VIP FONTAINEBLEAU AND VAUX LE VICOMTE CASTLES

Would you like to experience a special VIP treatment during your VIP Fontainebleau and Vaux le Vicomte Castles tour?

VIP Tours will give you full satisfaction taking you on this unforgettable journey of 8 hours in Fontainebleau and Vaux le Vicomte that will introduce you to two of the most important castles in the French history.

Your personal, licensed driver-guide who is a specialist of the history of Fontainebleau and Vaux le Vicomte Castles will pick you up at your hotel in a luxurious Mercedes minivan or car and will tailor your tour to your specific wishes and needs.

During the VIP Fontainebleau and Vaux le Vicomte Castles tour, on the way (1 hour of driving), your personal driver-guide will give you first an introduction to the history of the Castles. The first visit of the day will be in the Fontainebleau Castle where you will enjoy a private guided visit of the castle and its gardens.

With over 1500 rooms at the heart of 130 acres of parkland and gardens, the Fontainebleau Castle can proudly claim to have been a sovereign residence for 8 centuries: Capetiens, Valois, Bourbons and Orleans, all members of French ruling dynasties have lived within these walls. The first recorded reference to the Fontainebleau Castle in a royal charter dates back to 1137. The central keep dates from that period. In 1259, Saint Louis, who loved this fortified castle in Fontainebleau, established a monastery there presided by Mathurin monks. The monastery was to be acquired by King Francis I that did impressive extension works in 1528. The last major building expansion works at the castle were carried out during the reign of King Henri IV whose favorite residence it was after the Louvre. Throughout the 17th C many key events took place in Fontainebleau, so a canal was dug and new gardens were designed and planted… Life at the Fontainebleau Castle under the First Empire was closely linked to the rise and fall of the Imperial Eagle. Napoleon did more than anyone to restore the Castle, refurbishing it completely after the Revolution. It was at Fontainebleau where Napoleon bid farewell to his wife Marie Louise and his son, the King of Rome on January 24th 1814. The Fontainebleau Castle houses an exceptional collection of works of Art representing the stylistic and aesthetic taste of those who lived there. They provide a fascinating Art history lesson.

It is now time for your lunch break in a very nice, typical French restaurant or brasserie (lunch not included in the price).

After this culinary break, your personal driver-guide will lead you to the Vaux le Vicomte Castle, one of the most French spectacular Castles, said to have inspired such a jealous rage in King Louis XIV that he imprisoned its owner, Nicolas Fouquet and had its architect, decorator and garden designer hired to build Versailles. After a visit of the impressive gardens, certainly the best work of Andre Lenôtre (the Carpet Parterres, the Round Pool, the Great Water Mirror, the Confessional Grotto, the Skillet Canal, the Cascades and the Spray Basin), your personal guide will take you for a tailored visit of the Castle through the Vestibule, the Grand Salon, the Private Apartments, the Hercules Salon, the Chamber of the Muses, the Royal Apartments, the Chambre Carrée and the beautiful kitchens.

Then, you will discover the Carriage Museum, located in the large stables where you will admire magnificent old horse-drawn vehicles, brought to life with harnessed horses, coachmen and passengers.

At the end of the tour, your private, licensed driver-guide will drop you off at your hotel.

This tour due to the VIP treatment that we provide will leave you without doubt outstanding memories of your day in Fontainebleau and Vaux le Vicomte.

(Entrance tickets included)