Palace of Fontainebleau, Paris

About Fontainebleau

Fontainebleau is a royal palace in the town of the same name, 55 kilometres south-east of Paris. The name comes from the Belle-Eau ('beautiful water') spring, which still flows in the English garden. A royal residence is first recorded here in 1137: kings came each autumn to hunt in the game-rich forests.

Almost every French monarch added to the palace, which is why Napoleon called it 'the true residence of kings, the house of the centuries'. A medieval keep, Francis I's Renaissance, the splendour of Henry II and Louis XIV, Napoleon's own throne room and Napoleon III's theatre all sit in one ensemble. Since 1981 the palace and park have been a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

What to see

• The Gallery of Francis I — one of France's first Renaissance galleries.
• Henry II's ballroom — a coffered ceiling and frescoes.
• The horseshoe staircase — the palace's symbol in the White Horse Courtyard.
• Napoleon's throne room — in the former royal bedchamber.
• The Garden of Diana and the great parterre — gardens around the palace.
• The Carp Pond — with a pavilion in the water.

The Francis I Gallery and the Renaissance

The palace took its present form under Francis I in the 16th century: the architect Gilles Le Breton built the Oval Court and the Golden Gate in the Italian manner. From 1528 the king created the Gallery of Francis I, painted in 1533–1539 by the Florentine Rosso Fiorentino, then by Primaticcio from Bologna. Its frescoes framed in stucco and carved panelling launched a whole style, the School of Fontainebleau.

Under Henry II an open loggia became the Ballroom, with huge windows and a coffered ceiling. Its décor repeats the letter 'H', the king's initial, and crescent moons, the emblem of Diane de Poitiers. It's one of the most beautiful rooms of the French Renaissance.

The apartments of kings and Napoleon

The palace preserves apartments from many eras. Louis XIV spent more time here than any other king, hunting in the forest every autumn. Under Louis XV the architect Gabriel, designer of the Place de la Concorde, added a new wing of pale stone. The queens' apartments are dressed in silk and gilding.

Napoleon loved Fontainebleau. In 1808 he set up his throne room in the former bedchamber of the kings of France, exactly where the royal bed had stood. His private apartments and Empire furniture survive. Under Napoleon III an elegant theatre was built, restored in 2007–2014.

Gardens, pond and the horseshoe staircase

The main courtyard is graced by the famous horseshoe-shaped staircase, designed by Philibert de l'Orme and now the symbol of Fontainebleau. Gardens spread around the palace: the Garden of Diana with its fountain of the hunting goddess, created under Catherine de' Medici, Le Nôtre's great French parterre and the English garden with the Belle-Eau spring.

Beside the palace lies the 4-hectare Carp Pond with a small pavilion in the water. Carp were introduced under Henry IV, and courtiers went boating here. In summer you can hire a rowing boat.

The Forest of Fontainebleau

The palace is surrounded by the Forest of Fontainebleau, a former royal hunting park now loved for walking, riding and cycling. Thousands of sandstone boulders lie among the pines and oaks, making it the world's largest area for bouldering, climbing rocks without ropes.

Hundreds of kilometres of trails of varying difficulty wind through the forest. Combine the palace with a forest walk for a great day outdoors. In nearby Barbizon lived the painters of the Barbizon School, who painted these woods.

Tips for your trip

Allow two to three hours for the palace, or a full day with the gardens and a forest walk. An audio guide helps you sort out whose era is whose. Comfortable shoes are essential, as there are many rooms and the park is huge.

Fontainebleau is calmer and less crowded than Versailles, yet just as splendid. With children, the pond boats and easy forest trails are a hit.

Return trains to Paris run roughly every half hour to hour, so check the timetable to avoid waiting at the station.

Places in Paris: compare and choose

Places in Paris rated by YesGo. Click a column header to sort.

How to do it right

• Closed Tuesdays.
• Train from Gare de Lyon.
• Gardens are free.
• Forest after lunch.

Questions