And voilà doing my updates/revisions of old posts in my blog I stumbled onto Fontainebleau. Oh well this is nostalgic, happy and sad for me, a personal post. This is a wonderful castle in a very nice town in department 77 Seine-et-Marne; Fontainebleau , royal and imperial castle town of France. It was my first castle visited in France ever going back to 1990 when the one that became my wife who introduce me to her region. However, this was my first entry of the Château de Fontainebleau in my blog, after there were many more. Therefore, here is my take on the Château de Fontainebleau royal and imperial of France !!! Hope you enjoy the post as I
The first time my then girlfriend was driving, and not so much into driving (she learned from me!) she tried to impressed me by driving to Fontainebleau in 1990. Well she got lost!! I had to look at the map and guide her into town! Her excuse is she came by train and grandfather driving! Oh well, leave it to the road warrior. Always a nice family discussion, gently.. This occasion, in 2015 , we arrive by car with me driving! Knowing the construction, came by the A6 and cut off at the D637 connect just north of Barbizon with the D607 to Fontainebleau. The parking was done at our usual place almost empty in parking chateau across from the castle at place Général de Gaulle. And we walk from there all over.
As we arrived early , we went by the city and then the gardens and then the castle. This is a huge property not enough to do one blog entry on it, but anyway , I always leave the intrigue for you, giving you a bit to tell you without given the end of the movie. OR read my further posts on it… We walked along bd Magenta and bd du Maréchal Juin, and up Rue de France, along rue Dénecourt that continues to Rue Grande up to rue Aristides Briand into place du Général Patton. Back to bd du Maréchal Joffre back to ave de Verdun into rue de la Paroisse, and rue Victor Hugo and rue des Sablons all wonderful full of shops, restos, bars etc. Do not felled tired at all, looking at the marvelous architecture and history panels on some. We briefly saw the church Saint Louis,this time, and came into the jardin de Diane by the back of the castle and out into the Place d’Armes.
We, therefore, had the energy to hit the Château de Fontainebleau inside and out , but rather quickly this time. You entered the grand grill door and to the ticket office. We did not purchase in advance as wanted the full tourist feel of the place. The entry was easy , behind this building you have the English garden. you walk inside all along the rooms into the fountain courtyard or place de la fontaine with the horseshoe on the other side of the building and in front of the carp lake which has adjoining the grand parterre. Inside the golden gate you come into the Oval courtyard and beyond the cour des offices. Outside facing the Diana garden you have canopy building and a passage way to the main courtyard, here is the jeu de paume, the oldest in France.
The Chinese museum is exotic, the Napoléon I museum is fantastic, the new Pope’s apartments are interesting, as well as the grand or large apartments and the Madame Maintenon apartments are nice. You see the small apartments and the Josephine ‘s private apartments. All the way in the back past the grand parterre you have the White Gate and the city and the town of Avon. In all a wonderful castle you should see it, a must while visiting France.
We notice on the way out a building with some folks in and out, on our right hand side going out. This is the Friends of Fontainebleau office, folks donating and helping out to keep this property what it is a grand of France and Europe, the World. We became members, I am still on a family deal.
The main things to see here are the Fontainebleau castle , and its Napoléon and Chinese museums inside as well as the gardens and the forest of Fontainebleau. Others are the Saint Louis Church, the CSEM or military equestrian sports center, and the Grand parquet on the field of Salamandre, the racecours of Fontainebleau at La Solle . There is also, a nice theater or théatre Municipale . Some of the mansions or architecturally interesting in my opinion here are: The Hôtel de Bellune at 4 rue Saint Honoré, Hôtel de Polignac at 23 rue Saint Honoré, Hôtel de Conti at 27 rue Saint Honoré , Hôtel de Pompadour, at the small street rue de l’Arbr-Sec. There is an obelisk at the crossing or carrefour de l’Obélisque built in 1786 in honor of queen Marie Antoinette and her children. The curious will go to the forest and see the Priory Notre Dame de Franchard dating from early 411 and rebuilt in 1626 now run by the order of the Trinitarians following the rule of Saint Augustin. The wonderful Château de Fontainebleau spanning 34 monarchs and almost all the history of France. From Paris here from the gare de Lyon to the station that is actually in the town of Avon or the A6 road. Fontainebleau was just a village until 1528, when king François I returning from prison in Spain after losing the battle of Pavie in 1525 decided to built a castle here inspired by the Italian palaces. The rest as we say is French history, and the world. Other than the magnificent castle propery you can see here many mansions or hotel particulieres. There is also, the musée Napoléonien d’Art et d’Histoire Militaire ,in 8 rooms with weapons and uniforms going back to the 16C, the third most important museum in France for the subject display. Some of the works here were given directly by the Imperatrice Eugénie (Montijo of Belmonte, Castilla la Mancha Spain ,and wife of Napoléon III). There is ,also the musée des Arts Figuratifs with a collection of contemporary works by several painters; The town is an important center of the horse, housing the prestigious Centre sportif d’équitation militaire (CSEM) housed in the old stables of the castle, trained the mounted officers for competition. As well there is the Hippodrome de Fontainableau de la Solle . It is here at Bois le Roi in Fontainebleau that in 1776 was held the first horse race on the English style in France. The first test was opened by king Louis XVI and Queen Marie-Antoinette of Austria; and the brother count of Artois (later king Louis XVIII) had his horse run in the race.
