![]() ![]() ![]() Visit Fontainebleau Palaceįrancis I, a keen hunter, wanted somewhere comfortable to stay in the deer- and boar-filled forest, so in 1528 he ordered the fortress built by Louis VII in 1137 to be rebuilt and decorated in what would become known as the School of Fontainebleau style: a combination of frescoes surrounded by a riot of willowy, stucco figures. ![]() Planning tip: There is a dedicated shuttle bus, the Châteaubus, that runs the 9.4km from the Café de la Gare at Melun train station to the estate. Check the Vaux-le-Vicomte website for information on the 2023 program of candlelight visits, fireworks, dressing-up days and a host of other activities. The current owners of the château are the fifth generation of their family to manage the domain, which opened to the public in 1968. The story goes that when Louis XIV’s finance minister, Nicolas Fouquet, invited the king to his château-warming party in 1661, the luxury and beauty enraged the young king, who promptly clapped Fouquet behind bars for life and engaged the architect, artist and gardener to create something even grander: Versailles. (There are no lifeguards so it's officially forbidden, but everybody does it anyway!) What are the best things to see and do in Fontainebleau?Ĭhâteau de Vaux-le-Vicomte offers candlelight visits and a host of other activities © Sizun Eye / Getty Images Visit the Château de Vaux-le-Vicomte by candlelight If you don’t want to be rushed, particularly in summer, you could easily pass a pleasant four days, especially if you want to spend an afternoon cooling off in the river Loing. There is a lot more to the region, just 55km (34 miles) southeast of Paris, than châteaus, forest and rocks, so it’s worth spending at least two days here. If you’re looking for a traditional pedal road bike, then rent one (€8 per hour, €15 per day, €55 per week) from La Petite Reine in the city center. The EuroVelo3 cycle route (called the Scandibérique for its French segment) serpents along the Seine and the Loing through almost all the towns and villages highlighted here, and you can join it at the train station.īlow Cycles inside the train station and Velectrik Moov in the city center rent electric bikes (€39 for a half day, €59 full day), perfect for cycling along the sandy paths through the forest. You can reach many of the small towns and villages by public transport, but to be honest, service is infrequent (one bus every few hours, for example) and can be complicated, so it’s easiest to either drive or cycle. If you’d prefer a taxi, book one ahead, as you’re unlikely to find one at the station. Get off at the Bibliothèque stop for the château. Or you can take bus 1, which leaves every 15 minutes from the train station. A 2.9km stroll through the château’s park along the canal (or through town) and you’ll reach the palace. It’s a 35-minute, €5 train ride from Paris Gare de Lyon to Fontainebleau-Avon. Is it easy to get to and around Fontainebleau? If you want to canoe or wild-water swim, then from about mid-May to mid-September. Any time at all to visit the châteaux and villages or to cycle and walk, and whenever it's dry if you want to climb rocks. ![]()
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