Category Archives: Gardens

Discover the Luxury and Grandeur of Chateau Vaux-le-Vicompte

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Experience the epitome of luxury and grandeur at Chateau Vaux-le-Vicompte, a hidden gem nestled in the picturesque countryside of France. This magnificent chateau, known for its opulence and historical significance, offers visitors a glimpse into the lavish lifestyle of the French elite.

As you step into the enchanting world of Chateau Vaux-le-Vicompte, be prepared to be mesmerized by its stunning architecture, elegant interiors, and meticulously maintained gardens. Marvel at the intricate details and exquisite craftsmanship that went into creating this architectural masterpiece.

 

Chateau Vaux le Compte

Immerse yourself in the captivating history of the chateau, which dates back to the 17th century. Discover the fascinating stories and legends surrounding this majestic estate, from its infamous origin as a gift to King Louis XIV’s disgraced finance minister to its impressive restoration by the current owners.

Whether an architecture enthusiast, history buff, or simply seeking a luxurious escape, Chateau Vaux-le-Vicompte will captivate your senses and transport you to a bygone era. Indulge in a guided tour, explore the extensive gardens, or relish in a romantic candlelit dinner amidst the grandeur of the chateau.

Uncover the secrets of Chateau Vaux-le-Vicompte and revel in the beauty and splendor that await you at this hidden gem in the French countryside.

History and significance of Chateau Vaux-le-Vicompte

The history of Chateau Vaux-le-Vicompte is as captivating as the chateau itself. Built in the 17th century, the chateau was commissioned by Nicolas Fouquet, the Superintendent of Finances for King Louis XIV. Fouquet wanted to create a residence that would showcase his wealth and power, and enlisted the help of renowned architect Louis Le Vau, painter Charles Le Brun, and landscape designer André Le Nôtre.

However, Fouquet’s grand plans for the chateau would ultimately lead to his downfall. When King Louis XIV visited Chateau Vaux-le-Vicompte for a lavish celebration, he was so envious of its magnificence that he accused Fouquet of embezzlement. As a result, Fouquet was arrested and imprisoned, and King Louis XIV seized the chateau for himself.

Despite its tumultuous beginnings, Chateau Vaux-le-Vicompte has since been lovingly restored and maintained by its subsequent owners. Today, the chateau stands as a testament to the resilience and enduring beauty of French architecture.

Architecture and design of the chateau

The architecture of Chateau Vaux-le-Vicompte is a harmonious blend of classical and Baroque styles. Designed by Louis Le Vau, the chateau features a symmetrical layout, with a central dome and two wings stretching outwards.

The exterior of the chateau is adorned with intricate carvings and elegant columns, while the interior is a showcase of opulence and grandeur. Each room is meticulously decorated with ornate plasterwork, gilded moldings, and exquisite furnishings, transporting visitors back in time to the heyday of the French aristocracy.

One of the highlights of the chateau is the grand staircase, which is considered a masterpiece of architectural design. The staircase, with its sweeping curves and intricate details, is a testament to the skill and craftsmanship of the artisans who worked on the chateau.

Gardens and landscape of Chateau Vaux-le-Vicompte

 

Gardens of Chateau Vaux le Compye

No visit to Chateau Vaux-le-Vicompte is complete without exploring its extensive gardens and landscape. Designed by André Le Nôtre, the gardens are a work of art in themselves, with perfectly manicured lawns, symmetrical flowerbeds, and ornate fountains.

The gardens are divided into different sections, each with its own unique charm. From the formal French gardens with their geometric patterns, to the English gardens with their meandering paths and wildflowers, there is something to delight every visitor.

One of the most breathtaking features of the gardens is the Grand Canal, a large body of water that stretches out in front of the chateau. The reflection of the chateau on the calm waters of the canal creates a stunning visual spectacle.

