10 must sees and things to do in Pays de Fontainebleau

  • Exceptional Forest®

  • The forest of Fontainebleau, recognized by UNESCO as a Natural Reserve Biosphere of World Importance, is unique in its kind, a real paradise for lovers of nature. With 11 million visitors a year, more than 1,200 species of animals and plants, the forest offers a vast network of signposted paths for walkers, cyclists and horse-riders. It is also a site known worldwide for rock-climbing!!
  • The imperial heritage of Fontainebleau

  • With its palace, its squares, its church and its sumptuous theatre, Fontainebleau never fails to impress its visitors. As a timeless vacation destination, the town has preserved the typically French ‘art de vivre’, it will charm you with its many terraced restaurants, pretty little lanes and shops.
  • The true home of kings

  • Listed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, Fontainebleau is the only palace that has been inhabited by all the crowned heads of France from the 12th to the 19th centuries. 8 centuries of royal presence, 34 kings, 2 emperors, 1,500 rooms, Fontainebleau can still claim to be the most furnished palace in Europe! Napoleon I called it, unreservedly, «the true home of kings».
  • The cradle of impressionism

  • Barbizon, Bourron-Marlotte, Samois-sur-Seine are the way into the world of painters of the Barbizon school, the precursors of impressionism, but, equally, the world of renowned writers, musicians and film-directors. Here we discover their source of inspiration. These characteristic villages are still, even today, much sought-after places of retreat and relaxation.
  • Come here and stroll through the heart of nature

  • There is nothing more delightful than a walkor a bike ride to discover the countryside. Many pathways in the forest, along the banks of the Seine and in villages rich in character, all are made open to visitors to enjoy a stay of sure pleasure, with nature and culture as its theme.
  • The French ‘art de vivre’

  • Discover France’s unique and incomparable ‘art de vivre’ during your stay! Refined gastronomy, outstanding craftworkers, elegant tableware, cultural liveliness, are just some of the qualities that bring such prestige to our region.
  • International events

  • Numerous festivals have chosen the Pays de Fontainebleau as their set venue: the International Jazz Festival, Django Reinhardt in Fontainebleau and Samois-sur-Seine, the Série Series Festival given over to the very
    best European TV series, the Festival of the History of Art in the Palace of Fontainebleau, to name a few.
  • The Equestrian Passion

  • The Pays de Fontainebleau is also the dream destination of lovers of equitation and open air events. The Grand Parquet holds international shows all year round. The Solle hippodrome is one of the oldest in France and the Military School of Equitation has its home in the old stables of Napoleonic times.
  • The Charm of its accommodation

  • Knowing how to give hospitality: numerous hotels and bed & breakfasts and a huge selection of gites await visitors wishing to stay in the town or else in the country – the choice is yours!
  • Invitation to go back to the sources

  • Depending on how you feel, and the energy you have, whether alone or with your partner, as a family or a group of friends, what will take your fancy ? A dog-sleigh ride through the forest? A ride in a hot-air balloon? An introduction to the ancestor of tennis, the Royal tennis? A tasting session of the Fontainebleau cheese? A broad range of activities await you...


We hope to see you soon in Pays de Fontainebleau.
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