Set in 1671 France under the reign of Louis XIV, follow the events of a three-day feast in an impoverished western province. In an effort to impress the gilded king and then ask him for financial support, Prince de Conde invites Louis XIV to his country chateau for a weekend of courtly merriment. The chef and entertainment planner must succeed in presenting the most lavishly organized occasion the king has ever witnessed. Vatel masterminds the sumptuous details of the weekend with gusto and charming bravura. The chateau of de Conde' is transformed into a world of delights, enthralling the king, his court, and especially the king's favorite lady-in-waiting, Anne de Montausier. But when the kindly Vatel wins Anne's fancy, he is in danger of angering the opulant and lustful king and his villainous cohort Marquis de Lauzan.
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