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Château de Fontainebleau

Place du Général de Gaulle, Fontainebleau, Île-de-France

Description

The Château de Fontainebleau is one of France's largest and most famous royal palaces, having served as a residence for monarchs since Louis VII in the 7th century to Napoleon III in the 19th century. It is on the UNESCO World Heritage list. In its early days as a fortified castle, it was one of the kings favourite hunting lodges due to the abundant game in the surrounding area. It was turned into a splendid Renaissance Chateau at the beginning of the 16th century by architect Le Breton (commissioned by King Charle VI) followed by architect Serlio and the Florentine painter Rosso Fiorentino. The expansions continued under Henri II and Henri IV, with the latter also focusing his attention on the parc and gardens, and even into the 17-18th century when Versailles had become the main royal residence. Famous rooms include the Gallery of Francis I, the Ballroom, the Apartment of the Pope, the Gallery of Diana and the Chapel of the Trinity.

Access & Transport

The estate is located 60km southeast of Paris. Public transport from Paris: regional train (TER) from Gare de Lyon to Fontainebleau and then bus 21 OR Line R to Fontainebleau-Avon and transfer to bus #1. The journey takes about 60-65mins. By car, take the A6 and exit toward N37/N7/Fontainebleau and keep on driving until you reach.

Instructions & Recommendations

We suggest combining a visit there with a walk and discovery of the Fontainebleau Forest and / or the village of Barbizon. The château de Vaux-le-Vicomte is also nearby but we think that is a little redundant on the same day.

Meta review

The Palace is famous in France but not so much internationally, standing in the shadows of its younger "rival" Versailles. Visitors often draw the comparison and point out the comparative lack of crowds in Fontainebleau which makes for a more pleasant experience. The highlights are the period furnishing, the various art / paintings and the spacious parc - perfect for a picnic. However, there is a significant portion of reviewers who were a little underwhelmed by the interior's maintenance and presentation and the indifference of most of the staff. In addition, there were recurring comments that a large number of rooms were not available to visitors, at least not for self-guided tours.

Environmental & Social

We have no data on the energy consumption required to operate the palace, but the gardens are environmentally friendly. The activity has a positive social impact, not only does it preserve the country's cultural and architectural heritage, but it also employs people locally.

Conclusion

The Château de Fontainebleau is one of the region most impressive examples of royal palaces, alongside Versailles and Vaux-le-Vicomte. Like them, it is wonderfully designed, impressive in scale and endowed with large gardens and parc. It can't compare in terms of extravagance to Versailles but it has a far longer and more interesting history and a great surrounding area to explore.

Key positive

Impressive building facade and perspective

Spacious parc and relatively uncrowded visit

Key negative

The rooms maintenance and presentation need improvement

Suitability

Accessible for visitors with reduced mobility (lift to floors)

About this Rating

TYPE

Desktop

RESEARCHED IN

May 2024

PROVIDER

Koreval

Included Items
None
Timing
Duration of visit
The park is open every day. Castle is closed on 25 Dec, 01 Jan, 01 May

av. transport time:1h

est. visit time:3h

Regulated hours

Start of Season 1:Apr, 01

Season 1

MONDAY09:30 - 18:00

TUESDAY -

WEDNESDAY09:30 - 18:00

THURSDAY09:30 - 18:00

FRIDAY09:30 - 18:00

SATURDAY09:30 - 18:00

SUNDAY09:30 - 18:00

Start of Season 2:Oct, 01

Season 2

MONDAY09:30 - 17:00

TUESDAY -

WEDNESDAY09:30 - 17:00

THURSDAY09:30 - 17:00

FRIDAY09:30 - 17:00

SATURDAY09:30 - 17:00

SUNDAY09:30 - 17:00

Pricing
Age band
Age band
Regular price / pers.
Senior
65 - 99
€14
Adult
18 - 64
€14
Child
3 - 17
€0
Infant
0 - 2
€0
Free for EU residents up to 25 yrs old

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