Fouquet's château is on your doorstep here. Nicolas Fouquet, Louis XIV's finance minister, built it from 1656, with Le Vau as architect, Le Nôtre as garden designer and Le Brun as decorator, and in August 1661 he gave a lavish party there for the young king. Within weeks, Fouquet was arrested, and the king took the same team to build Versailles.
Vaux-le-Pénil and Melun are close, and Fontainebleau forest begins to the south.
The ride that ends here has come out of the Milly forest and the Nemours area, so it is a gentle return. Roads are good, with long straights across the open plateau and a few twists as they enter the woods around Maincy. Traffic is light on weekdays but can be heavy near the château in summer, and early morning is the best time to see the building in soft light, when the moat is still and the gardens look their best. The grounds are open to visitors, and the garden cascade and grotto are worth the entry fee if you have the time.
Fuel is available in Vaux-le-Pénil and Melun, where there are stations and supermarkets, and a few cafes in Maincy and the neighbouring villages serve simple lunches. For a more elegant ending, the château has a restaurant, though it is expensive, and the lawns offer a place for a picnic.
The Seine is not far, and a short ride brings you to its banks at Melun for a final view. It is a worthy end to a ride that began in forest and rock.