Leave central Paris by luxury coach and travel to Vaux le Vicomte, a handsome little town just 34 miles (55km) southeast of the capital. Its star attraction is the Vaux le Vicomte Castle the impressive Baroque chateau that allegedly inspired the Palace of versailles so hop off your coach and head inside for your audio-guided tour.
While admiring the castles plush interiors and elaborate vaulted cellars, learn about Nicolas Fouquet King Louis XIVs finance minister who created the building using the crme de la crme of French architectural talent. Unfortunately for him, King Louis felt upstaged by the extravagant building, and threw him in prison before he could spend too long enjoying it.
After exploring the castle, head outside to soak up the extensive garden scenery, seeing the dramatic fountains, lawns and flowerbeds that cover the whopping 99-acre (40-hectare) site. Enjoy some time for lunch in the on-site caf (own expense), and then return to your coach.
Travel the short distance south to Fontainebleau, and then visit your second majestic building of the day: Chteau Fontainebleau. The only royal castle to be continuously inhabited for over seven centuries, Fontainebleau is one of the countrys more exceptional palaces deservedly taking a place on the Unesco World Heritage Site list.
Step inside and explore the opulent Renaissance building with an audio guide, hearing all the gossip about the French royals who once called the place home. Gaze upward to see mesmerizing ceiling frescoes, and admire the intricate wood carvings and 15th-century furniture that typifies the castles lavish interior.
At the end of your audio tour, head outside to explore the grounds and ornamental lakes independently. Have your camera ready to capture the romantic gardens against the backdrop of the castle, and then return to your coach for your journey back to Paris.
Fontainebleau & Vaux Le Vicomte Chateaux Day Trip From Paris - Maincy
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Tour Information
Key Details
- Mobile Voucher Accepted
- Instant Confirmation
- Lowest Price Guaranteed
- Duration: 9 Hrs
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Language:
English
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Departure Time :
09:15 AM
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Departure Details :
20 Pl. des Vins de France, 75012 Paris, France
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Return Details :
Returns to original departure point
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Cancellation Policy : This activity is non-refundable Tours booked using discount coupon codes will be non refundable.
Overview
See two magnificent French castles Vaux le Vicomte and Chteau Fontainebleau on a day trip from Paris! Audio-guided tours at each site are included, so youll learn about the castles history and art, as well as the eccentric royals who once called the places home. Enjoy free time to explore the castles gardens, seeing the grandiose fountains, lakes and monuments that characterized palace grounds during the Renaissance and Baroque eras.
Highlights
- All entrance fees included
- Day trip (destination A to B)
- Pickup from a centrally located meeting point
Know More about this tour
Inclusions
Audioguides at both castles
Access to the dome of the Vaux-le-Vicomte Castle & free Time in the French Gardens
Period costume rentals for children to transport them back to the 17th centur
Air-conditioned vehicle
Entry/Admission - Chateau de Vaux-le-Vicomte
Entry/Admission - Chateau de Fontainebleau
Exclusions
Hotel pickup and drop-off
Gratuities
Food and drinks
Additional Info
Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Not wheelchair accessible
Near public transportation
No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
Travelers should have a moderate physical fitness level
The access to the dome of the Vaux-le-Vicomte Castle is reserved to people over 1.35 m
Costume rentals for children at the entrance of the Vaux-le-Vicomte Castle
Departure from Vaux-le-Vicomte to Fontainebleau: 1.30 pm
Departure from Fontainebleau: 5.00 pm
Arrival in Paris around 6:15 pm
This tour/activity will have a maximum of 8 travelers
Hand sanitizer available to travelers and staff
Transportation vehicles regularly sanitized
Traveler Reviews
See all reviews-
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Don’t be deceived by the advertisement: there is a driver, not a guide. And the van does not have air conditioning: as you can see in the photos, there were 35 degrees C (95F) in the van! Poses a high risk for people with heath concerns.
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Smooth ride. Driver was always on time (we did get off to a late start leaving Fontainbleau, but that was due to a few passengers getting on the wrong bus). The driver tried to get the air conditioner running and eventually did get it running, but temp inside the cabin was 32° Celsius for several miles.
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The gardens and the palaces. The bus driver did not wait at the indicted address and the guide/organizer did not speak English.
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We did a lot of tours around Paris, and this was a favorite! A highlight of the tour was the surround-sound audioguide, which played out different scenes and conversations depicting the story of the chateau's owner and creator, who unfortunately for him, crossed Louis XIV. Our teenager even enjoyed it! Pros: not crowded, excellent audio tour, golf car rental on the grounds for exploring the expansive property (25 euros/hr), a bonus carriage museum, and did I mention not crowded? Cons: meeting point was far from central Paris, long bus ride. This tour did not have a in-person guide, just the audio guide. You are basically paying for the admission, audio tour, and bus transportation. If you have your own car, parking is adjacent and easy.
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This trip was excellent! I liked both of these castles way better than Versailles that we had seen over the weekend! Absolutely no lines or crowds and both castles and grounds were beautiful!!!
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This was a very interesting tour, with lots to discover at both castles. It was great to get out of Paris for a while as well. We had plenty of time at Fontainebleau to explore and have a quick and tasty lunch at a restaurant in the village just outside the gates to the castle. We were also given ample time at Vaux, but perhaps a bit too much. Two hours there would have been enough and would have allowed for an earlier return to Paris.
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The expert was good overall I would like the itinerary to be switched as I felt there was more things to do at Fountainebleau. This is not a guided tour you will not get any commentary on the bus. You do get audio guides at each Chateau.
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Bus broke down between the two places visited and we lost two hours, in addition to inconveniences of a rushed shorter stay, less time for conveniences and food. Moreover, there was not even an apology for the delay, much less an offer of a partial refund. I will remember this experience when booking further trips.
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The castles were interesting and beautiful. Things that disappointed me: there was a woman that gave us tickets before the bus ride and a bus driver that took us to the castles and dropped us off, but then everything else was up to us. I expected someone to be with us more. Also, there wasn’t clear direction on when to eat. Luckily we ate at Fontainebleau because there was little to eat at Vaux le Vicomte. Also, we had far too much time at Vaux le Vicomte. It would have been better if we had another hour at Fontainebleau to walk around town. But the part that was really disappointing was the temperature on the bus. It was cool in the morning, but on the way back, the outside temperature was 75 F while it got to over 90 F (33 C) in the bus. When we asked the driver about it, he said there wasn’t anything he could do. An hour drive with that hot of temperature was terrible, especially considering it was nice outside. The castles were interesting but the cost was higher than it should have been for what we got, and the other problems lead me to not recommend this trip to anyone.
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This tour combines two different types of estates providing an excellent opportunity to understand French history.
