The notorious history of Château de Vaux-le-Vicomte continued to reveal itself as we roamed its historic halls. For in the basement, not only did we find the kitchens and servants’ dining room, we also came upon an unexpected character. The Man in the Iron Mask There before us, sitting in a small staircase, was a likeness of The Man in the Iron Mask. Our guide informed us that this iconic figure had two connections to Vaux-le-Vicomte. For he too had been confined at Pignerol prison at the same time as Nicolas Fouquet, the high flying creator of Château de Vaux-le-Vicomte. In fact, he served as Fouquet’s valet for a time.…

When I departed Paris early one autumn morning on a bus tour of two of France’s most famous châteaux, little did I know that I would soon be immersed in the high crimes and misdemeanours of Château de Vaux-le-Vicomte. This was the first of the châteaux that we visited that day. And the drama began to reveal itself to us immediately upon our arrival. Burglary at Dawn We approached this magnificent château on foot, passing its imposing gate and crossing the bridge over its moat. No sooner had we passed over the threshold beneath the grand façade, than our guide informed us that the current owners had been burgled early…