The Palace of Fontainebleau (Château de Fontainebleau) is a royal palace in the city of the same name, 70 kilometres from Paris. Fontainebleau is the centuries-old residence of French kings and one of the country's most colourful landmarks. It has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1981.
Brief History
The king's hunting chateau at Fontainebleau ("Source of Blaeu") was first mentioned in written documents in the 12th century. The present Renaissance palace was built on the site of the previous one by King Francis I in the 16th century. The authors of the Italian Mannerist project, Francesco Primaticcio and Benvenuto Cellini, preserved only the donjon (main tower) from the previous building. After the death of Francis I, the construction was continued by the architect Philibert Delorme. Contrary to common practice, the castle was stripped of its defensive functions.
Power changed, and Francis I was succeeded on the throne of the French Empire by Henry II. He left the most striking mark on the history of the palace. In the decoration of the interior, many details point to the king's favourite, Diane de Poitiers. Her initials are hidden in the ornate monograms of the Ballroom. It is no coincidence that many frescoes and paintings with hunting scenes and images of Diana, the goddess of hunting, were created.
After the death of Henry II, the castle fell into disuse and gradually lost its splendour. In the 17th century it was enlarged by Henry IV. Under him, the spacious Diana Gallery and a large pond were added. After Louis XIV moved to Versailles, the palace of Fontainebleau was again abandoned. It was brought back from its second neglect by Napoleon, for whom Fontainebleau became his favourite residence. Many momentous events in the history of France took place in this palace. Ironically, Napoleon had to abdicate in his favourite palace.
Fontainebleau today
Photo: Kenneth Lu. Source: Flickr
The palace has one and a half thousand rooms: chapels, halls, salons, offices, galleries, bedrooms. And on the territory, luxurious gardens are replaced by grand courtyards. Many travellers, especially lovers of alcohol, see in the facade of the palace a set of crystal flutes for whisky, wine and champagne. The castle is surrounded by a splendid park, which turns into a forest.
The interior rooms rival each other in luxury and splendour. Particularly stunning in their splendour are:
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16th-century Renaissance halls;
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16th- to 19th-century Grand Apartments of the Sovereigns;
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Napoleon's Inner and Small Apartments;
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Marie Antoinette's boudoir;
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the apartments of the Pope (Pius VII, who stayed twice at Fontainebleau).
For orientation in the interiors of the castle it is recommended to buy for 1 EUR an audio guide in Russian, designed for a one and a half hour tour.
Halls
Photo: Oh Paris. Source: Flickr
The Throne Room was originally the royal bedroom. Under Louis XV, carved wooden decorations appeared near the fireplace and above the doors, and the ceiling was decorated with gilded mosaics. Napoleon replaced the bed with a throne transported from the Tuileries Palace. He also placed in the hall his banners with his initials and the royal eagle.
The Council Chamber was first the study of Francis I, enlarged under Louis XIV. Emperor Napoleon adapted the room for the Council Chamber. Armchairs, folding chairs and paintings on the walls have survived to this day.
In the 300 square metre Ballroom built under Henry II, the vaulted ceiling resting on arcades draws attention. Through the narrow windows of the hall the garden and the Oval Court are visible."
The Red Salon was so called after the colour of the silk wallpaper covering its walls. Above the fireplace is a handsome gilt-rimmed mirror, and on the floor is spread a carpet with five-pointed stars. There is a small round table where Napoleon signed his (first) abdication on 11 April 1814. It has been the Hall of Abdication ever since. Which turned out not to be final: the famous "100 days" followed in 1815".
Galleries
Photo: edmondlafoto. Source: Pixabay
The Gallery of Francis I served as a model for similar structures in the Louvre and Versailles. It is a through corridor 64 metres long and 6 metres wide. In it 14 frescoes on mythological and allegorical themes deserve special attention. Among them are "Danai" and "The Nymph of Fontainebleau". Their author - Italian artist Rosso Fiorentino - depicted the figures as incorporeal, using light colours to create frescoes.
