Touring Fountainebleau
- the King's "other" Palace
Long before its more famous
sister, the Chateau of Versailles, Fontainebleau was home to
the Kings of France. This luxurious palace on the eastern side
of Paris owes its beauty and grandeur primarily to Francis
I, who brought artists from Italy to decorate it and make it
as elegant as the Italian palaces he had seen during his military
campaigns. Henry IV continued the work Francis had begun; his
son, Louis XIII was born here. The Emperor Napoleon and his
wife Josephine loved Fontainebleau. The rooms they decorated
and often inhabited still evoke their spirits and those of
the other royal visitors who came here.
Napoleon
was a prisoner in the chateau for almost two years
after his abdication, which he announced from the unique
double staircase at the front of the chateau, standing
before his troops assembled in the vast courtyard.
A museum to the famous Corsican who became Emperor
of France is now in one wing of the chateau.
A
visit to Fontainebleau starts with a short trip from
Paris through the forest surrounding the palace. The
tour of the palace and gardens should include the Napoleonic
rooms as well as the Francis I rooms and the impressive
renaissance library. Lunch in town can either follow
or precede the tour.
The
Forest of Fontainebleau is one of the most popular destinations
for outings from the city of Paris. One of the most popular
hunting sites for Paris' kings, it's hiking paths, bicyle
trails and picnic spots are filled in summer. The charming
nearby village of Barbizon offers restaurant choices
from simple to four-star. A trip to Fontainebleau can
also combine with a visit to the Chateau at Malesherbes,
home of the lawyer who defended the unhappy Louis XVI
at his trial during France's bloody eighteenth-century
revolution. An afternoon tour of Fontainebleau can also
combine with a visit to Vaux-le-Vicomte, especially nice
on summer Saturday evenings when the chateau and gardens
are lit with candles.
Pricing and Availability
Fees: $150 per person, minimum 2 persons.
Links to Related Tours
Vaux le Vicomte- The chateau
that landed its builder in prison and inspired the royal
palace at Versailles.
Malesherbes - the huge
house and barn surrounding the Chateau of the King's lawyer.
Barbizon - Millet and
Corot often visited this charming village that attracted
numerous other nineteenth-century artists and painters.
