What to do and see in Seine-et-Marne, Ile-de-France: The Best Historic Sites

Vaux le Vicomte is the creation of three men brought together by Nicolas Fouquet, Louis 14th's finance minister, the landcape architect Andre le Nôtre, the architect Louis le Vau and the painter-decorator Charles le Brun. The perfect harmony between architecture and landscape is the result of their collaborative genius. From its unveiling at the famous fête of august 17th, 1661, Vaux le Vicomte aroused the envy of the Sun King and became the model that inspired the whole of Europe, including Versailles.Vaux le Vicomte can be visited during the day or at night with 2000 candles (on Saturdays from may to beginning of october)Easy access by train or by bus from paris.

Castel and workshop of the famous animal painter Rosa Bonheur. Thanks to The Horse Fair, she was able to buy this castel next to Fontainebleau near by Paris

Come and discover the château of Champs-sur-Marne located 18km to the east of Paris and one of the finest examples of neo-classical architecture in the Île-de-France region. Its rococo decoration and rich furniture bring back to life the refined setting of Enlightenment country houses.

An historical Equestrian falconry show. Take a flight of fancy...in the open-air Ramparts Theatre of Provins and let's tell the story of falconry through various cultures... A splendid aerial ballet of birds of prey, in perfect harmony with horses is waiting for you. From the origin with the arabian falconers to the kazakh eaglers, from the medieval feudalism to the fantastic, visitors will follow the birds of prey through these changing worlds and fall under the spell of their aerial feats. During the show you can see several species of birds : eagles, hawks, buzzards, kites, vultures, caracaras, owls and secretary birds... After the show, visit one of the greatest aviary of France with 100 birds of 25 different species !

A medieval town close to Paris that you can visit all year round ! During the 12th and 13th centuries, Provins is at the height of its fame thanks to the famous Trade Fairs of Champagne. The urban structure is organised to accommodate the great number of wholesalers: the wide streets for the transfer of goods and for the stalls, the three level merchant’s houses with sumptuous vaulted low rooms... The impressive fortified wall was built during the 13th century and extended for 5 km (today 1,2 km), and it offers a catalogue of military architecture. Those ramparts showed off the power of the Earls of Champagne. Provins is a real showcase of medieval architecture (military, religious and civil) and it is one of the few towns in France that can boast of over fifty listed Monuments with historical value. Thus, Provins was inscribed on the UNESCO’s World Heritage List on December 2001.