Contemporary art tour « Grandeur Nature. 18 artistes au jardin »
In partnership with the Museum of Hunting and Nature, the Château de Fontainebleau offers for the very first time an outdoor contemporary art tour. Come and enjoy a playful journey to the discovery of surrealist works in the heart of an exceptional plant setting.
Don’t hesitate to pick up a game booklet to discover the exhibition with your family!
Jardin Anglais of the Château de Fontainebleau
From May 14 to September 17, 2023
Rates: €4, €16 with the château’s admission ticket | €15 pass (unlimited access to the Jardin Anglais for the duration of the exhibition)
Every day
The castle invites you to discover a selection of works from the Grandeur Nature tour and to explore the natural landscape in which they are exhibited. Come and take an artistic, offbeat and amused look at this unique plant decor.
From 14 May to 17 September
30 July, 16 and 26 August
Duration: 1h30
Let your senses and your inspiration carry you away, unleash your creativity and immerse yourself in a unique artistic experience! Take a new look at the Grandeur Nature tour through a sensitive exploration of the artworks and the Jardin Anglais.
Friday 14 July at 2pm and 4pm
All ages, children from 3 years old accompanied by an adult
Price: 17 €, 29 € with the château entrance ticket | 10 € reduced price | free for children under 4 years old
Come and meet the dancers of the company Les Orpailleurs, who invite you to discover the works of the Grandeur Nature exhibition in a different way. The choreographer Jean-Christophe Bleton, by setting the bodies in motion, extends the artistic gestures of the 18 artists in this exhibition. A sensitive and participative exploration, which will leave young and old amazed.
Company: Les Orpailleurs
Choreographer: Jean-Christophe Bleton
Saturday 15 July at 2.30 pm and 4.30 pm
All audiences, children from 6 years old accompanied by an adult
Duration: 1 hour
This sensitive visit invites you to discover mediation and proposes a real journey towards well-being. Through mediation, connect with the colours and materials present in the works, as well as the sounds and smells they evoke. A unique experience in the peaceful English garden.
Workshop conducted by Isabelle Martinez, lecturer, art historian and mediator specialising in contemporary art
Saturday 17 June at 11am
Saturday 15 July at 11am
For the general public
Price: 17 € , 29 € with the castle entrance ticket | 10 € reduced price | free for children under 4 years old
Napoleon III and Eugenie at Fontainebleau
On the occasion of the 150th anniversary of the death of Napoleon III, the Château de Fontainebleau is honoring the period of the Second Empire (1852-1870). The new “Fontainebleau in stereo” tour and the presentation of thirteen period costumes, included in the château’s admission ticket, as well as guided tours, will give you another look at “the true home of kings, the house of centuries”.
Pictures of the Palace under Napoleon III
Stereoscopic views were vey popular during the Second Empire. These three-dimensional images create an optic effect thanks to two overlapping pictures, taking from a slightly different angle. A new itinerary will be offered in the visitor tour to present the château in the 19th century through reproductions of stereoscopic views from the château’s collection. This tour is also the opportunity to discover many of the improvements made during the Second Empire.
Price : accessible with the château ticket entrance.
Fashion is both a social marker and a witness of the evolution of the society. During the Second Empire, the textile industry was highly developed and lead to real revival of fashion. Thirteen period costumes are installed in the emblematic rooms of the château’s tour circuit, as true witness of the court life under Napoleon III as well as the savoir-faire of the fashion designers of the time.
From 18th February to 18th September
Price: accessible with the castle entrance ticket
Guided tours
Nocturnal tour : “Summer Night at Court”
Become the privileged guests of the French court! Discover the gardens at nightfall, then wander through the castle’s emblematic rooms and secret areas and enjoy the unique atmosphere.
Visit on Thursday and Saturday evenings
From 15 July to 9 September
Duration: 1 hour 45 minutes
Unique guided tours
- “Splendours and backstages”
Discover the areas, from the most private one to the most spectacular one, which made the renown of the grand sojourns in Fontainebleau during the Second Empire.
