Château de Fontainebleau
A visit to the expansive and spectacular Château de Fontainebleau can easily fill the better part of a day
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 - Free entry with the Paris Pass.Open Now: No
Hours This Week:- Monday: 9:30 AM – 6:00 PM
- Tuesday: Closed
- Wednesday: 9:30 AM – 6:00 PM
- Thursday: 9:30 AM – 6:00 PM
- Friday: 9:30 AM – 6:00 PM
- Saturday: 9:30 AM – 6:00 PM
- Sunday: 9:30 AM – 6:00 PM
Address: 77300 Fontainebleau, France
Phone: 01 60 71 50 70
Official Website: Château de Fontainebleau
Directions
| Metro / SNCF Line | Nearest Station | Walking Time |
|---|---|---|
| M1 or M14 plus SNCF R | Fontainebleau Avon | 2 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.
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Reviews
Rated out of 5
Magical and grand testament to the excesses of the French royal family. You can understand why there was a revolution... To think this location played second fiddle to Versailles - definitely underrated but that's fine as you can get around easily and it represents good value for money. The sorbet from the stall in the courtyard on the northern side of the chateau (facing the gardens) is to die for.
Laurence Braithwaite - 9 days ago
Magical and grand testament to the excesses of the French royal family. You can understand why there was a revolution... To think this location played second fiddle to Versailles - definitely underrated but that's fine as you can get around easily and it represents good value for money. The sorbet from the stall in the courtyard on the northern side of the chateau (facing the gardens) is to die for.
My family and I came here to see the Chateau and picnic at the park. It was a very nice museum that was just small enough for us to whip through quickly, but still see some excellent art pieces. It was in an isolated, peaceful place, and it was such a pleasure to sit by the pond and watch the ducks and swans. We definitely recommend coming here just to enjoy the pond with a snack or meal. This is certainly a place to visit if you're staying in Paris.
A Very - 20 days ago
My family and I came here to see the Chateau and picnic at the park. It was a very nice museum that was just small enough for us to whip through quickly, but still see some excellent art pieces. It was in an isolated, peaceful place, and it was such a pleasure to sit by the pond and watch the ducks and swans. We definitely recommend coming here just to enjoy the pond with a snack or meal. This is certainly a place to visit if you're staying in Paris.
Kafuyai D Wamae - 25 days ago
Manny Ellison - 25 days ago
Breanna Dedrickson - 1 month ago
Video
Photo Gallery
Sumptuous interior of Château de Fontainebleau cc licensed photo by dynamosquito -
Château de Fontainebleau cc licensed photo by Phil Grondin -
Even the ceilings are overdone. cc licensed photo by frozenchipmunk -
The most glorious library #want cc licensed photo by frozenchipmunk -
Cour d'Honneur of the palace cc licensed photo by frozenchipmunk -
Le Grand Parterre cc licensed photo by Corentin Foucaut -
Le Jour ni l’Heure 7214 : château de Fontainebleau, façade sur la cour des Adieux, 1545-1565, escalier, 1632-1634, par Jacques Androuet du Cerceau, Seine-&-Marne, vendredi 10 août 2012, 19:53:31 cc licensed photo by Renaud Camus -
Time for a new Tennis Court Oath cc licensed photo by frozenchipmunk -
Le Jour ni l’Heure 7216 : palais de Fontainebleau, façade sur la cour des Adieux, 1545-1565, Seine-&-Marne, Île-de-France, vendredi 10 août 2012, 19: cc licensed photo by Renaud Camus -
Liz's most hated symbol: the Fleur-de-lis cc licensed photo by frozenchipmunk -
Blinged out Ceilings cc licensed photo by frozenchipmunk
