Palace Of Fontainebleau

By moofd

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Fontainebleau

Gardens

Saw Versailles? Want to see a chateau equally entrenched in history, equally as well restored, but with half the number of tourists? Visit Fontainebleau. Oh it's also a UNESCO world heritage site, for those keeping track.

The Palace is where Napoleon Bonaparte held Pope Pius VII prisoner, and it's also where Napoleon abdicated to go into exile at Elba. Prior to all this, he transformed it into his own Versailles, and the grandeur of the decorations and furnishings remain. Currently the French government is pumping money into further restoring the giant palace.

You take your own tour of the palace, including the Pope's prison/apartments, Napoleon's private chambers, and the throne room.

Like Versailles, Fontainebleau has acres of manicured gardens, lakes, and swans. The city of Fontainebleau, which comes right up to the gardens, also contains the INSEAD business school. Thus, there's no shortage of shopping and food catering to tourists and locals.


Fontainebleau the city is located about 30 miles south of Paris. You can get there by taking a train from the Gare de Lyon in Paris to Fontainebleau. Next, take a public bus up to the Palace. Remember where you get off the bus/bus # so you can get back to the station.




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