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Fontainebleau Palace
No. 5 of Fall Viewing Attractions in France

Fontainebleau Palace

8.1
4.8/5
525 reviews
Fontainebleau Palace is hailed as "an epitome of French history" and has been inscribed on the World Heritage List. Originally a royal hunting lodge, it was expanded into an important palace of the French Renaissance, and later many architects and artists participated in its renovation, leaving imprints of various periods' styles. Location Fontainebleau Palace is located in a small town about 55 km southeast of Paris, one of Parisians' favorite weekend getaway destinations, and Fontainebleau Palace sits here, surrounded by forest. The Fontainebleau Forest around the palace was originally a royal hunting ground, and now has become an outdoor sports base eagerly visited by bouldering enthusiasts, with the annual bouldering season in October attracting many climbing enthusiasts from around the world. Visiting route and highlights The main structures of Fontainebleau Palace include a main tower, the palace, courtyards, and gardens. The main attractions inside the palace include the ballroom, the conference hall, the chapel, the throne room, the Gallery of Diana, the Gallery of Francis I, the queen's bedroom, the Napoleon salon,Papal apartmentetc. Napoleon loved yellow, and his wife Josephine favored rose, so the overall color scheme of the palace interior was dominated by yellow and rose red. The palace also houses four museums, respectivelyThe Chinese Museum, the Napoleon I Museum, the gallery, and the furniture museum. Among them, the Chinese Museum houses a large collection of precious artifacts from the Old Summer Palace, displaying over a thousand art treasures including ancient paintings from the Ming and Qing dynasties, gold and jade jewelry, and carvings, though it is sometimes closed to visitors.In Western museums, the Fontainebleau Palace is where collections and exhibitions are housedOld Summer PalaceSo many treasures. #White Horse Courtyard#The White Horse Courtyard is the main entrance of Fontainebleau. The horseshoe-shaped staircase here is a sight of Fontainebleau Palace; it was here that Napoleon delivered his speech upon his abdication.#China pavilion#Entering the building from the right side of the courtyard brings you to the ticket office; after buying tickets, don't forget to pick up an audio guide. Then follow this long gallery straight ahead to begin your visit to Fontainebleau Palace. Near the end there are stairs—don't rush upstairs yet; continue straight ahead and you'll reachChina pavilion. If you cannot findChina pavilionlocation, you can consult the staff.China pavilionThe doors are generally closed, and you need to close them after entering. A prominent position in the hall displays a gold pagoda approx. 2 m tall, with emeralds inlaid on every tier throughout, which, together with the one extant inInside the Forbidden City in Beijinggolden pagodas are basically similar. There are also two precious gilded chime bells and various otherOld Summer Palacetreasures. Currently, the Chinese Museum has been closed for a long time due to construction. On March 1, 2015, 15 exhibits were stolen from Fontainebleau Palace, among which wasOld Summer PalaceOld collection cloisonné qilin and golden mandala.#Other treasures#FromChina pavilionGo out and head upstairs to continue enjoying many rooms such as the Napoleon I rooms and the Throne Room (Napoleon's throne is quite mini). You can also see the Gallery of Francis I, whose lower half features wainscoting of golden-yellow fine wood carvings about 2 m high, while the upper half is set off by bright faux-marble figure reliefs against multiple exquisite Renaissance-style frescoes, making the entire gallery both splendid and elegant. After visiting the main exhibition halls, go down to the first floor where the exit is; there is a souvenir shop here, and outside you can stroll through the courtyard and gardens. In fact, walking a short distance from the exit can also take you back toChina pavilion, but here there are only hints for entering the courtyard. When visiting the courtyard, beyond the indoor views, the courtyards of Fontainebleau Palace are also distinctive, with a uniquely decorative style combining wood paneling, plaster reliefs, and murals. The Diana Garden is dotted with flower beds and sculptures, along with small, exquisite fountains, and orange trees grow throughout the garden, making it a pleasant place to stroll. You can also wander freely through the large park and green woods. There is a tea room inside Fontainebleau Palace where you can dine, and the town also has many restaurants with moderate prices.Fontainebleau · 326m from downtown
Notre-Dame Cathedral of Paris
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Notre-Dame Cathedral of Paris