Notable features and highlights of the chateau

Chateau Vaux-le-Vicompte is filled with notable features and highlights that make it a must-visit destination for architecture and history enthusiasts. Here are some of the standout features of the chateau:

Bedroom  Salon

  1. The Grand Salon – This majestic room is the centerpiece of the chateau, with its high ceilings, elaborate frescoes, and crystal chandeliers. It is the perfect place to imagine the extravagant parties that were once held at the chateau.
  2. The King’s Bedroom – This room was originally intended for King Louis XIV, but he never stayed at the chateau. The bedroom is adorned with luxurious fabrics, ornate furniture, and a magnificent four-poster bed.
  3. The Drawing Room – This elegant room is where guests would gather for conversation and entertainment. It features intricate tapestries, beautiful paintings, and comfortable seating areas.
  4. The Chapel – The chateau’s chapel is a small, but beautifully decorated space. With its stained glass windows, ornate altar, and delicate carvings, it provides a peaceful retreat from the grandeur of the rest of the chateau.

painted ceiling

 

Visitor information and tours

To fully appreciate the splendor of Chateau Vaux-le-Vicompte, it is recommended to take a guided tour. The knowledgeable guides will provide insights into the history, architecture, and design of the chateau, as well as share intriguing stories and anecdotes.

Tours are available in multiple languages, including English, French, and German, ensuring that visitors from around the world can enjoy the chateau’s treasures. It is advisable to book your tour in advance, especially during peak tourist seasons, to secure your spot.

In addition to guided tours, the chateau also offers audio guides that allow visitors to explore at their own pace. These guides provide detailed information about each room and feature, allowing for a more immersive experience.

Events and activities at Chateau Vaux-le-Vicompte

Chateau Vaux-le-Vicompte is not only a historical site, but also a vibrant cultural destination. Throughout the year, the chateau hosts a variety of events and activities that cater to different interests and age groups.

One of the most popular events is the annual Candlelit Night, where the chateau and gardens are illuminated by thousands of candles. This enchanting spectacle creates a magical atmosphere and allows visitors to experience the chateau in a whole new light.

The chateau also hosts concerts, art exhibitions, and theatrical performances, showcasing the diverse talents of artists from around the world. These events provide a unique opportunity to enjoy world-class entertainment in a truly extraordinary setting.

For younger visitors, the chateau offers interactive workshops and educational activities that aim to ignite their curiosity and appreciation for history and architecture. From costume dress-ups to treasure hunts, there is something to engage and entertain children of all ages.

Nearby attractions and destinations

Chateau Vaux-le-Vicompte is ideally located near several other attractions and destinations that are worth exploring. Just a short drive away is the historic town of Fontainebleau, which is home to the stunning Fontainebleau Palace. This UNESCO World Heritage site is renowned for its architectural beauty and rich history.

Another nearby attraction is the charming village of Barbizon, which was a popular destination for artists in the 19th century. Today, the village is known for its art galleries, picturesque streets, and quaint cafes.

For nature lovers, the Fontainebleau Forest is a must-visit. This vast forest offers numerous walking trails, rock climbing opportunities, and picnic spots, allowing visitors to immerse themselves in the beauty of the French countryside.

How to get to Chateau Vaux-le-Vicompte

Chateau Vaux-le-Vicompte is conveniently located just 50 kilometers southeast of Paris, making it easily accessible by car, train, or bus.

If you prefer to drive, the chateau has ample parking facilities available. The journey from Paris takes approximately one hour, depending on traffic conditions.

For those who prefer public transportation, trains from Paris to Verneuil-l’Étang run regularly, with a journey time of around 45 minutes. From Verneuil-l’Étang, you can take a short taxi ride or catch a bus to the chateau.

You can also visit the Chateau from various barge cruises – such as the 6-passenger Meanderer or the 8-passenger deluxe La Nouvelle Etoile  cruising Paris and Champagne region or the 22-passenger Deborah cruising Sens to Paris.

For more information, contact us at www.europeanbarging.com / jan@europeanbarging.com  or 713-240-6753 / 888-869-7907

Kinderdijk – A Dutch UNESCO Treasure

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The windmills of Kinderdijk are one of the most renowned Dutch tourist sites. They have been listed on the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization’s (UNESCO) World Heritage Sites since 1997.

K Kinderdijk is a village in the province of South Holland in the Netherlands. It is situated in a low lying area at the conflux of the Lek and Noord rivers. Around 1740, a system of 19 windmills was created in order to drain the polder (a tract of land surrounded by dikes). This particular group of windmills is the largest concentration of old windmills in the Netherlands.