Between 1856 and 1858, Empress Eugenie undertook a complete renovation of the furnishings in her grand salon at the Château de Fontainebleau. Her choice fell on Louis XVI period furniture from two distinct sets which were covered with the same fabric with a white background embroidered with flowers; these were two sofas from the Garde-Meuble (the storage of royal belonging by the French govt) belonging to a larger set and a series of richly decorated seats. And sculptures taken from the throne room and the chapel of the Château de Fontainebleau. Then she had another Louis XVI piece of painted wood furniture placed, which she then sent to the Petit Trianon. The most striking element in her approach was that she arranged in Fontainebleau antique furniture and not of style as can be seen in the large salons of the other imperial residences.
A bit of history I like tell us that this spot was a hamlet and a stop for hunters and a chapel built by king Louis VII. Later Saint Louis (king Louis IX) who loves Fontainebleau had built a mansion and a hospital here . Nevertheless, Fontainebleau was nothing than a hamlet until 1528 when king François Ier returning to France after spending a year in prison in Spain after the defeat at Pavia in 1525 had decided to built a castle inspired by the Italians styles. In 1725, king Louix XV marries here. The French revolution did not cause too much damage here due to the richness of the inhabitants. The empire of Napoléon Ier came to the castle and had it renovated as well as many mansions some turned into hotels like the current luxury Aigle Noir. On October 29 1807, Manuel Godoy the minister of the Spanish king Carlos IV and Napoléon Ier signed the treaty of Fontainebleau allowing French troops to passed by Spain to invade Portugal; they decided to stay in Spain too lol. By June 1812, the Pope Pie VII arrived at Fontainebleau and stayed as house prison from that date to 1814 without leaving his apartment. On April 20 1814, Napoléon Ier shortly after his first abdication says farewell to his troops from the courtyard of the Cheval Blanc, In all , there were 34 monarchs from Louis VI le Fat to Napoléon III who stayed at Fontainebleau during 7 centuries. From the 16C to the 18C all the kings from François Ier to Louis XV had done renovations, demolitions, enlargements, rebuilts more or less homogeneous to the architecture of the castle. In August 1946, Fontainebleau held the Franco-Vietnamien conference to find a solution to the conflict in Indochina and was a failure as later history can attest. The military tradition of the city kept it for a long time link to the army barracks such as the headquarters of the allied armies of Central Europe or AFCENT, the land forces LANDCENT, and the air forces AIRCENT of NATO from 1949 to 1967 (when France pull out of NATO ) Today the city host a grand école a famous business school wiith international recognition such as INSEAD.
The official Château de Fontainebleau: https://www.chateaudefontainebleau.fr/en/
The city of Fontainebleau on the castle: https://www.fontainebleau.fr/bouger-et-sortir/decouvrir-fontainebleau/la-vraie-demeure-des-rois-la-maison-des-siecles-524.html
The Fontainebleau tourist office on the castle: https://www.fontainebleau-tourisme.com/en/discover-the-region/patrimoine-2/the-chateau-a-grand-history-book-of-france/
The official Friends of the Château de Fontainebleau org: https://www.amischateaufontainebleau.org/
There you go folks, memories for me, grandeur for my France,and hopefully beautiful moments for you. Fontainebleau is the history of France, Europe, and the World all in one. A must to visit when possible. Again, hope you enjoy this post on the Château de Fontainebleau royal and imperial of France !!! as I.
And remember, happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all !!!
Paris1972-Versailles2003 