Stay the Night in Fontainebleau

Your first visit to the Château de Fontainebleau sticks with you. How could this magnificent royal residence— home to eight centuries of French monarchs, positively brimming with treasures—lack the tourist crowds?

The Galerie Francois-Ier with its glorious Renaissance frescoes would be reason enough to make the trip. But then there’s the ballroom (walk in and your jaw will drop), the Trinity Chapel, Anne of Austria’s bedroom, just to name a few of the spectacular apartments that await. If you book a guided tour, you can even get a glimpse of Marie Antoinette’s Turkish boudoir.

Did we mention Napoleon? “It is the true home of kings,” he said of Fontainebleau, “the house of ages, most likely the most comfortable, happily situated location in Europe for the sovereign.” The throne room, dripping in gold, carries echoes of Le Petit Caporal, and the horseshoe staircase is where he famously bid adieu to his Vieille Garde before he was sent into exile on Elba. (Learn more at the excellent Napoleon museum onsite.)

Indeed, Paris has one of France’s most splendid palaces right on its doorstep. But that’s not all you’ll find in Fontainebleau. There’s also a vibrant culinary scene, terrific farmers’ market, and easy access to outdoor pursuits in the famous forest that draws hikers and rock climbers from all over the world.

All this to say that even though the town is easily accessed from Paris — trains frequently depart the Gare de Lyon — it’s absolutely worth spending the night there.

The place to stay is the Hotel Napoleon, a historic address that’s showing off a makeover after a three-year renovation that also added a Cinq Mondes spa. The 17th-century building was once a stagecoach stop, which Napoléon used to frequent. His first visit was on October 30, 1785, en route to his first garrison post in Valence.

Nowadays this friendly four-star hotel is just as popular with locals as overnight guests, particularly on the weekends when the bar is packed for the goûter à la française (afternoon tea). Empreintes restaurant draws epicureans keen to try Chef Romain Fabry’s creations (he used to work with Michelin-starred chef Tomy Gousset in Paris, and also at the legendary Fouquet’s).

The decorators brought the forest inside with tree branches creating an atmospheric flourish. So you can tuck into a vol au vent brimming with mushrooms and chestnuts, followed by scallops atop roasted vegetables, while dreaming about your next hike through the Forêt de Fontainebleau.

Sleep off your food coma in one of the 51 guest rooms, designed in a comfortable, contemporary style and laid out around the courtyard garden. The crème de la crème is the terrace suite, which comes with a salon area and an outdoor terrace where you can sip a cup of coffee or glass of wine en plein air. Traveling as a family? There’s a dedicated suite with two bedrooms.

Make sure you book some time at the spa. The 60-minute signature massage, named after Bonaparte, bien sûr, is a hotel highlight. Overnight guests get access to the spa facilities with their reservation — a one-hour time slot is required in order to keep the tranquility of the space. Unwind in the steam room and sauna, then go for a dip in the 15-meter pool. Romance is in the air: The wall above the pool is decorated with lines from Napoleon’s love letters to Josephine.

DETAILS

Hotel Napoleon Fontainebleau
9 rue Grande, 77300 Fontainebleau
Tel: +33 (0)1 80 70 97 60
Rates with breakfast from 200 euros/ night