Château de Fontainebleau

A visit to the expansive and spectacular Château de Fontainebleau can easily fill the better part of a day

An impressive courtyard and entrance welcomes visitors to the Château de Fontainebleau
An impressive courtyard and entrance welcomes visitors to the Château de Fontainebleau cc licensed photo by dalbera

The Château de Fontainebleau is one of the largest royal palaces. A great many monarchs have made their mark on the Château, each resident making some kind of improvement or renovation to at least a portion of the Château.

The Château has been home to some of the greatest monarchs in French history, including King Louis VII, Philip II and Louis IX. Napoleon also made good use of the Château from time to time. The Château has gone from being the home of a number of monarchs to being the home of the Ecoles d'Art Americaines, an American school of art and architecture.

The Château is not just a palace. There are a number of courtyards and gardens and a park that are interspersed throughout the buildings of the palace. Even the surrounding city is something of a historical monument. It grew up around the Forest of Fontainbleau. What remains of the Forest is now home to a number of endangered species that once called all of Europe home.

Although the Château does attempt to make its tours as family friendly as possible, it is important to note that you are not permitted to bring pushchairs or back mounted baby carriers on the tour routes. It is possible to swap your pushchair or carrier for a front mounted carrier at the cloakrooms though. If schools or home schooled groups of children would like to visit the Château then they may make use of the specially adapted tours that the staff of the Château offer. There is also a lift to allow those who suffer from limited mobility to access the Grands Appartements.

For those who love the outdoors, the park and various courtyards offer many different attractions and activities to help you while away the time. You can take a horse drawn carriage ride or a hot air balloon ride. Then there is the boating and ice cream parlours and the Segway rides.

If you are planning on visiting the Château de Fontainebleau then you really do need to set aside an entire day to do so. It is better to have more time than you need as you do not want to miss a single sight in this amazing palace.

Facts For Your Visit

Fee: Yes - Visit the official website for details.

Regular Hours:
May differ on holidays

  • Monday: 9:30 AM – 5:00 PM
  • Tuesday: Closed
  • Wednesday: 9:30 AM – 5:00 PM
  • Thursday: 9:30 AM – 5:00 PM
  • Friday: 9:30 AM – 5:00 PM
  • Saturday: 9:30 AM – 5:00 PM
  • Sunday: 9:30 AM – 5:00 PM

Address: 77300 Fontainebleau, France

Phone: 01 60 71 50 70

Official Website: Château de Fontainebleau

Reviews

Rated 4.6 out of 5 Star Rating

5 Star Rating An outstanding gem of a place - quiet, comparatively less crowded even on Weekends. Serene ponds with ducks and koi fish. In summers the place even had boating options. Overall a great family outing. Accessible by train and very well connected with minimal walking. Do plan your visit.
Puneet Ghai - a month ago

Show More
Show Less

5 Star Rating This is a place that I wanted to visit for a long time. It was up to my expectations as it shows proof of the french emperor who won a battle for my country during the french possessed my island. It is a very inspirational and educational castle to visit, and I recommend it highly for those who are passionate about history.
Dr. Jeevashi Pareemanen - 2 weeks ago

Show More
Show Less

5 Star Rating Simply amazing display of art and history. I was skeptical that it'd be just a tourist trap, thankfully it was not. Give yourself several hours. The most impressive and awe inspiring structure I have ever been in.
Emil Schaffhausen - a week ago

Show More
Show Less

5 Star Rating Beautiful place, full of history. The interior is amazing and the tour is well designed with clear information and pretty intuitive. The town of Fontainebleau is also very pretty, it's delightful to take a walk after visiting the castle.
Simona Rosoaga - 2 months ago

Show More
Show Less

4 Star Rating There is a phenomenal amount to take in, inside - the weather was not good so kissed a lot of the gardens, but there is a lot to see there too. An amazing place to be honest - a real slice of history.
Ray Gutteridge - 3 weeks ago

Show More
Show Less

Directions

Metro / SNCF Line Nearest Station Walking Time
M1 or M14 plus SNCF RFontainebleau Avon‎2 minutes

How to get to Château de Fontainebleau by Metro / SNCF

By Metro plus SNCF Train and Bus: Make your way via Metro M1 or M14 to Gare de Lyon. From Gare de Lyon (main line) board an SNCF Transilean R to either Montargis Sens or Montereauline and exit at Fontainebleau Avon‎ Station. Catch the Optile ‘Ligne A’ bus destined for Les Lilas, from bus platform #2 in front of the station and disembark at the ‘Château’ stop. Walk southeast and cross over Rue Grande then go left followed by a quick right onto Rue de la Chancellerie to the entrance. If you have an all zone Paris Visite Pass this journey is fully covered.

Map & Instant Route Finder

Click&Go Map and Route Finder with public transit, walking, driving or cycling directions. Get up-to-the-minute transit times for your route.

Finding Your Route - Please Wait

Accommodations near Château de Fontainebleau:

Photo Gallery

Video

Please provide consent and/or disable ad blocker to view the video.


Paris Hotel Deals

Book Now, Pay Later
Price Matching
2,563,000+ Properties Worldwide
24/7 Support
booking.com logo
Booking.com sale banner link

Visiting Paris?
Here's why we use Booking.com for our hotel bookings.
Best Selection
Daily Deals
Price Matching
Pay at the Hotel
24/7 Support
Share on Pinterest
Share on Pinterest
Help us grow! Please Share
Thanks for Visiting!