Paris to Sarlat

We arrived early and drove straight out of Paris - south for about 1 hour. The plan was to visit Chateau de Vaux-le-Vicomte, then end up in Fontainebleau for the night. That would accommodate our tired state having just arrived from a long trip from Brisbane via Taipei, and set us up for a long drive the next day down to Sarlat. It worked very well, but the weather was a little dodgy. The Chateau isn't in the Loire Valley, but east of there. It is the precursor to the Versailles gardens and historically very significant. The French finance minister built this spectacular garden in 1661, very innovative for the time, including lavish hydraulics and fountains. When King Louis VIX (Sun King) came to visit he was so annoyed (that someone had such a lavish garden and wealth) he had him arrested three weeks later (by no less than a Musketeer called D'Artangan). He was never free again. The King then took his landscape architect to Versailles and said 'I want a bigger one', and took statues and trees from the chateau garden. Here's some pics......

Here's the Chateau de Vaux-le-Vicomte. Very nice. The 'house' was designed at the same time as the gardens. Because he was arrested after his first big party, the house had some elements that weren't yet finished......

The house was designed to maximise views. Various perspective tricks were employed by the designers.....

We climbed to the bell tower - this view is back to the entry and the compound of stables.......

Bell tower access - very Victor Hugo.......

Noice.....

About 30 minutes south is Fontainebleau, one of the Sun Kings royal palaces. The palace complex and gardens are integrated with the town.....