Fontainebleau Half-day

Your Licensed English Speaking Guide will pick you up from your hotel in Paris at 8.00 am in a deluxe private vehicle and you will depart to Fontainebleau to discover one of the most prestigious French Kings’ residences.

Introduction to Fontainebleau :

Upon your arrival, your private guide will present you with an introduction about the history of the castle. With its Royal town and holiday residence established between the palace and the forest, Fontainebleau has welcomed nobility for centuries. “The true home of kings, the house of ages”, as Napoleon I described it, the Château de Fontainebleau was inhabited almost continuously from the 12th century until the fall of Napoleon III in 1870 and then by the first presidents of the 3rd Republic. Today, it is an immense palace with many courtyards and gardens. Its exceptional collections make it the most richly furnished of the French royal châteaux. Since medieval times, 34 sovereigns have successively used the Palace. You will start your day with the discovery of the main entrance, the White Horse Courtyard with its famous Horseshoe Staircase built under Louis the XIII’s reign.

Visit the Napoleon Museum  :

The Museum of Napoleon I was created in 1986 in the wing on the right side of the Court of Honor, where the apartments of the princes of the First Empire had been located. It includes a gallery of portraits of members of Napoleon‘s family, medals and decorations, several costumes worn during Napoleon‘s coronation as Emperor, and a gold leaf from the crown he wore during the coronation; a large collection of porcelain and decorative objectives from the Imperial dining table, and a cradle, toys, and other souvenirs from the Emperor’s son, the King of Rome. It also has a collection of souvenirs from his military campaigns, including a recreation of his tent and its furnishings and practical items which he took with him on his campaigns.

Private Visit of the Palace :

Following this, you will enjoy a private visit of the Palace, where you will see the Papal Apartment (it acquired its present name from Pius VII who stayed here twice, in 1804 and 1812) and the Renaissance Rooms with the Galerie François 1er. They have maintained their astonishing decoration of frescoes and stucco works produced by the Italian artists Rosso and Primaticcio during the reigns of François I and Henri II. After visiting the Ballroom, you will enjoy a visit of the Emperor’s inner apartments, in particular: the throne room, the Emperor’s Bedchamber and the Abdication Salon where Napoleon signed his first Act of Abdication in 1814. You will finish your tour with a walk to the Chapel of the Holy Trinity. It was in this chapel that Louis XV married Maria Lecszinska in 1725.

The Gardens and the Old Town of Fontainebleau :

After visiting the castle, your guide will take you for a stroll through the different Gardens to discover the Grand Parterre, the Park with its 1200 metre-long canal, the Diana and English Gardens before heading back to the old city of Fontainebleau. It is then time to drive back to Paris, where your guide will drop you wherever you wish.

Tickets to the castle are not included

Category : All our destinations, Half-day tour, Private tours

Tags: Château, Fontainebleau, Francois the 1st, French Monarchy, Napoléon