A traditional windmill (called windmolen) is possibly the most exemplary Dutch symbol. As you travel about the Netherlands, you can find usually one or probably two windmills dispersed in the landscape, set apart in the fields. However, you can seldom find the great sails moving, as many are no longer operational. It’s sad but true that there are only about a thousand or so windmills left in the entire country.  A source claims there are about 1,150 windmills left, but the fact is that the Dutch will only “count” a windmill if it is fully operational. So, the display of several spectacular windmills, sails rotating in the wind, such as these at Kinderdijk, is indeed a sight to enthrall a tourist’s heart.

For centuries, the use of windmills to pump out excess groundwater, dikes, sluices and canals has been part of the Dutch culture and survival. The 19 remaining windmills at Kinderdijk are actually still operational, although now modern technology does most of the pumping and land reclamation throughout the modern Netherlands. But the fact remains that, for centuries, the windmills played an important role in pumping water from the polders into the canals from ground water overloads, flood waters, and, in the area nearest to the North Sea, high tide waters.

Though Kinderdijk is particularly famous for its windmills, it is also a recreational area, drawing many hikers and bikers to the miles of paths atop the hundreds of dikes in this great polder.

Your entrance ticket to Kinderdijk includes entrance to 2 windmills – Nederwaard Museum Mill and Blokweer Museum Mill; the Wisboom pumping station and a cafe with gift shop.  Outside of the Blokweer Mill, is a small non-motorized barge – “Alles Heet een Tijd” built in 1914, where you can watch 3 short films. There is a 30 minute canal boat tour to show case the windmills from the water, for a small additional fee.

AmaWaterways offers 2 itineraries that visit Kinderdijk – Tulip Time with departures in March and April and Best of Holland and Belgium with departures from May to December.  Check out our other Holland barge and river cruises for additional itineraries.

If you are traveling to Kinderdijk independently, there are buses from Rotterdam and Dordrecht; by waterbus from Rotterdam; or bike from Rotterdam or Dordrecht or from Kinderdijk entrance.

Call us for more information about these cruises and book one of them to see the spectacular beauty of the windmills at Kinderdijk!  Europeanbarging  888-869-7907

Discover the Beauty of Holland

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Holland is a small country in Europe. Its modern name is the Netherlands. It is a country where many world-famous icons came from. Visiting this beautiful country allows you to discover its windmills, bulb fields, wooden shoes, masterpieces of the Old Masters, the canals of Amsterdam, the many Spring Gardens of Holland, the famous Holland tulips, and many more.  If you are planning for that Holland tour as your next travel destination, here are some of the events and places that are not to be missed:

 

Spring time Tulips in Holland

BOLLENSTREEK’ Flower Parade

Holland tulips and other beautiful flowers are in bloom in springtime, usually from March through May. The parade is usually scheduled in April. This big flower festival draws almost one million spectators every year.

The Bloemencorso Bollentsreek is a big flower event that happens every year. Dozens of floats are creatively decorated with tulips, hyacinths, narcissi, and other flowers to represent a variety of themes annually.

Aside from dressed-up floats, many participants parade their own cars decorated with different flower bouquets.

The parade spans 42 kilometers, from Noordwijk to Haarlem.

Gardens of Appeltern

This is a 23-hectare park, the largest garden idea park in the Netherlands. People come here to find inspiration for their own gardens. Visitors will see the latest gardening trends and innovations that they can use to build or improve their gardens at home. The highlight of your visit to this beautiful park is a walk around the park, called the Appeltern Whisper Tour.

They have over 200 inspiring gardens. Inside the park is the Discovery Island where the young and old can play and discover nature.

Every year they have different activities. They even offer workshops.

Het Loo Palace and Gardens

This sprawling palace and gardens are found at Koninkiij Park in Apeldorn. The Paleis Het Loo gardens were reconstructed to their 17th-century original design by Queen Mary II and King-stadtholder William III. They were known as the first residents and the founders of the Het Loo Palace.

The garden screams of a Dutch Baroque design. There are symmetrical parterres, historical planting, and amazing fountains.

The main purpose of the gardens was to give prestige, impress visitors, and establish the status of both William and Mary.

During the 19th century, the garden was filled with sand and later transformed into a landscape park. The park has different kinds of trees and shrubs. During the 1980’s it was remodeled back to its original Baroque style.

