Le Cadran, at the Hôtel Napoléon
What to order: French brasserie cooking on the terrace of the former coaching courtyard
Closed Tuesdays · lunch from 12:00 to 14:00 on the other days
geocalia
Day itinerary · 48.40° N · 2.70° E
Fontainebleau, palace in the morning and rocks in the afternoon.
The palace of eight centuries of kings, lunch steps from the Cour des Adieux and an afternoon among the sandstone rocks of Franchard. An hour from Paris.
Leaving from
Direct flight to París fromAsturias 1 h 45Barcelona 1 h 45Bilbao 1 h 45Santander 1 h 45Madrid 2 hPalma de Mallorca 2 hSantiago de Compostela 2 hValencia 2 hAlicante 2 h 15Ibiza 2 h 15
Part of Fontainebleau
Add to my trip
Total time9 h
By car1 h 15 each way
From ParisCar 1 h · line R train 40 min
Walking2 h in the forest
DifficultyEasy
Cost€45–70 pp
ClosedTuesdays (palace)
With a dogForest yes; palace gardens no
The plan
The day at a glance
Any part can be swapped for another without spoiling the day.
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Leave Paris 1 h 15 by car
A6 from Paris · park at the Interparking Napoléon or next to the palace
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1
The Palace of Fontainebleau, from Francis I to Napoleon
at opening · €17, free for under-18s · 2 h
- 5 min on foot
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2
The palace gardens and the Carp Pond
Grand Parterre and Carp Pond · free · 45 min
- 8 min on foot
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3
Le Cadran, at the Hôtel Napoléon
Le Cadran · brasserie of the Hôtel Napoléon on the rue Grande · closed Tuesdays
9 rue Grande, 77300 Fontainebleau · +33 1 80 70 97 60
Restaurant €€Book - 15 min by car6,9 km
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4
The Gorges de Franchard
forest car park · sandstone rocks · 2 h
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Back home
in Paris around 18:45
Approximate cost
About €20–35 per person
Adds up the activities and meals in the plan at their published prices; travel and accommodation not included.
The route
The Palace of Fontainebleau, from Francis I to Napoleon
Fontainebleau has what Versailles does not: an enormous forest right beside the palace. This plan devotes the morning to the palace of Francis I and Napoleon, eats on rue Grande and spends the afternoon among the sandstone rocks of the Franchard gorges, the landscape that has made the forest a place of worship for climbing. It is designed by car, which is what lets you reach the forest; without a car, stick to the palace, the gardens and the town.
The day, hour by hour
8:45 · Leave Paris. About 70 km along the A6, an hour without traffic. The Interparking Napoléon, next to the palace, is the most convenient.
9:30 · The palace. At opening. Admission €17, free for under-18s and EU residents aged 18 to 25. Two hours for the Gallery of Francis I, the ballroom, Marie Antoinette's apartments and Napoleon's throne room. Outside, the horseshoe staircase of the Cour des Adieux.
11:45 · The gardens. Free: Le Nôtre's Grand Parterre and the Carp Pond. If you have a dog, it will have to wait in the park: it is not allowed in courtyards or gardens.
13:00 · Lunch at Le Cadran. The brasserie of the Hôtel Napoléon, a former stagecoach relay on rue Grande. Open at lunchtime every day except Tuesday.
15:00 · The Franchard gorges. A quarter of an hour by car to the forest car parks, west of the town. Two hours among rocks, pines and heather, with viewpoints over the valley. Before setting out, check the tourist office's map of open sectors: after the fires, some areas of the forest remain closed.
17:30 · Return. In Paris around 18:45.
Is it for me?
If you like palaces but also walking, yes: it is the day that mixes the two. With children it works very well: the Franchard rocks are a natural playground. If it falls on a spring Saturday, swap Franchard for an introduction to bouldering with an instructor.
Time2 h
Change the route
On a spring Saturday: bouldering introduction with an instructor at 13:00:
Introduction to bouldering in the Forest of Fontainebleau
If you prefer painting to rocks: Barbizon and the painters' museum:
Barbizon and the painters' museum at the Auberge Ganne
If you come on a Tuesday, Gina opens every day:
Gina, at the Hôtel de Cavoye
Where to eat
Where to eat?
Lunch is half the plan: book before you set off.
Gina, at the Hôtel de Cavoye
What to order: the Sunday brunch, from 11:30 to 14:00, for €45
Open every day, lunch and dinner
L'Axel
What to order: the lunch menu, the most affordable way to try Kunihisa Goto's cooking
Wednesday evening to Sunday evening · closed Monday and Tuesday
Map
The stops, in order
With where to park at each one.
What to do
Eat
88 €Stay
Services
Getting there
By car or without one?
When to go
When to go to Fontainebleau
All year except Tuesdays, when the palace is closed. Spring and autumn are ideal for the forest; in summer, the fire risk may close sectors. In winter the palace closes at 17:00.
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Best timeGood timeLow season
Tips
Worth knowing first
- 1Never on a Tuesday
The palace is closed.
- 2Footwear with soles
The sand at Franchard is loose and the rock abrasive.
- 3Check the closed sectors
The tourist office publishes the forest map.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
How much does the trip to Fontainebleau cost?
Palace €17, lunch and petrol or train: between €45 and €70 per person.
Can it be done without a car?
The palace and gardens, yes, by train. The forest, no.
Is it suitable for children?
Yes. Under-18s do not pay for the palace and they love the rocks.
More plans like this
Other days of walking and good food
geocalia.com/en/france/ile-de-france/fontainebleau/itineraries/fontainebleau-palace-and-forest-rocks
Prices, opening hours and times are approximate: check them before you go. Each place has its own page on Geocalia.