Day trip from Paris Fontainebleau
A royal and imperial château with Napoleon's apartments, free gardens and a forest around it, reached by suburban train from Gare de Lyon plus a short bus ride.
Is Fontainebleau worth a day trip from Paris?
Go. An easy day, few queues.
Yes, if you want a palace without the Versailles crowds. The château takes 2.5 to 3 hours with the Napoleon I Museum, the gardens are free, and lunch in town fills the rest. It is a relaxed day, not a packed one, and you can be back in Paris by 17:00. The entry is € 17 and the train is covered by an ordinary € 2.55 ticket, which makes this the cheapest palace day from Paris. The catch: it is closed every Tuesday, and from October to March it shuts at 17:00 with last entry at 16:15.
The decision sheet
- Travel time
- Not verified yetAbout 40 min by train + bus; time not confirmed on an official page · one way · Château de Fontainebleau, practical information
- Transport
- Train + bus
- Self-guided cost
- € 22.10–26.202 Metro-Train-RER tickets (€ 2.55 each) + château ticket (€ 17); the higher figure adds 2 bus tickets (€ 2.05 each) · Château de Fontainebleau, practical information
- Tour price
- From € 84Civitatis catalogue
- Time needed
- 3–5 hDaytripo editorial
- Closed days
- Tuesday; also 1 Jan, 1 May, 25 Dec
- Best time
- Apr-Sep for the gardens and longer hours; any weekday except TuesdayDaytripo editorial
- Verdict
- Worth a full dayDaytripo editorial
What to see and do in Fontainebleau
- 01
Grands Appartements
The state rooms used from François I to Napoleon III, including the Galerie François I with its 16th-century frescoes and the ballroom. About 1.5 hours with the audio guide.
- 02
Napoleon's throne room and museum
The only Napoleonic throne room still furnished as it was, plus a museum of his family's portraits, uniforms and campaign gear. Add 45 minutes to the main circuit.
- 03
Horseshoe staircase
The double staircase in the main courtyard where Napoleon said farewell to his Guard on 20 April 1814 before leaving for Elba. The courtyards need no ticket.
- 04
Gardens and carp pond
The English garden, Le Nôtre's Grand Parterre and the pond with its island pavilion. Entry is free and an hour covers a loop. Boats are hired on the pond in the warm months.
- 05
Fontainebleau forest
A forest of sandstone boulders and sandy trails starting at the edge of town. The blue-marked Denecourt paths give walks of 1 to 3 hours, and climbers come for the bouldering.
How to spend the day
Leave Gare de Lyon around 9:00 on a Line R train towards Montargis, Montereau or Laroche-Migennes and get off at Fontainebleau-Avon. Bus 3401 from the station forecourt goes to the Château stop. Be inside by 10:15, visit until 13:00, eat in town, then walk the gardens and the carp pond until 15:30. Take a train back around 16:15. In winter, enter before 14:00 or you will rush.
Fontainebleau in summer and in winter
Summer
June to AugustFrom June to August the château stays open until 18:00, and the forest gives shade when the town is hot. Add a rowing boat on the carp pond or a horse-drawn carriage ride through the park. Even in August the rooms are rarely crowded. The free first Sunday does not apply in July and August, so expect to pay.
Winter
December to FebruaryFrom October to March the château shuts at 17:00 with last entry at 16:15, and the gardens close around dusk. The rooms are the reason to come, and you may have the throne room to yourself. Entry is free on the first Sunday of the month. Skip the forest after rain: the sandy paths hold up, but the rocks turn slippery.
How crowded it gets
Quiet- Busiest
- Weekends May-Sep and free first Sundays, 11:00-15:00
- Quietest
- Weekdays all year; winter mornings
This is the palace to pick when Versailles is full. Queues at the ticket desk rarely pass 15 minutes. Sunny Sundays fill the gardens with local families and the Line R trains with hikers, so go on a weekday if you can.
How do you get to Fontainebleau from Paris?
Train + bus
- Travel time
- About 40 min + bus
- Frequency
- About every 30 min
- Cost
- € 5.10 return + € 2.05 per bus ride
- Departs from
- Paris Gare de Lyon
Line R trains leave from the main-line platforms of Gare de Lyon, not the RER level. Get off at Fontainebleau-Avon and take bus 3401 towards Les Lilas to the Château stop. A Navigo day pass covers both train and bus.
Organized tour
- Travel time
- 9 hours door to door
- Cost
- From € 84
- Departs from
- Hotel Pullman Paris Centre Bercy, 1 rue de Libourne
Coach to Fontainebleau and then to Vaux-le-Vicomte, with entry and audio guide at both. Take it for the second château, which is awkward to reach by public transport. For Fontainebleau alone the train is cheaper and gives you more time.
Practical: clothes, food and money
What to wear
City shoes are fine for the château and gardens. For the forest, wear trainers with grip and carry water, since there are no taps or cafés on the trails. In winter keep your coat on: the big rooms are cold.
What to eat
The town centre starts at the château gate: rue Grande and the streets off it have bakeries, cafés and brasseries. The local name to look for is fontainebleau, a dessert of whipped fresh cheese and cream sold by cheesemongers. Brie de Melun and Brie de Meaux come from this department.
What you will spend
The château ticket is € 17 and the train € 5.10 return on ordinary tickets. The bus adds € 2.05 a ride unless you walk. Courtyards, gardens, park and forest are all free, which leaves lunch as the main variable. The € 84 tour only pays off if you want Vaux-le-Vicomte too.
How to get the most out of the day
- From Fontainebleau-Avon station you can walk to the château through the park in about 35 minutes if the bus is not due.
- Under-18s and EU residents under 26 get in free, as at other national monuments. Bring ID.
- Take the audio guide here: room labels are short and the history runs across eight centuries of kings and two emperors.
- For the forest without a car, follow the marked trail to the Mont Ussy rocks north of town. Franchard and Apremont need a taxi.
When is Fontainebleau closed?
Tuesday; also 1 Jan, 1 May, 25 Dec. Best time: Apr-Sep for the gardens and longer hours; any weekday except Tuesday.