Versailles vs. Vaux le Vicomte

I have been to Versailles many times and to Vaux le Vicomte once.
As I'm sure you remember, Versailles is vast and one really has to keep moving to see it all in a day. There is really no guaranteed way to avoid crowds in the chateau itself. June is the beginning of the high tourist season and it is just going to be crowded. Sometimes there are fewer crowds in the afternoon but not always. I prefer the gardens later in the afternoon when the sun is going down and the colors and shadows make it look very dramatic! With your two teens you may want to think about renting bikes to see the grounds - you can rent them at the head of the grand canal, to the right as you are walking away from the chateau. Most people don't get out into the grounds very far but there are wheat fields, grand allees of trees, forest, and beautiful paths to explore. It's well worth it to rent bikes - you see more and it's far less tiring than walking!
Vaux le Vicomte is on a smaller scale but quite grand in its own right. Versailles was modeled after it after the owner/builder of Vaux dared to build such a grand house that should have been fit for a king! He was thrown in prison over it!
We went for an afternoon and evening. The gardens are quite extensive and lovely and worth walking around. If you are there in the evening they offer candlelight tours and fireworks. Candles line the main garden walkways, champagne is served, and the chateau is lit by candles as your tour through it. It's quite beautiful and well worth staying late!
Your kids will get back to France some time I'm sure as will you. If you have your heart set on Versailles then you should go. If you feel OK skipping it then try Vaux - it's very impressive and not at all disappointing!

Second the above. I love Vaux le Vicomte and there are no crowds -- so a double plus. If your family feels they must see Versailles, do that, but you won't be disappointed with Vaux. You can see our visit here: https://janettravels.wordpress.com/2010/09/20/vaux-le-vicomte-our-last-chateau/

Give yourself most of a day for this -- beautiful place.

"If you're planning to visit just one palace in Europe, it should be Versailles."
(Rick Steves, Paris guidebook)
But he follows that advice by then recommending going to at least one of "the other three" other chateaux in the Paris area:
Vaux
Chantilly
Fontainebleau

I agree with all the three responses.

With Vaux le Vicomte I have the feeling wanting to see it again, basically it is not too big to see everything in one visit. With Versailles I have to come back many/more times before even coming to the point to have the same feeling as it is so enormous. For that reason the first is more satisfying for a single visit to my opinion. Speaking for myself, with visiting Versailles I don´t set a limit, not troubling me, even the contrary........

Vaux le Vicomte, buildings and gardens are designed as one complete coherent package, and as far as I know still preserved to day as such. With Chantilly and certainly Fontainebleau is this lesser the case due to a number of modifications throughout the ages, making Vaux more pleasant to the eye to my opinion.

I agree with Anita to rent bikes if you go to Versailles. We've done it 10+ times and absolutely love it. Makes the visit much more fun for us.

I love both Versailles and Vaux... I can't go to Paris without going to both. I like Versailles more than Vaux because of the history and all that took place there (and because we love to ride bikes all over). Vaux has always been practically empty, both chateau and gardens, the 3 times we've been there in the middle of summer. It's really difficult to recommend one over the other. Just fyi, Vaux has a really good cafe.

In my experience, Paris in June does not get crowded until the last week. I notice a difference the 3rd week of June but even more so the 4th. The first two weeks of June have not been crowded at all when we've been there (countless times for the whole summer).

Thanks All,

Great suggestions...I loved viewing your travel log, Janet. I think I've complicated things for myself because now I think we should try to see both. Darn that there's not an unlimited amount of time. I've done some research about the candlelit viewing, which sounds awesome. I checked the train schedule (only posted thru April at this point) and it seems that there are trains back to Paris from Melun late at night (midnight or later). It's hard to determine how late the trains do run, but it seems possible to attend the candlelit viewing on Saturday night, see the fire works, and still get back to Paris.

I love the idea of riding bikes all over Versailles too. Sounds awesome. Thanks.

Whichever you choose, plan to treat yourself to "The Gardener of Versailles: My Life in the World's Grandest Garden" by Alain Baraton. A delightful read, especially when you can picture the gardens!