ibis Styles Melun
Why we like it: Three-star hotel in Rubelles, 5 km from Vaux-le-Vicomte château, with 54 rooms, breakfast included and free enclosed parking.
Duration1 night
From ParisCar 1 h · train to Melun and bike or taxi
Best timeSaturdays from mid-May to late September
Budget€180–300 pp
From SpainFlight to Paris-Orly (ORY) and hire car
The plan
The plan, hour by hour
Designed for a Saturday of the Soirées aux Chandelles, from mid-May to late September, arriving by car from Paris or from Orly airport. Book three things before leaving, all three compulsory or nearly so: the evening ticket, lunch at L'Entourloupe and Sunday brunch at R.Mana. The 2027 dates are announced in spring on the château's website.
Saturday
- 112:30Lunch in Blandy
L'Entourloupe, facing the medieval Blandy-les-Tours castle, is open on Saturday from 11:00 to 23:00 without closing. Terrace with views of the towers. Book.
- 215:00The château and Le Nôtre's garden
With the evening ticket (€22 château and garden in 2026; €16 garden only) you enter by day: first the rooms and the great oval salon, then the 33 hectares of garden as the sun goes down. On Saturdays dogs are not admitted to the garden.
- 3at duskThe candles
The château and the garden fill with candles. Last ticket-office entry at 21:30. Eat something beforehand: lunch in Blandy is late and generous on purpose.
- 4nightMelun
Ten minutes by car to the Villa Eugénie, in the centre of Melun, or five to the ibis Styles in Rubelles.
Sunday
- 111:30Brunch at R.Mana
In the former farm of the Vaux-le-Pénil château: three tasting courses and a homemade buffet for €60, by reservation only and arriving between 11:30 and 12:30.
- 214:00Fontainebleau palace
A good half hour by car. Two hours for Francis I, Marie Antoinette and Napoleon; €17, free for under-18s. From April to September it closes at 18:00, with last entry three quarters of an hour earlier. Back to Paris or Orly in the afternoon.
In 1661 Nicolas Fouquet gave a party at Vaux-le-Vicomte for Louis XIV so dazzling that the king had him arrested weeks later. On summer Saturdays the château recalls that night: it opens late and the château and garden are lit by thousands of candles. Getting back to Paris at night afterwards is the least of it; the good thing is to stay in Melun, ten minutes away, and devote Sunday to a long brunch and the Fontainebleau palace.
How do you get there?
From Paris, by car: about 50 km on the A4 or the A6, exit 14 Voisenon, with free parking on the estate. Without a car, line R train or RER D from Gare de Lyon to Melun; the Villa Eugénie is eight minutes' walk from the station and Vaux, 9 km by the bike route. To get back at night from the evening you will need a taxi.
From Spain, fly to Paris-Orly (ORY), the closest airport, with direct flights from the main Spanish cities, and hire a car there: you will need it for Blandy and for Fontainebleau.
Where to sleep?
| Accommodation | Best for | For whom |
|---|---|---|
| Villa Eugénie | 1880 house with a garden, eight minutes from Melun station | Couples, those arriving by train |
| ibis Styles Melun | 5 km from the château, breakfast included and free parking | Families by car |
How much does it cost?
Between €180 and €300 per person with one night sharing a room, the evening ticket, the palace, Saturday's lunch, the brunch and petrol, excluding the flight and hire car. What moves the budget most is the accommodation: the Villa Eugénie and the ibis Styles do not publish fixed prices; check them for your dates.
Map
The stops, in order
What to do
Eat
88 €Stay
Services
Plan the trip
Vaux-le-Vicomte, step by step
Each choice narrows the next: the season shapes how best to travel, and how you travel decides where you stay and where you eat.
When to go
When to go to Vaux-le-Vicomte
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Best timeGood timeLow season
How you travel
The same break, your way
The plan stays the same. What changes is where you sleep, how you get there and how much you spend.
Vaux-le-Vicomte by Car, with Blandy and Fontainebleau
By car, Vaux-le-Vicomte is about 50 km from Paris on the A4 or A6, with free parking on the estate. The car lets you add in the same day the medieval castle of Blandy-les-Tours, about 5 km away, and the palace of Fontainebleau, about 20 km away, and sleep in the countryside.
