Christmas 2015: The Castle of Vaux-le-Vicomte, France
I
don't know about you, but the few days after Christmas are always
quite sad for me. The magic is over, and although we have New Year's
Eve to look forward to, it is definitely not the same atmosphere.
When I read about the castle of Vaux-le-Vicomte's Christmas displays,
I knew I had to see them! And my friends and I weren't disappointed,
as you can see from the pictures above.
Vaux-le-Vicomte
is a beautiful castle that was built in the middle of the 17th
century. At the time, it was considered one of the most
extravagant and majestic places, so much so that Louis XIV, after
having seen the castle in its full glory during a party, was so
jealous that he decided to condemn Fouquet, the owner of the castle
and his Superintendent of Finances, to lifelong emprisonment. And he
also decided to build something that would outshine anything that the
country had ever seen before... any guesses as to what place I'm
referring to? ;)
For
Christmas, the castle is adorned
with lights, decorations and trees.
The fireplaces are lit and create a warm, cosy atmosphere that makes
you almost feel at home. In every room, little elves have created
amazing displays based on different themes; I loved the room full of
woodland animals, and the circus room was also amazing to look at. In
the grand salon, a Ferris wheel was squeezed in, and you can see it
turn round and round from the outside of the castle. The weather
was beautiful that day, and it felt like a calm Autumn day. The
gardens are a nice place to go for a peaceful walk. The perspective
and regularity of French gardens will never seize to impress me,
there is just something so satisfying about standing at one end of
the endless gardens and stare at their infinite grounds and
fountains.
This
is a place definitely worth visiting. It is a small castle on a grand
estate, and a fantastic piece of history and architecture. If you
want to see something different from Paris, there are some other
amazing places to explore. I hope to make you discover them! :)
What do you think about these Christmas displays? Do you have any beautiful castles in the area where you live?
Lots of love,
Julia x
Lots of love,
Julia x
