Fontainebleau : an Imperial City
A designated Ville Impériale (“Imperial City”) with its history, château, squares and sumptuous Italian-style theatre, Fontainebleau is a culturally enriching place to visit. Its forest and park also make it an ideal destination for strolling, rambling and rock-climbing.
Come to Fontainebleau, a town on the very threshold of Paris whose royal history shines undiminished. Fontainebleau – a town where life is good. With its magnificent Grand Parquet and hippodrome, it has developed into a major centre of the equestrian arts, hosting events of great renown in the world of horse-riding.
Visitors to Fontainebleau will also discover a highly cosmopolitan town.
Enclosed by a protecting forest, it offers a multitude of recreational activities both sporting and cultural, as it has done for centuries. During your visit, you can also learn the history of the streets of Fontainebleau, with their sandstone architecture and some 40 listed buildings. Fontainebleau also has a thriving town centre, with shops, restaurants and cafés.
During your visit, you can also learn the history of the streets of Fontainebleau, with their sandstone architecture and some 40 listed buildings. The absence of large-scale supermarkets (which are banned in this designated Forêt d’Exception©) means that the town-centre businesses are thriving, unlike in other small, provincial towns.
The Imperial heritage
Forever associated with the emperors Napoleon I and Napoleon III, Fontainebleau occupies a crucial place in the history of France.
Take the Sandstone Architecture Tour
Are you a history and architecture fan? If so, come along and find out how the sandstone from the forest of Fontainebleau shaped the town! Take the architecture tour and immerse yourself in the rich history of the buildings surrounding you. Armed with a map of the town, simply follow the path markers set into the ground in the Vieil Avon district and Fontainebleau town centre and let them be your guide.
“Ville Impériale” Tours for Groups
DISCOVERING THE IMPERIAL PARKS AND GARDENS
> A guided tour of the château’s gardens, a drive in a horse-drawn carriage through the French-style formal gardens and park, and a coach drive with commentary through the forest of Fontainebleau.
Optional: lunch in a restaurant in the town centre / visit to the Military Riding School.
Programme (PDF)
THE PRIVATE LIFE OF NAPOLEON…
