Château de Vaux-le-Vicomte

Château de Vaux-le-Vicomte is a French Baroque château in Melun, Seine-et-Marne, Île-de-France. Built in 1661, it was designed by Louis Le Vau. It has appeared on screen in Moonraker (1979).

Location: Château de Vaux-le-Vicomte, 77950 Maincy, Melun, Seine-et-Marne, Île-de-France, France

Verified facts

• Located in Maincy, Melun
  confidence 80/100 · 6 independent sources · SRC-1583, SRC-1584, SRC-6397, SRC-6398, SRC-8805, SRC-9133
• Designed by Louis Le Vau
  confidence 80/100 · 4 independent sources · SRC-1585, SRC-1586, SRC-1584, SRC-8806
• Built in 1661
  confidence 80/100 · 6 independent sources · SRC-1584, SRC-1586, SRC-6238, SRC-6239, SRC-8807, SRC-9134
• Architectural style: French Baroque
  confidence 80/100 · 8 independent sources · SRC-1584, SRC-1583, SRC-6240, SRC-6241, SRC-8808, SRC-9135, SRC-8807, SRC-9750
• Historic designation: Monument historique (classé)
  confidence 80/100 · 6 independent sources · SRC-1587, SRC-1586, SRC-6242, SRC-6243, SRC-8809, SRC-9136
• Appeared in Moonraker (movie, 1979)
  confidence 80/100 · 9 independent sources · SRC-1583, SRC-1588, SRC-6244, SRC-6245, SRC-8225, SRC-8226, SRC-8810, SRC-9137, SRC-9594

