Paris Fontainebleau

More digestible and less crowded than Versailles, the Château de Fontainebleau achieves nearly the same grandeur while preserving a distinct charm among the great royal châteaux. With lush gardens and luxurious apartments, the estate ranks among the best daytrips from Paris. French kings hunted on these grounds since the 12th century, when the exiled Thomas Becket consecrated Louis VII’s manor chapel. In 1528, François I rebuilt the castle to be closer to the game he loved to hunt, and introduced Renaissance art to France with masterfully rendered galleries and frescoes he commissioned for his gallery. A great patron of the arts, François sought out Italian artists to design his Fontainebleau, among them Leonardo Da Vinci. Since then, Fontainebleau has hosted a number of epic events: Louis XIII was born here in 1601, Louis XIV revoked the Edict of Nantes here in 1685, and Louis XV was married here in 1725. In 1814, Napoleon signed his abdication and bid goodbye to the Empire from the central courtyard, now called the Cour des Adieux in his honor.

Transportation: Hourly trains from Gare de Lyon on the banlieue sud-est line (45min., €16 round-trip; keep your ticket to be punched on the train). At Gare de Lyon, follow signs to the Grandes Lignes, and buy your ticket from the “Billets Île de France” counter. From the station, Veolia (☎01 64 22 23 88) runs buses (€1.50) after each train arrival from Paris; take bus “A” in direction “Château-Lilas” and get off at the château stop in front of the tourist office. Otherwise, the château is a 25min. walk away (follow the signs from the station), through the tiny towns of Avon and Fontainebleau.
Tourist Office: 4 rue Royal (☎01 60 74 99 99; www.fontainebleau-tourisme.com). Turn right from château entrance and left up rue Royal. Finds accommodations, organizes tours of the village, sells audio tours of the château’s exterior, and distributes maps of Fontainebleau and Barbizon. Open May-Oct. M-Sa 10am-6pm, Su 10am-1pm and 2-5:30pm; Nov.-Apr. M-Sa 10am-6pm, Su 10am-1pm.

Food

The bistros immediately surrounding the château are not the only dining options when visiting Fontainebleau. Walk a couple of minutes into town, following rue de Ferrare, and you’ll find several quality establishments serving up traditional French cuisine. There are also many patisseries, boulangeries, and pizza and crêpe places along rue Grande and rue de France.

Le Caveau des Ducs, 24 rue de Ferrare (☎01 64 22 05 05; www.lecaveaudesducs.com). A medieval-style bistro serving up traditional fare; expect foie gras, terrine, salmon, and magret de canard. Menus €24-41. Classic desserts €7-8. Giant salads €10-20. Open daily noon-2pm and 7-10:30pm. AmEx/MC/V.
La Petite Alsace, 26 rue de Ferrare (☎01 64 23 45 45). As the name implies, this traditional restaurant serves up hearty Alsacian specialties like choucroute, Flammenkuch, and of course, beer. Lunch formule €12.50. Entrées €6-7. Plats €14-21. Open daily M-F noon-2pm and 7-10:30pm, Su noon-2:30pm and 7-10:30pm. AmEx/MC/V.

Sights

Château De Fontainebleau

☎01 60 71 50 60 or 01 60 71 50 70; www.musee-chateau-fontainebleau.fr. Château open Apr.-Sept. M and W-Su 9:30am-6pm; Oct.-Mar. 9:30am-5pm. Gardens and courtyard open Nov.-Feb. 9am-5pm; May-Sept. 9am-7pm; Oct. 9am-6pm. Last entry 45min. before closing. Wheelchair accessible. Free. Audioguide €8, ages 18-25 €6, under 18 €1. Admission including audioguide and 1hr. guided tour of petits appartements €12.50, ages 18-25 €11, under 18 €5. Call ahead for tour schedule. Admission to Musée Chinois de l’Impératrice Eugénie is included, but sometimes closed due to low staffing, so call ahead. AmEx/MC/V.

Grands And Petits Appartements. Throughout the eight centuries that French kings lived here, Fontainebleau experienced a number of epic historical events and impressive architectural innovations, both of which have been documented in the decor of the Grands Appartements. The Celebration Gallery and Gallery of Plates both commemorate Fontainebleau’s noteworthy history: the former, commissioned by Napoleon III, through large frescoes and paintings; the latter, designed by Dubreuil, through 128 porcelain plates fitted into the woodwork. The castle’s most famous room, the Galerie de François I both glorifies the king’s royal egotism and serves as a testament to his patronage of the arts. Peppered with “F”s, the royal fleurs de lis, and François’s personal salamander emblem, the galerie boasts vivid mythological frescoes glorifying François’s line and French royalty. Meanwhile, Henri II’s legacy pervades throughout ballroom; note the “H”s for Henri, and the entwined “C’”s for his wife Catherine de Medici—which could also be “D”s for Diane de Poitiers, his mistress. It was here that Richelieu was knighted and the Duc d’Orleans (Louis-Philippe’s son) was wed in 1837. The Gallery of Diana holds 16,000 volumes from Napoleon’s original library, while every queen and empress of France since Marie de Médici has slept in the gold-and-green Empress’s Bed Chamber; the gilded wood bed was built for Marie-Antoinette. Napoleon, in all his humility, outfitted the Throne Room with maroon and gold; today it is the only existing throne room in France that is still furnished. He also had two bedrooms, though he rarely slept: the first, a monument to both his narcissism and eroticism, is sandwiched between two mirrors, while the second is more austere, containing a narrow military bed. In the Emperor’s private room, known today as the Abdication Chamber, Napoleon signed off his empire in 1814 before bidding farewell to his troops in the château’s entry courtyard. The tour ends with the impressive 16th-century Trinity Chapel, with soaring vaulted ceilings and more Italian frescoes illustrating the Redemption of Man. The Petits Appartements feature the private rooms of Napoleon and the Empress Josephine, as well as the impressive Map Room and Galerie des Cerfs; they can be seen only by guided tour.

Musée Napoléon. The Musée Napoléon features an extensive collection of the Emperor’s personal effects, including his toothbrush, tiny shoes, field tent, and gifts from European monarchs . (☎01 60 71 50 60. Only open to guided 1hr. tours; average of 8 per day, but call ahead for exact tour schedule; in French.)

Gardens. Fontainebleau’s serene Jardin Anglais and Jardin de Diane shelter quiet grottoes guarded by statues of the huntress Diana. The Étang des Carpes, a carp-filled pond, can be explored by rowboat. (☎01 64 22 92 61 or 01 81 50 09 20. Boat rental available on an irregular basis. Coach driving in the park, €4, children €3.) The lake was a swamp, which François I altered into an ornamental body of water. On the outskirts of the garden is a 1200m canal perfect for picnicking. The Forêt de Fontainebleau is a wooded 20,000-hectare preserve with hiking trails, bike paths, and rock-climbing. Find maps at the tourist office or in the château.