Unlike Wojciech, when we arrived at the castle, the parking lot was deserted! It must be said that it had rained a lot the day before...

If there's one classical-style castle you shouldn't miss, this is it. Firstly, as a backdrop to its sulphurous history, and secondly, for its exceptional architecture, decor, and gardens.

As mentioned in the introduction to the TWHS, Nicolas Fouquet, the castle's commissioner, was Louis XIV's Superintendent of Finances, that is, Minister of Finance. He built the castle between 1656 and 1659 BC and the gardens between 1653 and 1660 BC.

Nicolas Fouquet surrounded himself with the most talented artists of his time: the architect Louis le Vau, the king's first architect, the painter Charles Le Brun, and the landscape architect André Le Nôtre. A true masterpiece was born from the alchemy between these three artists. They had previously been brought together at the Château de Vincennes on behalf of King Louis XIV.

Upon completion of the work, Nicolas Fouquet organized a lavish party on his estate, given in honor and worthy of his royal guest. This was enough to arouse the jealousy of the king, who had his superintendent arrested and imprisoned for life. The property was sealed and then sold, preserving it from the ravages of time. The judges at Fouquet's trial claimed that he had embezzled public funds to build this incredible monument. It is true that we learn in the museum set up in the basement of the castle and dedicated to the work of landscaping the gardens that the earthworks and diversion of the river have swallowed up considerable sums. Three villages were razed and 18,000 workers were put to work to achieve the majestic result that we admire today as it was at the end of the 17th century.

The gardens are spectacularly designed: Le Nôtre has created a marvelous succession of flowerbeds, paths decorated with fake grottoes and sculptures, ponds, and canals. This layout seems endless, the ponds and the Grand Canal reveal themselves as you wander, and you have to go around the Grand Canal to see the facade of the château entirely reflected in the water from the Gerbie viewpoint. (When it rains, it doesn't work!)

Inside the castle, the frescoes and dome of the Grand Salon are spectacular.

Following the imprisonment of Nicolas Fouquet, King Louis XIV hired Louis Le Vau, Charles Le Brun, and André Le Nôtre to carry out the beautification work at the Palace of Versailles! The palace and gardens are therefore the precursors to those of Versailles! In this respect, this palace deserves to be listed as a World Heritage Site, just like the park, gardens, and Palace of Versailles.

Admittedly, the entrance fee is high (€16 without an audio guide (€2)), and the grounds are private, but it's definitely worth it. We didn't pay an extra ticket for the view of the gardens from the lantern of the central dome (€5), nor did we visit the carriage museum. We had lunch there, but the food was overpriced.