10
4.7/5
2.5k reviews
Notre-Dame Cathedral of Paris stands on the Île de la Cité on the banks of the Seine, built approx. between 1163 and 1250, and has witnessed the historical changes of Paris. This Gothic-style cathedral is world-famous due to the poetic description by French writer Victor Hugo in his novel of the same name, "Notre-Dame Cathedral of Paris". Notre-Dame Cathedral of Paris stands on the Île de la Cité in the middle of the Seine, with construction beginning in 1163 and largely completed by the mid-13th century. It is a masterpiece of French Gothic architecture and widely known due to Victor Hugo's novel of the same name. A fire in 2019 destroyed its spire and wooden roof structure, but after years of restoration, the cathedral reopened to visitors in December 2024, with the bell tower's summit access resuming shortly after. This phoenix-like structure has regained its status as one of Paris's most popular destinations. The cathedral's façade features three portals adorned with reliefs and statues depicting biblical stories, along with a row of royal stone figures, showcasing Gothic sculptural artistry at its finest. Inside, the restored stone walls and vaulted ceilings, now free of centuries-old soot, appear strikingly bright, while the three rose windows dazzle with color—particularly the southern one. The grand organ, with nearly 8,000 pipes and restored over several years, is equally worth admiring. Climbing the bell tower is a highlight: visitors ascend over 400 steps, passing the fantastical "gallery of chimeras" added during 19th-century renovations, where stone carvings of beasts and mythical creatures perch at railings—including the famous pensive "Stryge" gazing over Paris. The 17th-century "Emmanuel" bell, weighing over ten tons and rarely rung except on major occasions, can also be seen. From the nearly 70 m-high rooftop terrace, panoramic views encompass both banks of the Seine, the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, and Sacré-Cœur, while the restored wooden framework and rebuilt spire can be examined up close between the towers. Practical tips: The tower climb requires moderate physical fitness, with narrow stairs and some crouch-walking sections; advance reservations for time slots are recommended due to limited capacity. Beneath the square in front lies the Crypte Archéologique de l'Île de la Cité, displaying urban relics from Roman times onward, with its entrance on the square. As the cathedral remains an active place of worship, visitors are asked to maintain quiet during masses.Paris · 56.2 km from Fontainebleau
Louvre Museum
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Louvre Museum

10
4.7/5
10.3k reviews
Experience the charm of the filming locations for movies like "The Louvre" and "The Da Vinci Code". • Appreciate the magnificent presentation of the treasures of ancient Greek, Roman, and Egyptian civilizations here. • Visit the giant glass pyramid that combines classical palace and modern architectural styles. The Louvre was founded in 1204. This castle underwent several expansions and was converted into a museum after the French Revolution. The museum's collection encompasses art treasures from ancient Egypt, ancient Greece, ancient Rome, and various periods of Europe. The collection is quantity, and only a small portion is usually on display, yet it already constitutes an art journey spanning thousands of years. The museum boasts numerous treasures, among which the "Three Treasures of the Louvre" are most famous: the Venus de Milo, the Mona Lisa, and the Winged Victory of Samothrace. △The marble of the Venus de Milos is so pure and white, yet so moving. Is it Aphrodite? Or Amphitrite? When the Venus de Milo was brought to the museum, the art restorers' first thought was to restore Venus's missing arms. However, in order to avoid distorting the work's authenticity, they ultimately abandoned this idea. The missing arms pose a significant challenge to identifying the figure in the statue. In ancient Greek art, the identification of deities is typically based on the objects held or iconic elements. Initially, there were many questions regarding the goddess's identity. Could she be Amphitrite, the sea goddess particularly revered on the island of Milos? Or, as her semi-nude, sensual body suggests, could she be Aphrodite, the goddess of beauty? The fact that she wore jewelry tilts the scales of identification towards Aphrodite, the Venus of Roman mythology. Later, near the statue's excavation site, a hand holding an apple was discovered—an element in the artistic depiction of Venus, and moreover, the hand sculpted with the apple is made of the same Paros marble as the statue. △ For centuries, Mona Lisa's famous enigmatic smile has captivated and inspired countless sighs. Mona Lisa gazes upon the viewer with her legendary smile, behind her a beautiful natural landscape stretching into the distance. The Mona Lisa painting theft of the century On August 21, 1911, panic gripped the museum! The Mona Lisa had vanished! Newspapers across the country published reports and offered a reward for its discovery. For over two years, the Mona Lisa remained untraceable. Then one day, an Italian art dealer contacted the authorities, and someone had delivered the famous painting, sought by the entire world, to him! The visitor was Vincenzo Perugia, a glass craftsman who had previously worked at the museum. The Mona Lisa was recovered, and her fame soared even higher. △The Winged Victory of Samothrace appears to float in mid-air, its form light and graceful. Originally offered as a tribute to the gods, it stood high in a temple on the Greek island of Samothrace, just as it now stands atop the Daru Steps. The statue depicts the moment when the winged goddess Nike, the goddess of victory, descends upon the bow of a ship. "Clubbing Hall Star" When the Winged Victory of Samothrace was installed on the Daru Steps in 1883, the background decorations designed for it were far more elaborate than they are today, with the dome covered in glittering mosaic patterns. However, these decorations failed to win favor, with some critics even comparing the Winged Victory to a cabaret star. Finally, in 1934, faux stone wallpaper covered the original decorations, creating a solemn and elegant atmosphere.Paris · 57.3 km from Fontainebleau
Musee d'Orsay
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Musee d'Orsay