Duration: 1h45
All public
Price: 19€ with the château’s entrance ticket | 5€ at reduced price
Everyday from 19th February - “Rosa Bonheur and Napoleon’s smoking room”
Admire the new display of Rosa Bonheur’s works at the Château de Fontainebleau, first museum dedicated to the artist. (Re)discover the Napoleon III’s smoking room, an emblematic private area of the court life during the Second Empire.
Duration: 45 minutes
All public
Price : 19€ with the château’s ticket entrance included | 5€ at reduced price
Every last Saturday of the month from 25th February
Family visit: “Castle Investigation”
Following the success of the “Investigation at the Château” tour, the Château has put together a new episode to delight little investigators. Who stole Eugénie’s tiara? Mérimée? Rosa Bonheur? Join the curator on a quest to find the culprit and help the Empress recover her jewels!
This tour, full of twists and turns, will take you into rooms that are usually closed to the public, such as the furniture gallery, the paintings gallery and Napoleon III’s study.
Duration: 1h30
Every weekend except school holidays
Must-see guided tours
- Discover the château, every day except Tuesday
- The Petits Appartements, every day except Tuesday
- The Imperial Theatre, every day except Tuesday
Price: €19 with château entrance ticket | €5 concessions
A dramatised family tour : “D’Artagnan”:
Immerse yourself in the history of Louis XIII, the plots at his Court, and walk through the castle to the sound of the boots of the most famous Musketeer. Join the Cadets of the Guard, follow the courtier and the Musketeer through the rooms, and learn about life at court: the salute in arms, the curtsy, etc… Thwart the plot with d’Artagnan and witness the final duel of the tour, in the middle of the Oval Court.
Company Estocade escrime
Duration: 1 hour
All audiences, children from 6 years old accompanied by an adult
Price: from €14, in addition to the entrance ticket
July: Saturday 8 July, Sunday 9 July and Thursday 13 to Sunday 16 July
August: Thursday 17 to Sunday 20 August, Thursday 24 to Sunday 27 August and Thursday 31 August to Saturday 2 September.
Music at the castle
Festival Django Reinhardt
From 22 to 25 June 2023
Ejoy the next edition of the Django Reinhardt Festival which will take place in the castle park! On the programme: more than 100 artists will cross paths and perform on the two stages during these 4 days and 4 nights.
The castle does not sell tickets for the festival.
For more information, please visit the festival website.
American Art Schools Festival
From 3 to 29 July, 2023
The Festival of American Art Schools returns for another edition! This year, the festival celebrates the 100th anniversary of the Ecole des Beaux-Arts. Architecture and music take center stage in the château and English garden. The July program includes lectures, guided tours and musical walks.
Friends of the Fontainebleau Organ Association
Come and share a musical moment in the Chapel of the Trinity with the Friends of the Fontainebleau Organ Association.
French music of the 17th and 18th centuries.
Sunday, July 2 at 6:15 pm
The Verseaux du Loing
Sunday, August 27 at 6:15 pm
“Concerto ? Certo!”
Baroque Orchestra of Essonne
Sunday September 17 at 11am
Prices : 10€ | 7€ reduced price | free for children under 18 years old
Reservation on site at the entrance of the chapel, in the courtyard of Honor
Discover the château and gardens in a unique way
Every day, the castle offers numerous guided tours, allowing you to discover the secrets and historical anecdotes of this royal palace. Small flats, Empress Eugenie’s museum, imperial theatre… access exceptional spaces that will amaze young and old alike!
Depending on the season and your wishes, discover the gardens through unforgettable experiences. Horse-drawn carriage rides, mini-train rides, canoeing, or a visit to the Jeu de Paume room, choose the activity that suits you best.
You can also take advantage of the restaurant Les Petites Bouches de l’Empereur, the Café des Mariniers and a wide range of takeaway food for both big and small appetites.