Different contemporary and historical flowers are in bloom each season. The Het Loo Palace and Gardens has already been officially recognized as a botanic garden, it is a reward to acknowledge its decades-long dedication to horticultural professionalism.

From the months of April to October, visitors get to enjoy the fountains in the palace. In comparison to the gardens of Versailles, the garden at Het Loo is thought to be more modest in terms of scale. The fountains are a different story, though. The fountains at Paleis Het Loo constantly spout fresh water because of the high level of the groundwater which actually surpasses the French varieties. The King’s Leap (Koningssprong) was considered to be the highest spouting fountain in the whole of Europe at 13 meters.

Visitors will find sculptures of the goddesses and gods from Greek mythology, in the center of the garden, such as Venus, the goddess of love.

Keukenhof Gardens

The Garden of Europe is also referred to as the Keukenhof Gardens. It is recognized as among the world’s biggest flower gardens. It is located in the beautiful town of Lisse. It is in the province of South Holland, just south of Haarlem and in the southwest area of Amsterdam. This whole space is known as the “Dune of Bulb Region”. The park actually covers an area of about 32 hectares, housing almost 7 million flower bulbs yearly.

The sprawling garden is popular for its colorful tulips. Aside from tulips, other flowers are featured in the park, like daffodils, roses, irises, hyacinths, lilies, and carnations.

The Keukenhof Gardens is open all year round, featuring Different activities that take place like festivals and private affairs.

 

Tulip Land

Holland is popular for its tulips. Keukenhof Gardens is home to 7 million flower bulbs that bloom from March to April. Crocus season starts in March, followed by hyacinths and daffodils. Then by mid-April to early May gorgeous tulips are in full bloom, creating a sea of amazing beauty.

Holland may very well be called the Tulip Land with the many different tulip farms. There are tulip farms in Noordoostpolder, Flevoland. Tulips may also be found along the coast of The Hague and Leiuden.

Sights and Events in Belgium

Nearby Belgium also has interesting places to visit too.

Park and Castle of Beloeil – this 25-hectare park and castle are one of the most popular places in Belgium. Real ancient furniture still adorns each room of the castle. The rich history of the place is also showcased by one-of-a-kind collectible pieces still found all throughout the castle. The French garden is a marriage of water and greens. Activities are suspended as of this writing because of the global pandemic.

Castle and Gardens of Freyr ­ – this castle and gardens are located 50km from Brussels South Airport. The Dukes of Beaufort-Spontin used this castle as their summerhouse. This place is rich in history as 20 generations have lived there. Marvel at the different fountains and the 300-year-old orange trees all around the garden. Be amazed by the 6-kilometer hedged small mazes.

Fernelmont – The Castle of Franc-Waret and its Natural Gardens – the Fernelmont castle farm is the last remaining original medieval building in Franc-Waret in Fernelmont, Namur, Belgium. A moat surrounds the castle which is adorned by beautiful French gardens. An English-style garden covers more than 120 hectares of the palace. This castle built around the 1300s has an imposing porch dungeon. This is a huge limestone structure that features a central arched entrance which is located between two hemispherical projecting parts. It is recognized as an exceptional heritage site of Wallonia.

The Royal Greenhouses in Laeken – this is open for three weeks each year starting from mid-April to the first week of May. This is in time for springtime wherein a lot of colorful flowers are in bloom. The Greenhouses are part of the Royal Park, hence it is closed to the public for most of the year.

 

Europeanbarging offers short river cruises through Holland and Belgium on Arosa and Croisi Cruise lines as well as 7-night cruises on AmaWaterways.  A Holland Tulip river cruise is a great way to see more of Holland and Belgium and their gardens.  Some of the gardens would need to be visited as a pre or post-cruise trip as they are not on the rivers or canals.  For more information or to check availability, contact Jan at 888-869-7907  or jan@europeanbarging.com.

 

Cruising Upper Loire Valley on the Meanderer

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http://www.europeanbarging.com ~ 713-240-6753 ~ 888-869-7907: The 6 passenger deluxe Meanderer is the only barge offering multiple excursion options. Choose from escorted cycling tours, walking tours or tours by mini van. Aboard this luxury barge cruise in France, you’ll get an opportunity to experience life there from a truly unique perspective.

 

Ballooning from the Meanderer barge

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