Another notable scene is that of lion and lioness – symbolizing the king and queen mother – who are protecting the squirrel. The irony is obvious: it alludes to Fouquet’s firm, but erroneous, belief that he was guaranteed royal protection.
It is in this room that we meet Alexandre De Vogŭé, owner of the château, who (unlike Fouquet) has no qualms about chatting with hoi polloi. In his smart jeans and trainers, he looks quite chilled out. These remarkable rooms – and indeed the château as a whole – require (unsurprisingly) a lot of upkeep, Alexandre tells me. “It takes a tremendous amount of hard work, and we are fortunate to have such a dedicated team [of staff] committed to ensuring she [the château] looks her best,” he says.
What about the costs of maintaining Vaux-le-Vicomte in its full glory? “Back in 2013, we launched a ten-year plan and calculated that, by 2023, we would need around €13 million to carry out all of the work necessary to preserve the château and its surroundings,” he replies.
Fouquet’s incredible complacency and attempts to flatter Louis XIV further manifest themselves in the Chambre du Roi and the Chambre des Muses. The former was designed to be the king’s bedroom: this was a time when it was customary for all grand country residences to set aside a room for the monarch, who would travel regularly with his entourage. But His Majesty never stayed there. Poignantly, this bedroom, with its dazzling golden, sculpted ceiling and giant portrait of the king, is one of the chateau’s finest rooms.
The Chambre des Muses, Fouquet’s own bedroom, is equally appealing. Around the edge of the large ceiling are eight different muses, while a ninth, Clio, muse of history, takes pride of place in the centre. Hortense explains that this ceiling represents the triumph of fidelity over betrayal – yet another example of the lengths Fouquet would go to flatter himself and the king.
“I have a treat for you,” exclaims Hortense. We wander up to the first floor – past Fouquet’s ornately decorated private apartments littered with his favourite works of art, to a narrow, wooden staircase. This is the entrance to the dome that, at 25 metres high, offers panoramic views over the grounds.
Designed by André Le Nôtre, the gardens – stretching for nearly three kilometres – are the dominant structure at Vaux-le-Vicomte: a balanced mix of water fountains, chalk-coloured gravel walkways and patterned parterres that are more unified than those the architect went on to create at Versailles.
