# Day trip to Fontainebleau from Paris: the kings' palace and the forest rocks

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.

Fuente: https://www.geocalia.com/en/france/ile-de-france/fontainebleau/itineraries/fontainebleau-palace-and-forest-rocks · Revisado: 2026-11-12

## El día
- 08:45 · Salida: 1 h 15 by car (A6 from Paris · park at the Interparking Napoléon or next to the palace)
- 09:30 · The Palace of Fontainebleau, from Francis I to Napoleon (at opening · €17, free for under-18s · 2 h)
  - 5 min on foot
- 11:45 · The palace gardens and the Carp Pond (Grand Parterre and Carp Pond · free · 45 min)
  - 8 min on foot
- 13:00 · Le Cadran, at the Hôtel Napoléon (Le Cadran · brasserie of the Hôtel Napoléon on the rue Grande · closed Tuesdays) · Le Cadran, at the Hôtel Napoléon, €€
  - 15 min by car, 6,9 km
- 15:00 · The Gorges de Franchard (forest car park · sandstone rocks · 2 h)
- 17:30 · Vuelta (in Paris around 18:45)

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.

## Cómo llegar

### By car
A6 from Paris, about 70 km. Essential for the forest.

### Without a car
Line R train from Gare de Lyon to Fontainebleau-Avon, about 40 minutes, and bus 1 to the palace. It covers the palace, gardens and town, not Franchard.

## Consejos

### Never on a Tuesday
The palace is closed.

### Footwear with soles
The sand at Franchard is loose and the rock abrasive.

### Check the closed sectors
The tourist office publishes the forest map.

## Preguntas frecuentes

### 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.