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 - Visit the official website for details.Château de Fontainebleau Hours:
Opening hours may differ on holidays
- Monday: 9:30 AM – 4:15 PM
- Tuesday: Closed
- Wednesday: 9:30 AM – 4:15 PM
- Thursday: 9:30 AM – 4:15 PM
- Friday: 9:30 AM – 4:15 PM
- Saturday: 9:30 AM – 4:15 PM
- Sunday: 9:30 AM – 4:15 PM
Address: 77300 Fontainebleau, France
Phone: 01 60 71 50 70
Official Website: Château de Fontainebleau
Château de Fontainebleau Reviews
Rated out of 5
Magnificent gardens and architecture, full of history. The ground and gardens are free to enter and explore while the palace and the exhibitions do have an entrance fee but well worth the visit. For those who want to enjoy the gardens without walking there is a little train with a fee (8 euro for adults, half price for 4-17 years old, and free for kids under 4 as of Jun 2025). For those hot summer days you will find more shade in the English garden. Toilets are on the ground close to the main entrance.
Panpan Lin - in the last week
The palace itself is wonderful. The grounds are gorgeous and warrant a day spent walking around just by themselves. They’re also free! The first section of the palace tour is about Napoleon while the second takes you through different rooms utilized by French royalty and emperors. It was not crowded at all on a weekday in June. Getting here is a hassle. It is straightforward but is definitely a trek from Paris. The town is interesting enough to spend a day in so I would rec spending a few nights there to explore instead of coming in from Paris.
Bethany Adler - a week ago
Absolutely stunning visit—so much history and beauty in one place. The interiors are jaw-dropping, especially the galleries and ceilings. The gardens and views over the lake are peaceful and grand. A shame the chapel was off-limits, as we hoped to recreate the vibe from Lana Del Rey’s music video—but overall, a magical experience worth the trip!
Mr R Maloney - 2 months ago
Peaceful atmosphere and a lovely day trip from Paris for a relaxing afternoon. The palace is beautiful and less crowded as compared to Versailles. The gardens are well maintained, which makes it pleasant to take a stroll through.
Raja Sinha - 3 months ago
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.
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.
Accommodations near Château de Fontainebleau:
Photo Gallery
-
Sumptuous interior of Château de Fontainebleau cc licensed photo by dynamosquito -
Photo Credit: @lain G - cc license via Flickr -
Photo Credit: @lain G - cc license via Flickr -
Photo Credit: uphillblok - cc license via Flickr -
Photo Credit: Phil Grondin - cc license via Flickr -
Photo Credit: Corentin Foucaut - cc license via Flickr -
Photo Credit: Mustang Joe - cc license via Flickr -
Photo Credit: Mustang Joe - cc license via Flickr -
Photo Credit: uphillblok - cc license via Flickr
Video
To view this video, please provide consent for cookies and/or disable any ad blockers.
We use cookies to display embedded YouTube content. For more information, see our
Privacy and Cookies Policy.