10
4.8/5
5k reviews
The Musée d'Orsay, hailed as the "temple of Impressionism," offers a glimpse into the masterpieces of numerous Impressionist artists, allowing visitors to experience the magic of color and light. In the museum square, six bronze statues represent the six continents of the world. Inside, under a large glass dome, natural light filters through the glass, illuminating the paintings and enhancing the overall charm and the artists' creative passion. A temple of art, a holy land of Impressionism The Musée d'Orsay, located across the Rhône from the Louvre, houses a collection of over 4,000 works of art. Its extensive collection of French art from 1848 to 1914 encompasses painting, sculpture, furniture, and photography, and is renowned worldwide for its Impressionist and Post-Impressionist collections—masterpieces such as Monet's *Saint-Lazare Station*, Renoir's *Bal du Moulin de la Galette*, Van Gogh's *Starry Night Over the Rhône*, and Manet's *Olympia* are all on display. Locals often say that to see art before 1848, go to the Louvre; to see modern art after 1914, go to the Centre Pompidou, and Musée d'Orsay bridges these two periods. Stepping inside, traces of the former train station are still faintly visible. A sculpture avenue runs through the center of the ground floor hall, with exhibition halls on either side primarily displaying paintings and sculptures from the mid-19th century. At the end of the avenue is a large sectional model of the Paris Opera (Palace of Garnier), meticulously depicting the opera house's interior structure. Impressionist and Post-Impressionist paintings are concentrated on the top floor, in a converted hotel room above the original train station. The space is more intimate, and the natural light from the south-facing skylight evokes the lighting conditions under which the artists created their works. Six bronze statues, representing the six continents, stand in the square; these are relics from the 1878 World's Fair. Get a close look at the iconic clock of the Musée d'Orsay.Paris · 57.6 km from Fontainebleau

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Featured Food & drink in Fontainebleau

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Dinner at Madame Brasserie Restaurant in Paris Eiffel Tower [Gourmet Experience/Eiffel Tower]
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Paris Seine River panoramic glass cruise with French dining experience
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Paris Eiffel Tower Madame Brasserie restaurant culinary experience
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Moulin Rouge Paris show + dining experience [Toulouse Lautrec or Belle Époque menu options]
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Paris L'Escargot Montorgueil popular restaurant reservation service
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Moulin Rouge Show with Dinner and Transfer Service in Paris, France
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Featured Day tours in Fontainebleau

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Private Tour in Fontainebleau Palace with Skip-The-Line Ticket
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Paris departure: Palace of Versailles half-day tour [round-trip transportation from Paris/optional guide + bookable for 1 person]
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Paris - Louvre Museum - Seine River & cruise 1-day tour (admission ticket optional)
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Versailles: Skip-the-Line Guided Palace Tour and Full Access
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4.7/5
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Duration: 1.5 hrs
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Paris: night sightseeing tour and Moulin Rouge show (includes champagne/fast confirmation)
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Paris Seine River dinner cruise: 2.5-hour cruise with multi-zone table selection
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Featured Culture & history in Fontainebleau

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Paris Museum Pass [Optional 2-day/4-day/6-day + access to 50 museums + e-voucher for direct validation and use]
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Paris Museum Pass: 2, 4, or 6 Days
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Paris Museum Pass 2-day/4-day/6-day options available
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Fontainebleau Audio Tour: Royal Echoes and Hidden Gems Unveiled
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Duration: 3 hrs
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Featured Outdoor & sports in Fontainebleau

