Autumn Holidays
From 18 to 31 October 2026
Vaux-le-Vicomte invites young and old to experience history in a different way.
Costumes to borrow, an explorer’s notebook, immersive audio tours and forest trails: during the Toussaint (All Saints’) school holidays, the estate becomes a playground for family discovery!
As a reminder, the estate is open every day from 10 am to 5:30 pm (last admission at the ticket office).
Good to know — languages
The immersive audio tour is available in English, and costume rental is open to every child. Two guided activities this season, the torchlight exploration and the Carnival of the Animals, are held in French only, as is the Sound Forest trail. They are clearly marked throughout this page.
Which activity for which age?
All activities are open to families. This guide is here to help you plan your visit.
Costume rental (free) – For the length of your visit, your child puts on a period costume and explores the château as a character from the 17th century.
The Carnival of the Animals (in French only) – An actress leads little ones on a mischievous treasure hunt to find the animals hidden in the décor of the château’s rooms.
From the Sounding Forest (in French only), where La Fontaine’s Fables whisper among the trees, to the vaulted tunnel of the Mystery of the Iron Mask, not forgetting the immersive audio tour (available in English) in a children’s or an adult version, curious visitors are spoilt for choice.
Torchlight exploration (in French only) – Velvet cape on your shoulders and a torch in your hand, older children set off in a group with our guide to explore the state rooms plunged into darkness.
Free Costume Rental for Children !
To celebrate the autumn holidays, from 17 October to 1 November, costume rental is free for all children aged 3 and over!
Princesses or musketeers? Young visitors choose their costume and experience their visit to Vaux-le-Vicomte as a character from the 17th century.
A playful, immersive way to make discovering the château even more memorable!
The Explorer’s Notebook
Young explorers have a mission of their own at Vaux-le-Vicomte! Observe, search, touch, create and take on the challenges devised around the works of art and landscapes of the estate.
A playful, sensory adventure to become, for the length of a visit, a true “Landscape Designer of the Exceptional”.
Free notebook, available at the ticket offices!
The Immersive Audio Tour – Available in English
Part of our permanent offer, the immersive audio tour takes you to the heart of history, brought to life through sound: historical figures awaken and come alive around you!
Two tours are available:
- For children aged 6 and over: La Fabuleuse histoire de Vaux (“The Fabulous Story of Vaux”), with Jean de La Fontaine and Panache, the flying squirrel (children’s tour, written by Timothée de Fombelle) – available in French and English.
- For adults visitors: L’Affaire Fouquet (“The Fouquet Affair”) (adult tour, written by Xavier Maurel) – available in French, English and German.
Audio headset provided at the château entrance – included in the “Château and gardens” entry ticket.
Our Forest Trails
The Mystery of the Iron Mask: From Reality to Myth
The Mystery of the Iron Mask takes young and old through a vaulted 17th-century tunnel and then into the heart of the forest. Through a series of staged scenes, the different theories about the identity of the famous prisoner are revealed: Louis XIV’s hidden brother, Nicolas Fouquet himself, or an inconvenient witness? It’s up to you to make up your own mind…
Open every day the estate is open, about 30 minutes. Free access, no extra charge, recommended from age 6. Not accessible to visitors with reduced mobility.
The Sounding Forest – Fables in the Hollow of the Tree (in French only)
The trees of Vaux have found their voice. Nestled in the hollow of majestic sculpted cedars, lend an ear to La Fontaine’s Fables, reimagined by contemporary artists. A poetic walk that continues the artistic tradition of Vaux-le-Vicomte.
A 30-minute hike, accessible during the estate’s opening hours. In French only. Free access, no extra charge, recommended from age 6. Not accessible to visitors with reduced mobility.
Holiday Calendar
The special autumn-holiday activities start on Sunday 18 October and run until Saturday 31 October inclusive. On Saturday 17 October and Sunday 1 November, you can enjoy our permanent offer: immersive audio tour, costume rental, participatory puzzle, explorer’s notebook and the forest trails (Sounding Forest and Mystery of the Iron Mask).
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Dates |
Activities |
|---|---|
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Every day, 17 October – 1 November |
Free costume rental · Immersive audio tour (English available) · Explorer’s notebook · Mystery of the Iron Mask · Sounding Forest (French only) |
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, at no extra charge. Audio headsets are provided at the château entrance.
Yes. From 17 October to 1 November, costume rental is free for all children aged 3 and over.
No. The Sounding Forest and the Mystery of the Iron Mask are not accessible to visitors with reduced mobility.