Introduction

Fontainebleau is an enormous palace built, modified and expanded by French monarchs from the 12th to the 19th century. It was the favourite residence of Francis I and Napoléon I and the birthplace of Louis XIII.

Fontainebleau is the fourth most visited château in France (after Versailles, Chambord and Chenonceau). Spanning 800 years, it has a longer and richer history than any other royal residence, and was the residence of 34 French monarchs from the Middle Ages until Napoleon III. With its 1530 rooms (covering approximately 50,000 m², against 67,000 m² for Versailles), four courtyards, and its 130-hectare (320-acre) park, Fontainebleau ranks among Europe's vastest palaces.

The château houses a sumptuous theatre, built in 1857 for Napoléon III, and no less than four museums: the Empress' Chinese Museum (opened in 1863), the Napoleon I Museum, the Paintings Gallery, and the Furniture Gallery.

Opening Hours & Admission

The château is open daily (except Tuesdays) all year round from 9:30 am to 6:00 pm (until 5:30 pm from October to March). The last entry is 45 minutes before the closing time. The courtyards and gardens are open every day from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm (till 7:00 pm from May to September ; till 5:00 pm from November to February). Annual closing days are 1st January, 1st May and 25th December.

Admission is 10 € for adults and 8 € for concessions for the Grands Appartements, 6.5 / 5 € for the Petits Appartements, and another 6.5 / 5 € for the Appartements de Chasses and Furniture Museum. Audioguides can be obtained for 1 €. Admission is free for children under 18 years old and 18 to 25 residents of an EEA country (EU + Norway and Iceland).

Guided tours are available for 14.5 / 13 € and include the ticket to the Grands Appartements.

Access Map

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