Palace of Fontainebleau

What to expect

Now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Château de Fontainebleau is one of the largest, most beautiful and yet still the least well-known of the France's great chateaux. A royal palace, and known as the "house of the centuries", all of France's rulers have left their mark on Fontainebleau, from Francis I to Louis XV, and from Henry IV to Napoleon III. Napoleon Bonaparte said of Fontainebleau that it was a home fit for kings. In architectural terms, the chateau embraces the reigns of every French king and emperor. It all means that when you tour the Château de Fontainebleau, it's like taking a walk through the centuries. You will absorb the charm of a palace that is at once grand and quiet, being surrounded by the thick hunting forest where the famous rocks of Fontainebleau can be found.

Fontainebleau Castle Opening Hours

High season (April to September): open every day from 9:30 am to 6:00 pm
Low season (October to March): open every day from 9:30 am to 5:00 pm

Please note: The Diane Garden and the English Garden close respectively 30 minutes and 1 hour before the indicated opening hours. In case of bad weather, the gardens may be closed.

Prepare for Your Visit

• The approximate duration of the main circuit visit is 1 hour and 30 minutes.
• Access to the castle's park and gardens is free every day. Several activities are available, such as carriage rides, a small train, jeu de Paume (an ancient ball game), ice cream, hot air balloon rides, boating, and pony rides.
• An elevator is available for people with reduced mobility to access the Grand Apartments.

Free Admission

The following categories of people have free access to the Grand Apartments circuit upon presentation of appropriate documentation:

• Under 18 years old
• Young people aged 18 to under 26, long-term residents of European Union countries, regardless of their nationality
• Disabled individuals and war veterans (and their accompanying person)
• Job seekers, recipients of RMI (Revenu Minimum d'Insertion), specific solidarity allowance, single parent allowance, minimum old-age pension
• Holders of the Education Pass
• Students from universities and art schools, École du Louvre, National Institute of Heritage, École nationale des Chartes
• Scientific staff of public museums, Ministry of Culture personnel, INHA personnel
• Teachers of art history, fine arts, architecture, and archaeology
• Journalists with a press card
• Lecturers and interpreter-guides
• Members of ICOM and ICOMOS
• Bus drivers accompanying groups
• Accompanying adults of school groups (limited to one adult per seven students)
• Members of the Society of Friends of Fontainebleau Castle (A.C.F)
• Holders of the Balad'Pass 77 card issued by Seine-et-Marne Tourism, accompanied by a full-paying adult
• Staff of tourist offices and information centers, Departmental Tourism Committees, Regional Tourism Committees, and Atout France
• Group leaders accompanying tourist groups on-site and holding a professional card (travel agencies, tour operators, coach companies) at a rate of one leader per group of 30 people
• Accompanying personnel of social groups, at a rate of one accompanying person for every 10 people, validated by the social field correspondent of the public service department of the establishment.
• For everyone, the first Sunday of each month, except for July and August

Reduced admission to the Grand Apartments circuit applies to the following categories of people upon presentation of appropriate documentation:

• Large families

• Non-long-term residents of European Union countries and non-European nationals aged 18 to 25

• Visitors paying the entrance fee with vacation checks, individually or in groups

• RMN privilege card

• Visitors paying the entrance fee and opting for a guided tour

• Holders of a Paris-Visite train ticket

• Holders of a France-Montgolfières ticket, flight departing from Fontainebleau Castle

• Holders of the "Les Paris Plus" pass

• Holders of an entrance ticket to one of Visitez Malin's partner sites

• Members of Friends Societies recognized by the Public Establishment of Fontainebleau Castle

• Ministry of the Interior staff, their families, and retired personnel

• Groups holding a combined Fontainebleau/Vaux-le-Vicomte ticket.

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