About

Located just outside Paris, the Château de Vaux-le-Vicomte is a 17th-century architectural gem and a masterpiece of classical French design. Commissioned by Nicolas Fouquet, it is renowned for its grand château architecture, French formal gardens, and immersive visitor experiences. Each year, over 300,000 people visit the château to explore this historical and cultural landmark.

Goals: Modernizing visitor support and reducing staff workload

The head of communications was also managing the influx of daily visitor inquiries, by phone and email. To meet this growing demand, the château needed to:

• Automate responses to the most common questions;
• Offer clear, accessible, and up-to-date information online;
• Provide a visitor experience aligned with the site’s prestige and history.

The solution: A customized, 24/7 chatbot to support and inform

In 2021, Ask Mona worked with the château’s team to launch a tailor-made chatbot, named Jean de La Fontaine — a nod to the famous French poet and historical guest of the estate.

Available 24/7 on the château’s website, the chatbot instantly answers questions about:

• Opening hours, prices, and ticketing;
• Special events and seasonal programming;
• Directions and group bookings;
• Services for families and tour groups.

Results after 6 months

• 50,000 users of the chatbot
• A significant decrease in incoming calls
• Improved visibility for the château’s cultural and event offering

In just three months, the chatbot effectively replaced the phone-based support, while maintaining a high-quality visitor experience.

In summary

The Jean de La Fontaine chatbot is now a core tool for visitor support, helping to:

• Make practical information easily accessible at any time
• Free up internal teams for higher-value tasks
• Maintain a seamless and elegant experience aligned with the château’s identity
• Better prepare visitors before they arrive