Hôtel & Spa Napoléon
Why we like it: Former coaching inn turned four-star hotel, with 45 rooms and 10 suites, a Cinq Mondes spa and a brasserie, a few steps from the palace.
Duration1 night
From ParisCar 1 h · train 40 min
Best timeApr · May · Jun · Sep · Oct
Budget€190–320 pp
Getting thereCar, better for the forest
The plan
The plan, hour by hour
Designed to arrive on Saturday morning by car, which is what lets you reach the forest and Barbizon. Avoid having the getaway fall on a Tuesday, when the palace and the Barbizon museum are closed. Before leaving, check the map of open forest sectors.
Saturday
- 19:30The palace
At opening. Two hours for Francis I, Marie Antoinette and Napoleon. €17, free for under-18s.
- 211:45The gardens
Grand Parterre and the Carp Pond, free.
- 313:00Lunch on the rue Grande
Le Cadran, the brasserie of the Hôtel Napoléon, opens at midday every day except Tuesday.
- 415:00The Franchard gorges
Sandstone rocks, pines and viewpoints. If it is a spring Saturday, swap it for the 13:00 bouldering introduction with an instructor.
- 518:00Spa and dinner
Indoor pool at the Napoléon and dinner at L'Axel, Kunihisa Goto's French cooking with a Japanese soul.
Sunday
- 19:30The Tour Denecourt
A two-hour walk to the viewing tower above the forest, north of the town.
- 212:30Barbizon
The painters' village: the Grande Rue and the museum in the Auberge Ganne, open from 10:00 to 12:30 and from 14:00 to 17:30 (18:00 from April to October). Lunch in the village and back to Paris in the afternoon.
In one day there is time for the Fontainebleau palace; in two, you understand why the kings came here: the forest. This getaway splits Saturday between the palace and the Franchard rocks, with a spa in the afternoon, and Sunday between the Tour Denecourt and Barbizon, the village where painters went out to paint in the open air before the Impressionists. From Paris it is an hour on the A6.
Where to sleep?
| Hotel | Best for | For whom |
|---|---|---|
| Hôtel & Spa Napoléon | Spa with indoor pool, next to the palace | Ending a day in the forest in the water |
| Hôtel de Cavoye | Quiet house in the centre, restaurant open daily | Couples, quiet weekends |
How much does it cost?
Between €190 and €320 per person with one night sharing a four-star room, the palace, the museum, petrol and meals. The bouldering introduction adds €42 per adult; dinner at L'Axel is what varies the budget most.
Map
The stops, in order
What to do
Eat
88 €Stay
Services
Plan the trip
Fontainebleau, step by step
Each choice narrows the next: the season shapes how best to travel, and how you travel decides where you stay and where you eat.
When to go
When to go to Fontainebleau
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Best timeGood timeLow season
How you travel
The same break, your way
The plan stays the same. What changes is where you sleep, how you get there and how much you spend.
Fly to Paris and take a train to Fontainebleau
Fontainebleau can be done from Paris without a car: you fly to Orly or Charles de Gaulle, with direct flights from the main Spanish cities, and from Gare de Lyon a train puts you in Fontainebleau-Avon in about 40 minutes. For the forest and Barbizon, though, a car helps.
- Getting thereParis-Orly (ORY): metro line 14…
- Getting aroundOn foot between the palace…
- Where to stayHôtel & Spa Napoléon, on…
- ServicesTourist office on Place de…
Getting there
- Paris-Orly (ORY): metro line 14 direct to Gare de Lyon
- Paris-Charles de Gaulle (CDG): RER B to Châtelet and RER A or D to Gare de Lyon
- Line R train to Fontainebleau-Avon and bus 1 to the palace
Getting around
- On foot between the palace, the gardens and the centre
- Hire car at the airport if you want the forest and Barbizon
- Bouldering and trails: the meeting point is in the forest
Where to stay
- Hôtel & Spa Napoléon, on Rue Grande, next to the palace
- Hôtel de Cavoye, in the centre
Services
- Tourist office on Place de la République
Fontainebleau by train
The palace, gardens and town are done by train and on foot: line R from Gare de Lyon and bus 1 from the station. The forest is another matter: without a car, stick to the palace park and the trails that leave from the town.
100–200 €per person per day, approximate
- Where to stayHôtel & Spa Napoléon, a…
- Getting aroundLine R train, about 40…
- Where to eatLe Cadran and Gina, in…
- ServicesTourist office, with guided forest…
Where to stay
- Hôtel & Spa Napoléon, a few steps from the palace
- Hôtel de Cavoye, in the centre
Getting around
- Line R train, about 40 minutes from Paris
- Bus 1 between Avon station and the palace
Where to eat
- Le Cadran and Gina, in the two hotels
- L'Axel, for a special meal
Services
- Tourist office, with guided forest walks
Fontainebleau by car, with the forest and Barbizon
With a car, Fontainebleau is much more than the palace: the forest, with its sandstone rocks, and Barbizon, the painters' village, are a quarter of an hour away. From Paris it is about 70 km on the A6.
110–210 €per person per day, approximate
- Where to stayHôtel & Spa Napoléon, with…
- Getting aroundA6 from Paris
- Where to eatGina is open every day…
- ServicesCheck the map of closed…
Where to stay
- Hôtel & Spa Napoléon, with contracted parking 100 m away
- Hôtel de Cavoye, in the centre
Getting around
- A6 from Paris
- Forest car parks for Franchard and the Tour Denecourt
Where to eat
- Gina is open every day, including Tuesday
Services
- Check the map of closed forest sectors before setting out
How much does it cost?
People2
Nights1
Where to stay
Where to stay if you're flyingwithout a carif you're driving
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Hôtel de Cavoye
Why we like it: Four-star hotel in a town house in the centre of Fontainebleau, with 27 rooms of 17 to 48 m², a terrace and the Mediterranean restaurant Gina.
Services for this trip
Where to eat
Where to eat in Fontainebleau
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
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
Tips
Worth knowing first
- 1Never on a Tuesday
The palace and the Barbizon museum are closed.
- 2Check the forest sectors
After the fires, some are closed.
- 3Book parking through the hotel
The Napoléon has a rate of €15 a day at the Interparking.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
Is it worth sleeping in Fontainebleau?
Yes, if you want the forest as well as the palace: in a single day there is no time for both at a relaxed pace.
Can it be done by train?
The palace and the town, yes; the forest and Barbizon call for a car.
Which hotel has a pool?
The Hôtel & Spa Napoléon, indoor, in the spa.