If you are looking for a holiday that has inspired a myriad of people from writers to painters and poets to architects then here's the place. Just an hour's drive out of Paris is the grand chateau of Vaux le Vicomte. The beauty and opulence of this chateau was the inspiration for the more famous Versailles. Inside Vaux le Vicomte, you get to peek into a treasure-trove of French antiques and artwork and to absorb the atmosphere. There are audio tours organised or you can just follow the guidebook through the rooms. Outside the chateau, the gardens stretch for three kilometres and the design is just as it was when built three centuries ago. Walk down the garden path and you'll wander past ornate fountains and at the very end, you'll come to the Grand Canal. This is filled with 'Nautils' - pedal-powered water creatures. If you have the time, make sure you stay around and enjoy lunch in the chateau's fantastic canteen where you will be served traditional French food. If you want to experience Vaux le Vicomte with a romantic feel, then plan your visit between May and October. Every Saturday night in these months, Vaux le Vicomte lights up with 2000 burning candles rather than electric lights. Just the way the chateau opened more than 300 years ago.