The 80-metre-long Diana Gallery, added under Napoleon, is the longest room in the palace. It now exhibits oil paintings.
Diana's Gallery is the longest room in the palace.
The Gallery of Plates is named after the 128 porcelain plates that appeared here under King Louis-Philippe. They are all dedicated to various episodes in the monarch's life.
Marie Antoinette's boudoir
The ceiling of Queen Marie Antoinette's boudoir echoes the colours of the sky. Its walls are painted in imitation of Raphael's loggias. In the boudoir there is a writing table with a round opening lid, finished in mother-of-pearl and bronze."
Chapel
The Chapel of St Trinity was founded under Francis I, but was not completed until the following century. The mouldings and sculptures of the ceiling vaults were sculpted by Barthelemy Tremblay, while the frescoes were created by the painter Martin Freminet. In the mid-18th century, the chapel had wrought iron balconies for musicians and singers.
Museums
In 1867, several rooms of the palace were adapted to house the Far Eastern collection of Empress Eugenia. Thus, a Chinese Museum with a Siamese crown, a Tibetan stupa and royal stoles appeared in the castle.
The Napoleon Museum, founded in 1986, features portraits of the emperor, a collection of hats, his coronation suit and a fragment of his crown, a marching kit, and a family porcelain set.
In the Painting Gallery, the famous mural The Royal Elephant stands out, while in the Furniture Gallery, the famous dresser by Master Benemann.
Courtyards
Photo: publimode. Source: Pixabay
The spacious Court of Honour (formerly called the Court of the White Horse) is also known as the Court of Farewell: it was here that Napoleon and his guards, who were going into exile on the island of Elba, said goodbye. A wide staircase descends from the castle into the courtyard, with gentle steps for riders and horseshoe-shaped steps.
The fountain courtyard with a fountain overlooks the Karpov pond and the ancient buildings of the 16th century.
The enclosed Oval Court is accessed (but not by tourists) by the Golden Gate. It contains a 16th century clock with sculptures. One of them depicts the god Vulcan with a hammer, whose blows mark each hour. Closed to tourists and the Service Court, through the gates of which you can see the buildings of the 17th century.
Gardens
To the right of the main façade is the English Garden, created in 1812 by the architect Joseph Gourteau. It features winding paths, exotic plants, boulders and an artificial river. One of the paths leads to the Blaeu spring. It is the name of the royal residence and the town that was later formed.
In 1660-64, Louis XIV commissioned the Grand Parterre of 14 hectares. In 1817 a square pool appeared in its centre. Water features with statues and four sandstone sphinxes have been preserved."
To the left of the main façade is the garden of Diana, named after the statue of the goddess of the hunt set in a tiered fountain. This statue was a gift to Henry IV from the Pope. This sculpture, deposited in the Louvre, was later replaced by a replica.
The park transitions into a forest with many hiking, cycling and equestrian trails. Tourists coexist peacefully with the forest's inhabitants and plants. Among them is the endemic Alisier de Fontainebleau. This species of mountain ash grows only in the forest of Fontainebleau.
Visit
From Paris Gare de Lyon, the town of Fontainebleau can be reached by Transilien electric trains on the R line. After 40-45 minutes after boarding, you need to get off at Fontainebleau Avon station. Trains run almost around the clock. The fare is about 8 EUR.
From Marseille, high-speed TGV trains run to Fontainebleau. They get tourists to their destination in 4 hours.
The Transilien R line is scheduled for renovation in 2023. During this time, tourists will be taken to other stations, Melun or Moret-Loing-et-Orvanne, from where a special free shuttle bus will run to the palace.
The palace is open daily, except Tuesday, from 9:30 am to 5-6 pm. The entrance ticket (Grands Appartements Tour) costs 13 EUR for those over 18 years old. If you buy your ticket an hour before closing time, the price is reduced to 8 EUR. Group tours with a guide cost 5-7 EUR per person.
