Fontainebleau
The Chateau de Fontainebleau
stands in the midst of a forest, about 55 km (35 miles) south of Paris.
It began life as a hunting lodge during the twelfth century, but it was
not until the sixteenth century that Francois I was inspired to turn it
into a palace, and commissioned several well-known Italian artists,
including Francesco Primaticcio, Benvenuto Cellini and Rosso Fiorentino,
to adorn the interior.
Fontainebleau remained a popular getaway for royal hunting trips until
Louis IV became obsessed with the palace at Versailles and it was in fact
Napoleon Bonaparte who brought it back to its former glory. Both his 'Petits
Appartements' and the Musée Napoleon can be visited and provide a
fascinating glimpse of his life here. It was here too, on the
seventeenth-century exterior horseshoe-shaped staircase that Napoleon,
having abdicated, said farewell to his army, and was then removed to
Elba.
The ornately decorated Francois I Gallery (Galerie Francois I) boasts
stucco framed panels along its entire 63-meters (207-feets) length,
painted with classical scenes celebrating wise rulership, and the
ballroom is equally sumptuous, with a mass of frescoes. The palace itself
is a mixture of styles, having been added to over the centuries
nevertheless, it is an extremely handsome building.
The gardens of Fontainebleau are superbly landscaped and include a large
carp pond. This is a popular spot for visitors who throw baguettes into
the water in order to see the resulting feeding frenzy. The Forêt de
Fontainebleau is criss-crossed with hunting trails first trodden by the
kings of France and, less romantically, bike trails.
If you planned to visit the
Chateau de Fontainebleau, take note that the Palace is closed on Tuesday.
You could travel there by car, train or bus from the Gare de Lyon.
