This is difficult to write as many wonderful moments with my dear late wife Martine visiting the castle and town of Fontainebleau in her region and becoming Friends of the Castle. However, I like to bring them to life for memories’ sake. This is an update of an older post, hope you enjoy it, and do visit the castle is a must while in France. See my many posts in my blog.
Let me tell you about a part not yet open to the public, last I check, but had several meetings there and as the castle is renovated maybe will be open one day. The room in question is the room of the beautiful chimney and its relations or in French la Salle de la Belle Cheminée of the Château de Fontainebleau !!
The Salle de la Belle Cheminée (or the beautiful chimney room) is one of the works commissioned by king Henri IV. Above the Belle Cheminée, lies a bas-relief of Henri IV on horseback representing the King on his illustrious white steed. The wing of the Belle Cheminée, also known as the aile(wing) de l’Ancienne Comédie or wing of the old comedy, built between 1565 and 1570 in stone of Saint-Leu, derives its name from the chimney that occupied the great hall in the 18C. It was taken down and her sculptures were scattered. The name of old comedy comes from the theater that king Louis XV had made. First known as the Salle de la Belle Cheminée from 1597 to 1601, it was called a theater from 1725, on the occasion of the marriage of king Louis XV; It was destroyed in 1856 by a fire. The monumental exterior staircase has two Italian ramps. It makes the connection with the cour de la Fontaine (courtyard of the fountain). The Belle Cheminée of the Château de Fontainebleau was dismembered in 1725 . The fragments were taken in the 19C into two other chimneys in the castle. Other fragments are in reserve at Fontainebleau. The Louvre museum presents the central frieze which separated the upper part forming mantle from the fireplace. It is now in a theater setup for meetings and the chimney still there , still call the beautiful chimney room and one that hopes to be shown to the public.
Other rooms in relation to the Belle Cheminée are worth mentioning on this post are:
In the Salle des Gardes (room of the guards) you will notice two great figures that surround the chimney coming from the famous Belle Cheminée by then disappeared, sumptuous carved monument. to the glory of the victorious king of 7 meters high,by 6 meters wide. On the left is the allegorical figure of Peace; it lowers, to smother it, the torch of war, reminding us that by the edit of Nantes (1598), king Henri IV had put an end to the civil religious wars between Catholics and Protestants. On the right, the allegory seems to be Obedience; a young woman is about to pass a harness to a lion. The good King Henri was indeed, against any golden legend, an autocratic sovereign, reinforcing the Royal authority and announcing the absolute monarchy of his grandson, Louis XIV. The remainder of the chimney, of a more grey hue, was carved in 19C.
The official Château de Fontainebleau on the things to see: https://www.chateaudefontainebleau.fr/en/explore-the-castle-and-gardens/fontainebleau-rooms/
There you go folks, this is special, a must to visit while in France; the Château de Fontainebleau that is. So much history of France and Europe , and the World is here, as well as loving architecture. You ought it to yourselves to visit the Château de Fontainebleau , and look out for visiting the Salle de la Belle Cheminée !!
And remember, happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all !!!
Paris1972-Versailles2003 
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