Evidence & sources

• SRC-1583 — Vaux-le-Vicomte — Wikipedia (Tier 3, encyclopedia; retrieved June 2026)
• SRC-1584 — Vaux-le-Vicomte | Gardens, Architecture, Baroque | Britannica (Tier 3, encyclopedia; retrieved June 2026)
• SRC-1585 — Famous figures — Château de Vaux-le-Vicomte (official site) (Tier 1, official_site; retrieved June 2026)
• SRC-1586 — Château de Vaux-le-Vicomte — Wikipédia (FR) (Tier 3, encyclopedia; retrieved June 2026)
• SRC-1587 — Notice Mérimée PA00087074 — POP, Ministère de la Culture (Tier 1, official_archive; retrieved June 2026)
• SRC-1588 — Vaux-le-Vicomte reveals behind-the-scenes footage of film shoots — Sortir à Paris (Tier 2, journalism; retrieved June 2026)
• SRC-5591 — Château de Vaux-le-Vicomte (official site) — Mentions légales (Tier 1, institutional; retrieved June 2026)
• SRC-5592 — Wikipedia (Tier 2, encyclopedia; retrieved June 2026)
• SRC-6238 — Château de Vaux-le-Vicomte — Paris je t'aime (Paris Convention and Visitors Bureau) (Tier 2, tourism_board; retrieved June 2026)
• SRC-6239 — Visit Vaux-le-Vicomte — La Marinière en Voyage (Tier 3, travel_guide; retrieved June 2026)
• SRC-6240 — Saving Castles — Château de Vaux-le-Vicomte: A Hidden Gem of French Baroque Splendor (Tier 3, specialist-blog; retrieved June 2026)
• SRC-6241 — The Castles — Vaux-le-Vicomte: The enigmatic legacy of Nicolas Fouquet's Baroque masterpiece (Tier 3, specialist-blog; retrieved June 2026)
• SRC-6242 — Histoire pour Tous — Vaux-le-Vicomte : de Fouquet à nos jours (Tier 3, web; retrieved June 2026)
• SRC-6243 — Les Maçons Parisiens — Le château de Vaux-le-Vicomte (Tier 3, web; retrieved June 2026)
• SRC-6244 — Movie-Locations.com — Moonraker (1979) filming locations (Tier 3, film-locations database; retrieved June 2026)
• SRC-6245 — Complete France — 5 James Bond filming locations in France (Tier 3, travel magazine; retrieved June 2026)
• SRC-6397 — Larousse Encyclopédie – château de Vaux-le-Vicomte (Tier 2, encyclopedia; retrieved June 2026)
• SRC-6398 — Office de Tourisme de Melun Val de Seine – Vaux-le-Vicomte Castle (Tier 3, tourism_site; retrieved June 2026)
• SRC-8225 — 007 Travelers — Drax's château in California / Moonraker (1979) (Tier 3, article; retrieved June 2026)
• SRC-8226 — BondMovies.com — Chez Drax: Chateau de Vaux-le-Vicomte (Tier 3, article; retrieved June 2026)
• SRC-8805 — Bonjour Paris — Vaux-le-Vicomte: The History of a Chateau (Tier 2, journalism; retrieved June 2026)
• SRC-8806 — VisitParisRegion (Paris Region official tourism board) — Château de Vaux-le-Vicomte (Tier 2, tourism_board; retrieved June 2026)
• SRC-8807 — Sotheby's — Before Versailles, There Was Vaux-le-Vicomte (Tier 2, journalism; retrieved June 2026)
• SRC-8808 — Fortloc — Château de Vaux-le-Vicomte: A Baroque Masterpiece (Tier 3, specialist_site; retrieved June 2026)
• SRC-8809 — Villages et Patrimoine de France — Vaux-le-Vicomte (Tier 3, heritage_site; retrieved June 2026)
• SRC-8810 — James Bond Locations — Drax's Chateau (Château de Vaux-le-Vicomte) (Tier 3, film_location_database; retrieved June 2026)
• SRC-9133 — The Good Life France — The Chateau of Vaux-le-Vicomte and its incredible history (Tier 2, travel_guide; retrieved June 2026)
• SRC-9134 — France This Way — Chateau de Vaux-le-Vicomte: a guide for visitors (Tier 2, travel_guide; retrieved June 2026)
• SRC-9135 — The Parisian Guide — Château de Vaux-le-Vicomte (Tier 2, travel_guide; retrieved June 2026)
• SRC-9136 — Le Grand Mag — The Château de Vaux (Tier 2, journalism; retrieved June 2026)
• SRC-9137 — On the Tracks of 007 — Paris filming locations (Tier 2, film_location_database; retrieved June 2026)
• SRC-9594 — Sceen-it — Moonraker at Château de Vaux le Vicomte (filming location database) (Tier 2, film_location_database; retrieved June 2026)
• SRC-9750 — Loire Valley France travel and heritage guide — Chateau de Vaux-le-Vicomte (Tier 2, heritage_guide; retrieved June 2026)

How we verify

Every fact above is independently corroborated by at least two reputable sources and
confidence-scored before publication. Claims that cannot clear that bar are withheld. We show the
street address only for non-residential public landmarks (museums, commercial and civic buildings,
publicly documented filming-location sites); the exact addresses of private residences and any
personal information are structurally barred from publication. Last reviewed June 2026.

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Frequently asked questions

Where was Moonraker filmed?

Château de Vaux-le-Vicomte, in Melun, Seine-et-Marne, Île-de-France, is a real-world filming location used for Moonraker.

Can you visit Château de Vaux-le-Vicomte?

Yes — Château de Vaux-le-Vicomte is open to the public. Hours: Open daily Mar 14-Nov 1, 2026, 10am-5:30pm (last admission 1.5 hrs before close). Candlelit Evenings Sat 11am-9:30pm, May 24-Sep 27.. Admission: Full price EUR 18; reduced EUR 14.50 (students, job seekers, ages 6-17, disabled); under 6 free. Free audio guide included..

Who designed Château de Vaux-le-Vicomte?

Château de Vaux-le-Vicomte was designed by Louis Le Vau.

Where is Château de Vaux-le-Vicomte located?

Château de Vaux-le-Vicomte is located in Melun, Seine-et-Marne, Île-de-France.