, de Vogüé's three sons, Alexander, Jean-Charles, & Ascanio, who grew up at Vaux, launched a major restoration effort. They continue to maintain and preserve the grounds today.  

The Château Vaux-le-Vicomte is a beautiful place to visit now. The estate is about  ½ hour outside of Paris.

A visit to the 100-acre gardens is a bit mind-blowing. It is meticulous, with highly disciplined design -- not a petal out of place, not a drop sprayed askew from the magnificent fountains. Geometry and symmetry reign supreme.

The romantic architecture and lush interiors are heady. It is all over-the-top, yet remarkably perfectly balanced.

For its cultural season 2016 Vaux le Vicomte is playing up its classic roots, focusing on Charles le Brun & Jean de La Fontaine, one of Fouquet’s favorite poets.

This week (05.26.16 - 05.27.16), the estate is holding a conference entitled "New Visions for Charles le Brun."

Vaux has dedicated a series of events this coming September & October (2016), celebrating La Fontaine. 

A DAY AT CHÂTEAU DE VAUX-LE-VICOMTE  

Check out A Day at Château de Vaux-le-Vicomte, a new book by brothers Alexandre de Vogüé, Jean-Charles de Vogüé, and Ascanio de Vogüé, which offers an insider’s tour of their family estate.

Over 170 photos, with exclusive photography, by Bruno Ehrs, and archival documents showcase the lavish Château, furnishings and gardens, giving a glimpse of what life was like at the Vaux back in the day.

Flammarion (2015)

Read more about Beautiful Roots in 10 Wonderful Images & Ideas About the Roots of Beautiful Now, So Important: Save These Beautiful Roots Now, The Warm Fragrant Spicy Beauty of Ginger Roots Now, The Beautiful Art of Roots Now.

And check out more beautiful things happening now in BN Arts/Design, Nature/Science, Food/Drink, Place/Time, Mind/Body, and Soul/Impact Daily Fix posts.

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IMAGE CREDITS:

1. Image: by Frédéric. Château de Vaux-le-Vicomte. Seine-et-Marne, France.
2. Image: by Lee.S.T. Château de Vaux-le-Vicomte. Seine-et-Marne, France.
3. Image: by Jebulon. The Castle of Vaux-le-Vicomte, With Parterre Garden. Seine-et-Marne, France.
4. Image: by Frédéric. Château de Vaux-le-Vicomte. Seine-et-Marne, France.
5. Image: by Panoramas. Château de Vaux-le-Vicomte. Seine-et-Marne, France.
6. Image: by Aurélie Reynes. Château de Vaux-le-Vicomte. Seine-et-Marne, France.
7. Image: by Sanao. Château de Vaux-le-Vicomte. Seine-et-Marne, France.
8. Image: Courtesy of Château de Vaux-le-Vicomte. Château de Vaux-le-Vicomte, Formal Garden. Seine-et-Marne, France.
9. Image: by Panoramas. Château de Vaux-le-Vicomte. Seine-et-Marne, France.
10. Image: by Frédéric. Château de Vaux-le-Vicomte. Seine-et-Marne, France.
11. Image: by Lee.S.T. Château de Vaux-le-Vicomte. Seine-et-Marne, France.
12. Image: Courtesy of Flammarion. A Day at Château de Vaux-le-Vicomte.
13. Image: by Bruno Ehrs. Courtesy of Flammarion. A Day at Château de Vaux-le-Vicomte.
14. Image: by Bruno. Vaux-le-Vicomte. Château de Vaux-le-Vicomte. Seine-et-Marne, France.
15. Image: by Frédéric. Château de Vaux-le-Vicomte. Seine-et-Marne, France.
16. Image: by BN App - Download now!
17. Image: by Catherine. Under The Moon. Château de Vaux-le-Vicomte. Seine-et-Marne, France.