Ch. de Vaux le Vicomte - Palais du Chocolat

More chocolate this weekend at the ever so charming chateau de Vaux le Vicomte. This event is on through Monday so hurry over to Melun, a mere 30 minutes from Gare de Lyon.

Vaux is my absolute favorite chateau. I'll take it any day over Versailles, in fact a copy of Vaux le Vicomte yet much more unmanageable.

Miss the crowds and masses of tourists and head to Melun I say!

Do check the hours of the special navette/bus to the chateau. They depart at 10,12 and 2 pm. Then just a 12 minute ride away from the train station et voila.

Yes it was rainy yesterday. but no matter. It's still a glorious experience and I had no brolly ;))

This is a side view of the chateau but I've written about it many, many times if you want the 'full monty'.

2013 is the 400th anniversary of landscape artist, Andre Le Notre who created the magnificent gardens at Vaux,(and Versailles after) so the guest chocolatiers made homages in his honor.

Sadaharu Aoki has created the centerpiece in the grand ballroom.

Before you enter the ballroom you'll get a chance to wander leisurely though out the chateau, without being trampled I might add like in some places...

And very grand it is too

Back to the chocolate salon. MOF Chocolatier Bellanger was very kind...

To provide us all with steaming cups of thick hot chocolate.

Mazet confisier  is too kind,

Providing greedy paws with many delicious praline bites

At Sadaharu's stand you can taste exotic Yuzu and the vert macarons

Chef Frederic Cassel, was involved in quite serious work...

Though some might call it 'child's play' ahem...

Dipping macarons into hot chocolate, then in chopped nuts and lining them up to cool - the ultimate macaron sucette/lollypop.

More dipping chocolate

For the chefs at Des Lis

The results? Pralines amandes, noisettes, fondant et crousstilant enrobe de chocolat au lait et sucre glace. Miam miam

I was flirting madly with their poppy syrup but ended up with a bag of Coquelicot de Nemours hard candies, said to be excellent for sore throats.

Beautiful bars/tablettes everywhere you looked...

And of course macarons

Another of my favorite tiny boxes - these are filled with different flavored caramel from MOF Arnaud Larher.
 

While it was pouring chocolate inside the ballroom outside the drizzle continued but no spirits were dampened. Why should they be? Monday is a national holiday so the Chocolat Salon continues. Don't miss it. It's loads of fun I promise!
 

Chateau Vaux le Vicomte - Palais du Chocolat

 Have you been to chateau Vaux le Vicomte?

 Just 25 minutes out of Paris via Gare du Nord to Melun.

 The fall colors are full out dans les jardins magnifiques.

 Designed by landscape artiste par excellence, Andre Le Notre before he went on to create les jardins aux Versailles for Louis XIV.

 Vaux le Vicomte is a more intimate chateau than the massive Versailles, more friendly.

Yesterday and today you can catch Vaux' own Palais du Chocolat.

Ahh...the smell of it. Chocolat Valrhona to boot.

Pastry students from pâtisserie Lycée Antonin Carême with assistance from le chef gastronomique, Laurent Asset will offer you chocolate tastes that change hourly.

The theme at this years Palais du Chocolat is the restoration of the toiture at the chateau, so a chocolate model is construted in the grand hallway and many others in the Grand Orangerie by guest pastry chefs.

You will be greeted by hosts in fancy dress.

Do practice your curtsey.

Frederic Cassel of Fontainebleu insists you try his chocolate bread. I had it this morning - a don't-miss

A chaser of chocolat chaud/hot chocolate from MOF Jacques Bellanger

Why I resisted the unctuous caramel tartiner of Jean-Charles Rochoux on top my chocolate bread is beyond me...

Did you know candies from the red poppy/coquelicot by Des Lis of Nemours are good for your throat? I did not though I gobbled down a small bag entirely back home. They don't taste a bit like medicine. Other chocolatiers present at the Palais to taste: Maison Bossier, Comptoir du Cacao, Arnaud Lahrer, Sadaharu Aoki, Mazet Confiseur and others.

Don't miss a wander through the luxe rooms at Vaux

And look up at the carved ceilings

By artist Charles le Brun, another craftsman grabbed up by Versailles.

Conde Nicolas Fouquet is waiting for you. At least I hope this is M. Fouquet...

As are a pair of sphinx...

Do come!
After all you mustn't miss the Champagne macarons.



 

Les Tasses de Ch. Vaux le Vicomte

Cup from Vaux le Vicomte,I was inspired to paint this cartouche by the cup I bought 

Chateau Vaux le Vicomte during the chocolate event.
And now I'm kicking myself that I didn't buy this sweet cup at Versailles :( Why do you have to return home, before you wake up to certain missed oportunities?

The coulda, shoulda, wouldas of travel are often not evident till you hit terra firma, chez nous.

This Marie-Antoinette set was way out of my budget to say the least.

But this elegant mug from Chateau Chantilly would have done ever so nicely without breaking the bank.

Same goes for this cup and saucer from the Musee de la Toile de Jouy

I'm falling for the idea of mismatched cups and china hard.

 What was I thinking passing these by?

These stunning glasses were out of my range to be sure. Still lovely to look at from afar.

Not a cup and not for sale but definitely fun at the Musee de Toil and well worth dreaming about.

Bon Petit Dejeuner!