Paris1972-Versailles2003

And here I am back to one of my all time favorite places in my belle France and not just the castle but the town too. As said in many posts not to repeat myself ,the Château de Fontainebleau is very special to me. As written many posts on it and the town, let me give some of the spots not mentioned enough me think , in the past.

This time let me tell you a bit more on the salon des jeux or games’ room. Oh yes some figures to bring it back to perspective: The Château de Fontainebleau is 20,000 m2 of roofing area, 1,530 rooms, 115 hectares of parkland; 14 hectares for the large flowerbed garden, 1,145 meters in length of the canal, and 16,000 work of arts preserved.

The Salon des jeux  or games room of the empress, also known as the yellow room, with furniture and walls hung with large Naples golden yellow embroidered with amaranth silk, also presents Empire style furniture and a large Aubusson carpet with a white background. This north-facing room thus had a low luminosity which was compensated for by the liveliness of the colors used in the decoration.

The problem of lack of heat, meanwhile, is resolved by a system of hot air blown from the heat outlet pierced behind the console of gilded wood. The pilasters at the rear of the room are made of bronze to reduce the risk of fire.

The Grand Salon, also known as the Queen’s games room, served in the 17-18C as the Grand cabinet of the Queen, before becoming the games room under Marie-Antoinette. In 1804, the room became the Empress’ second living room, and again became a games room at the Restoration. Transformed into a billiard room in 1827, it became the queen’s salon in 1835, then the Grand salon of the empress in 1853.

Throughout this series will repeat these two webpages in English, one from the castle and the other the tourist office of Fontainebleau.

Official Chateau de Fontainebleau

Tourist office of Fontainebleau on the castle

And there you go a splendid room to be see always at the Château de Fontainebleau and a memorable moment for me all the time , whether visiting it or watching it or reading about it. This is Fontainebleau; hope you enjoy the brief tour.

And remember, happy travels, good health and many cheers to all!!!

And here I am back to one of my all time favorite places in my belle France and not just the castle but the town too. As said in many posts not to repeat myself ,the Château de Fontainebleau is very special to me. As written many posts on it and the town, let me give some of the spots not mentioned enough me think , in the past.

This time let me tell you a bit more on Appartement du Pope or the Pope’s Apartment. Oh yes some figures to bring it back to perspective: The Château de Fontainebleau is 20,000 m2 of roofing area, 1,530 rooms, 115 hectares of parkland; 14 hectares for the large flowerbed garden, 1,145 meters in length of the canal, and 16,000 work of arts preserved.

The Appartement du Pope or the Pope’s Apartment is after the Grand Apartments of the Sovereigns, this eleven-room guest apartment is the palace’s most sumptuous living space, me think. It results, since 1804, from the union in a single row of two apartments built in adjoining buildings. If it retains the designation of apartment of the Pope since the two stays which carried out there Pie VII in 1804 as a guest ,and in 1812-1814 as a prisoner of Napoleon I, it is well in double princely apartment of the Second Empire that it is presented today.

While the Pope was arrested and his States seized, June 19, 1812 marks the beginning of the captivity of Pius VII at Fontainebleau, in the former apartment of the Queens-Mothers (today the apartment of the Pope), there, which had been specially designed for the coronation in 1804. On January 19, 1813, the unexpected arrival of the Emperor and Empress, returning from a hunt in Grosbois, precipitated things. On January 25, the Emperor obtained a declaration from Pope Pius VII, but on March 24, the Pope retracted. Faced with Napoleon’s anger, he did not leave his confinement at the Château de Fontainebleau until the following year, January 23, 1814.

It was the former apartment of the Queen Mothers since the widowed Anne of Austria retired there, its oldest part is housed in the 16C wing. Its new part is deployed in the adjoining spaces of the Gros Pavillon built by Gabriel in 1750. The sumptuousness of its decor, combined with the quality of its furnishings, testify to the very eclectic taste of Napoleon III and Eugenie. They had it redecorated in the 1860s by retaining the exceptional ceilings of the old bedroom of Henry II and that of Anne of Austria.

Throughout this series will repeat these two webpages in English, one from the castle and the other the tourist office of Fontainebleau.

Official Chateau de Fontainebleau

Tourist office of Fontainebleau on the castle

And the story goes on here for Napoléon!

On January 24, 1814, Napoleon kissed Marie-Louise and the King of Rome (his son) for the last time, he would never see them again. It’s the French Campaign. Napoleon stood up to the allies but finally bowed to the numbers. On March 30, Paris was taken. March 31 Napoleon took refuge in Fontainebleau. On April 2, 1814, the Senate voted for the forfeiture of Napoleon. The first abdication in favor of the King of Rome is announced on April 5. On April 6, the Emperor abdicated a second time and renounced the throne for himself and his family. On the night of April 12 to 13, he tried to poison himself. On April 20, the famous farewell to the guard takes place.  Napoleon will only return to Fontainebleau once, returning from Elba, on the march for the Hundred Days: on March 20, 1815, he stopped there from 10h to 14h.

And there you go a splendid room to be see always at the Château de Fontainebleau and a memorable moment for me all the time , whether visiting it or watching it or reading about it. This is Fontainebleau; hope you enjoy the brief tour.

And remember, happy travels, good health and many cheers to all!!!