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AccroCamp: Saint-Germain-en-Laye
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90-Minute Narrated Sightseeing Trolley Tour in Atlanta
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Versailles Palace Bike Tour with Market & Marie-Antoinette hamlet
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Key West Island Adventure Jet Ski Tour: Bring a Partner for Free
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Paris: Scenic Montmartre Train Ride & Optional Seine Cruise
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Sunset Sail in Key West with Beverages Included
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Paris Catacombs Guided Tour:Skip-the-Line & Restricted Areas
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Paris: Catacombs Restricted Access Tour
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What travelers say about Fontainebleau

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Jo SeeJune 29, 2026
5.0
This palace is definitely worth visiting. If you want to see grandeur and opulence without excessive crowds at Varsailles, visit Fountainebleu Palace instead. Eat at the cafe nearby afterwards. The service is good and the food is amazing!

Fontainebleau Palace

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YoYo_0T9A3B0LApril 1, 2026
5.0
Fontainebleau Forest is the kind of forest where you can walk very far, with oak and pine trees mixed together, and some places with strangely shaped rocks. In summer, many locals run or cycle there, and in autumn, the fallen leaves crunch underfoot. There are many hiking trails in the forest, and you can occasionally see old-fashioned hunting lodges along the way. On a nice day, it's quite relaxing to find an open spot to sit and read a book or have a picnic.

Forest of Fontainebleau

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莲子99December 27, 2020
5.0
This is the back garden of the Palace of Fontainebleau. There is a large pond, a bit like Versailles, but more natural. There are fish and geese in the lake. They are very human and will come close to people. It is very beautiful here.

Diana Garden

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loratravelsNovember 2, 2026
5.0
It’s such a surreal place! I felt like a kid again. It really is a magical experience ✨ I would recommend this to everyone!

Disneyland Paris

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300***73October 27, 2026
5.0
Teacher Ju Zi's explanation of Notre Dame Cathedral was fantastic! Professional and engaging, she clearly and movingly explained the architectural history and the "Chinese people in Notre Dame," packed with valuable information throughout. I learned a lot and highly recommend it!

Notre-Dame Cathedral of Paris

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suspector08November 3, 2026
4.0
On November 2nd, the Louvre closed for two hours, reopening at 11:00 AM. My reservation was for 10:30. I spent three hours just browsing the exhibition area, and even with a map and audio guide, I still got lost and kept going back and forth. It truly is a maze. However, it's definitely worth spending more time in the Denon Hall on the first floor, where paintings by Lisa and others are displayed. An audio guide is essential; otherwise, you won't understand anything. You can rent one on-site for 6 euros.

Louvre Museum

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Anonymous userOctober 23, 2026
5.0
a must see in paris. even if not serious art lovers, you will feel the joy of arts. lucky to see the mary cassett exhibition too.

Musee d'Orsay

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M50***25October 25, 2026
5.0
It was a great summit experience, and the accompanying Seine River cruise was also excellent. Our guide was Korean and spoke both English and French, so I had no problem communicating with her in French. There was also a very friendly elderly Australian couple in our group; they even gave me a small souvenir before I left.

Eiffel Tower

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乖小咪June 1, 2020
5.0
The Palais de Vaucluse is a very beautiful aristocratic palace in the suburbs of Paris, France. It covers a very large area and has a royal aristocratic atmosphere, noble and elegant, with a very beautiful garden, and the interior decoration is also very luxurious, with a variety of exquisite murals that are dazzling.

Chateau de Vaux-Le-Vicomte

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Frequently asked questions

You can give Bustronome Paris view bus restaurant [Enjoy French cuisine while touring downtown Paris|Panoramic dining car|Hidden Gems of Paris|Passing by iconic attractions and Dinner at Madame Brasserie Restaurant in Paris Eiffel Tower [Gourmet Experience/Eiffel Tower] a try. Before you go, please check their opening hours and menus online. Reservations are recommended, especially during peak hours.

When choosing a tour, start with how much time you have and the kind of experience you're looking for. Trending options right now include Paris round-trip | Barbizon painters' village + Fontainebleau Palace [Chinese/English private charter] · Admission ticket not included, Private Tour in Fontainebleau Palace with Skip-The-Line Ticket, and Château de Fontainebleau & Château de Vaux-le-Vicomte: Guided Tour from Paris. Check the real-time availability and itinerary before you book.

As of November 4, 2026, the reference price for day tours and activities in Fontainebleau is around JPY 8,577 – JPY 148,186. Rates vary by duration, group size, transportation, tickets, meals, and any special admission requirements. Before you book, please confirm the billing currency and whether the price is quoted per person or per group.

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