Page 172 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Europe

170  FR ANCE AND THE L OW C OUNTRIES

l Basilique St-Denis 1589), and Louis XVI and Marie- divided into five themed areas.
Antoinette (died 1793). Although these rely heavily on
1 Rue de la Légion d’Honneur.
q St-Denis-Basilique. W St-Denis. Of the medieval effigies, the Hollywood nostalgia,
Tel 01-48 09 83 54. Open daily. most impressive are of Charles V Disneyland Paris has tried to
Closed Jan 1, May 1, Dec 25. & to (1364) and a 12th-century give the park a European touch.
the crypt. 8 7 restricted. likeness of Blanche de France “Frontierland,” inspired by
with her dog. Their mask-like the Wild West of 19th-century
Constructed between 1137 and serenity contrasts with the America, can be explored on
1281, the basilica is on the site of realistic Renaissance portrayal paddlewheel steamboats.
the tomb of St. Denis, the first of agony in the sculptures of A roller coaster trundles
bishop of Paris, who was behe- the mausoleum of Louis XII through mountain scenery.
aded in Montmartre in AD 250. and Anne de Bretagne. In “Adventureland,” visitors
According to legend, his decap- In 2011, the skull of Henry IV encounter characters and
itated figure, clutching his head, was buried here, having been tales from adventure fiction,
was seen here, and an abbey in the possession of a private including Caribbean pirates and
was erected to commemorate collector since the 1950s. the Swiss Family Robinson.
the martyred bishop. The basilica Small-town America at the
was the first church to be built in turn of the century is evoked in
the Gothic style of architecture. z Disneyland Paris “Main Street.” Authentic details
From as early as the 7th Marne-la-Vallée, Seine-et-Marne. include horse-drawn vehicles
century, St-Denis was a burial £ TGV from several major cities to and a traditional barber’s shop.
place for French rulers, and all Marne la Vallée/Chessy; also Eurostar Young children will enjoy
the queens of France were from London St. Pancras, Ebbsfleet & “Fantasyland,” devoted to Disney
crowned here. During the Ashford. W Marne-la-Vallée-Chessy. characters and tales, where they
Revolution, many tombs were @ from CDG & Orly airports. can fly with Peter Pan or search
desecrated and scattered, but Tel 08448 008 898. Open daily. the Alice in Wonderland maze
the best were stored, and now & 7 ∑ disneylandparis.com for the Queen of Hearts’ castle.
represent a fine collection of “Discoveryland” has futuristic
funerary art. Memorials include The theme park, which lies architecture and sophisticated
those of Henri II (died 1559) and 32 km (20 miles) east of Paris, technology. Here, visitors can
Catherine de’ Medici (died covers 60 ha (150 acres). It is choose to be miniaturized by a
hapless inventor or sent on a
thrilling space trip.
x Château de Vaux-
le-Vicomte
Maincy, Seine-et-Marne. £ W Melun,
then taxi or shuttle bus (Apr–mid-Nov:
Sat & Sun). Tel 01-64 14 41 90. Open
mid-Mar–mid-Nov: daily. & 7
∑ vaux-le-vicomte.com
Located 64 km (40 miles)
southeast of Paris, the château
enjoys a peaceful rural setting.
Nicolas Fouquet, a powerful
court financier to Louis XIV,
challenged architect Le Vau and
decorator Le Brun to create the
most sumptuous palace of the
day. The result was one of the
greatest 17th-century French
châteaux. However, it also led
to his downfall. Louis was so
enraged – because its luxury cast
the royal palaces into the shade
– that he had Fouquet arrested
and confiscated all his estates.
As befits Fouquet’s grand tastes,
the interior is a gilded banquet of
frescoes, stucco, caryatids, and
giant busts. The Salon des Muses
The tomb of Louis XII and Anne de Bretagne in the Basilique St-Denis boasts Le Brun’s magnificent
For hotels and restaurants see pp206–8 and pp209–11

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