Chateaux of ill fortune: Robert Knecht visits two of France's most remarkable chateaux, which stand as monuments to the ambitions of their upwardly mobile creators Thomas Bohier and Nicolas Fouquet.

THE GHATEAUX of Chenonceau and Vaux-le-Vicomte--today among the premier tourist sites of France, and seen as shining exemplars of the glories of the nation's architectural heritage--also hear witness to the insolvency and ingratitude of the French monarchy across two centuries.

Their owners--Thomas Bohier and Nicholas Fouquet respectively--represented a class of important officials in the royal fiscal administration. Having risen from the ranks of the bourgeoisie, such men became wealthy enough to lend money to the crown when its traditional sources of income failed to meet ...

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