80–160 €per person per day, approximate
- Where to stayibis Styles Melun, in Rubelles…
- Getting aroundA4, N104 and A5B to…
- Where to eatLe Relais de l'Écureuil, self-service…
- ServicesFree château car park
Where to stay
- ibis Styles Melun, in Rubelles, 5 km away, with free enclosed parking
- Ferme de la Recette, farm with rooms in Échouboulains, about 20 km away
- Villa Eugénie, in the centre of Melun
Getting around
- A4, N104 and A5B to exit 14 Voisenon, or A6, N104, A5 and D82
- Free parking at Vaux, with reserved spaces next to the entrance
- Blandy and Vaux-le-Pénil, a few minutes away for lunch
Where to eat
- Le Relais de l'Écureuil, self-service inside the estate
- L'Entourloupe, bistro opposite Blandy castle, Wednesday to Sunday
- R.Mana, chef's cooking in Vaux-le-Pénil, Sunday brunch
Services
- Free château car park
Flying to Paris and a Train or Car to Vaux-le-Vicomte
To get here from Spain, you fly to Paris: Orly and Charles de Gaulle have direct flights from the main Spanish cities. Orly, to the south, is the closest to Melun and Vaux-le-Vicomte. From there, you either hire a car or take the train to Melun and do the last 9 km by bike or taxi. At Christmas, the Grand Noël shuttle leaves from Paris.
- Getting thereParis-Orly (ORY): the nearest; metro…
- Getting aroundHire car at the airport…
- Where to stayVilla Eugénie, eight minutes on…
- ServicesGrand Noël shuttle from Paris
Getting there
- Paris-Orly (ORY): the nearest; metro line 14 to Gare de Lyon
- Paris-Charles de Gaulle (CDG): RER B to Châtelet and RER D southwards
- Line R train or RER D from Gare de Lyon to Melun
Getting around
- Hire car at the airport, the most convenient for adding Blandy and Fontainebleau
- Bike hire at Melivélo (1 bis rue Séjourné, Melun) and 9 km of easy route to Vaux
- At Christmas, Grand Noël shuttle from Cour Saint-Émilion (metro 14)
Where to stay
- Villa Eugénie, eight minutes on foot from Melun station, if you arrive without a car
- ibis Styles Melun, 5 km from the château, if you hire a car
Services
- Grand Noël shuttle from Paris
How much does it cost?
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Villa Eugénie
Why we like it: 1880 house in Melun with four guest rooms and two apartments, eight minutes on foot from the station and ten minutes by car from Vaux-le-Vicomte.
Country house
Ferme de la Recette
Why we like it: Three guest rooms on a 17th-century cattle farm in Échouboulains, with a dovecote and courtyard, about 20 km from Vaux-le-Vicomte. From €80.60 a night.
From €80
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Services for this trip
Where to eat
Where to eat in Vaux-le-Vicomte
Le Relais de l'Écureuil
What to order: the children's menu and a sweet treat for an afternoon snack
At the entrance to the estate, with high chairs and microwaves for families
L'Entourloupe
What to order: ask about the dishes of the day and the local beers and house cocktails
Open Wednesday to Sunday; on Sunday, from 11:00 to 18:00
R.Mana
What to order: the Wednesday to Friday lunchtime menu, from €33, and the Grand Marnier soufflé for dessert
Closed Monday and Tuesday; Sunday brunch only, by reservation
Tips
Worth knowing first
- 1Summer Saturdays only
The Soirées aux Chandelles are on Saturdays from mid-May to late September; the rest of the year, swap the evening for the Grand Noël at Christmas or for a normal visit.
- 2Book the evening
The ticket is compulsory with a reservation on the château's website.
- 3Fontainebleau does not open on Tuesdays
It does not affect this weekend plan, but it does if you extend it.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
When are the Soirées aux Chandelles?
In 2026 they were every Saturday from 16 May to 26 September; the 2027 dates are published in spring.
How much does the evening ticket cost?
In 2026, €22 château and garden, €18.50 reduced and €16 garden only.
Where do I sleep near Vaux-le-Vicomte?
In Melun, at the Villa Eugénie, or in Rubelles, at the ibis Styles, 5 km from the château.
Can it be done without a car?
Partly: train to Melun and bike to Vaux; to get back at night and for Blandy and Fontainebleau, better a car or taxi.