Fontainebleau Palace is among the longest-existing French royal residences. Located about an hour away from Paris downtown by car (1:30 hours by public transport), the château receives far fewer visitors than Versailles, for example. Therefore, you can admire the stately complex in relative peace. To plan your visit, read Top Travel and Tours' Château de Fontainebleau visitor information and learn:
- Opening hours of the estate
- Admission fees
- Average time for a meaningful visit
- What top attractions and points of interest are
- And more
Château de Fontainebleau General Info (Hours and Tickets)
| Fontainebleau Palace Opening Hours | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Section | Open | Closed | Notes | |||
| Palace | 9:30–17:00 October to March, 9:30–18:00 April to September | Tuesdays, 1 January, 1 May, 25 December | The last entry is 45 minutes before closing time | |||
| Courtyards and Gardens | 9:00–17:00 November to February, 9:00–18:00 March, April, and October, and 9:00–19:00 May to September | / | The last admission is 1 hour before the closure. English and Diana gardens close earlier. | |||
| Park | 24/7 | / | / | |||
| Fontainebleau Royal Complex Ticket Prices | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Section | Full Price | Reduced Price | Free | Notes | ||||
| Palace | €12 on site, €13 online | €10 on site, €11 online | Visitors under 18, EU residents under 26, visitors suffering from disabilities and one person accompanying them | €8 one hour before closure or half price for online bookings for the last hour. The admission is free for everyone during certain events. Museum Night, European Heritage Days, and Art History Festival are some. | ||||
| Gardens and Courtyards | Free | / | ||||||
| Park | Free | / | ||||||
Extra Fontainebleau Palace Information (Times and Top Sites)
The royal estate is a bit away from Paris. Thus, lines to enter the property are typically short to non-existent. Even if you need to queue, it won't be as time-consuming as to enter Versailles, Eiffel Tower, or Louvre Museum, for example.
Now, let's check out other helpful Château de Fontainebleau information.
| Fontainebleau Palace Average Visiting Times | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type of Tour | Palace | Courtyards and Gardens | Notes | |||
| Ultra-quick | 30 to 45 minutes | 30 minutes | Unless you are particularly interested in some rooms, consider would renting a video guide be worthwhile due to the short visiting time. | |||
| Quick | 45 minutes to 1 hour | 30–45 minutes | ||||
| Normal | 1:30–2:30 hours | 1–1:30 hours | / | |||
| Château de Fontainebleau Top Attractions | ||
|---|---|---|
| Section | Highlights | |
| Palace | François I (Renaissance) Gallery, Ballroom, Saint Saturnin Chapel, Diana's Gallery, The Queen's and the Empress's Bedchamber, Throne Room, Council Chamber, Trinity Chapel | |
| Gardens and Courtyards | Main Courtyard with horseshoe staircase, Diana's Fountain (Diana Garden), Carp Lake next to English Garden | |
