Paris – Visit Château de Fontainebleau! Exquisite and Less Crowded

Compared to the Palace of Versailles, Château de Fontainebleau is actually more worth a visit. Not only does it have a longer history than Versailles, but it’s also more exquisite, far less crowded, and perfect for a leisurely full-day stroll. ▶️ History The Chinese name (Fēngdān Báilù) was translated from the French "Fontainebleau" by Mr. Zhu Ziqing, brimming with literary charm. Initially, King Louis VII of France built a hunter’s lodge here for resting during hunts. Later, it was transformed into a country residence by Louis IX. In the 16th century, Francis I expanded and renovated the château, turning it into a royal palace and one of the main royal residences. In 1814, Napoleon signed his abdication here, ending his empire. Since Fontainebleau was continuously expanded from the Renaissance to the 19th century, it blends multiple architectural styles. ❗️❗️Currently, the Chinese Museum in the château is regarded as one of the Western museums with the largest and finest collections of Yuanmingyuan treasures. ▶️ Tickets Fontainebleau isn’t crowded, so you can buy tickets on-site, but it’s still recommended to book in advance on the official website. We booked tickets for 10:00 AM (and in reality, no one checked even though we were half an hour late). The Paris Museum Pass includes entry to this site. 👉 When we visited, staff mentioned that the Chinese Museum isn’t open to the public by default – you must book or buy a guided tour (only in French) on-site to visit it. We didn’t know this when we entered, and by the time we found out, the tours were already sold out. 👉 You can print free tickets at the self-service ticket machine. The tickets are postcard-sized with photos of Fontainebleau, and there are several designs – definitely worth collecting! ▶️ How to Get There 👉 In the morning, we took the R line train from Gare de Lyon to Fontainebleau-Avon station. The Paris Navigo Weekly Pass covers this ride. Trains run frequently, about every 12-15 minutes, and the journey takes 39 minutes. 👉 Get off at platform 1, head straight to the exit, and outside you’ll see a bus stop in the parking lot with Chinese signs. Wait for bus line 1 bound for Les Lilas – buses run every 20 minutes, and the Navigo Weekly Pass works here too. It takes about 10 minutes to reach the "Château" stop, where you’ll arrive at the side entrance of the château. 👉 For the return trip, reverse the route: take bus line 1 bound for Les Bouleaux. At the train station, enter via platform 2 – there will be signs for Paris Gare de Lyon, so take a train in that direction. ▶️ Highlights 👉 Make sure to rent an audio guide at Fontainebleau – it costs 4€. There are many palaces and rooms, and since the château was expanded multiple times on top of the old structure, the architectural styles and layouts vary a lot. It’s hard to understand just by looking. 👉 After visiting the palace, don’t miss the gardens! They’re huge, and they’re super photogenic on sunny days – there are also lots of small animals wandering around. #ParisTravel #Fontainebleau #FranceTravel #France #Travel #BeautifulSceneryOnTheRoad #OffTheBeatenPath