Ille-de-France

The Ille-de-France region, the former royal domain around Paris and the home of brie.

The Flavours of France takes us on a tour of Ile-de-France, the former royal domain around Paris.
First we go to Chaumes-en-Brie, the site of the famous majestic palace of Vaux-le-Vicomte, build by the powerful 17th century figure, finance minister Nicolas Fouqet.  Today the palace is a museum.  The gardens at Vaux-le-Vicomte were designed by Andre Lenotre (who later designed the gardens of Versailles).  This palace was literally the death of Fouqet, for its extravagance enraged the young Louis XIV and led to the minister’s arrest and death in prison. 
The region around Vaux-le-Vicomte is called Brie and is famous for its soft cheese and cheese recipes like Croustillant briard (brie in pastry).
The program proceeds to Provins – a medieval city famous for its rose gardens (an unexpected legacy of English occupation during the Hundred Years War), falconry displays and historical re-enactments. 
Then we arrive at Château de Courances, a charming estate with a moat and extensive water gardens.  The surrounding department of Essonne is mostly agricultural and actually famous for its lettuce.  Lettuce is a principal ingredient in the Salade Hotel de France.
The next stop is at Milly-la-Forêt where the National Conservatory of Medicinal, Aromatic and Industrial Plants is situated.  There they raise, study and breed all kinds of plants that might be of used to humans. Milly-la-Forêt is also a quite prominent market town.  A popular local recipe is tournedos of salmon.