- 1927: creation of the National Museum
- 1981: inscription on the UNESCO World Heritage List
- 2009: creation of the Public Administrative Establishment
- 2013: adoption of the scientific and cultural project
- 2015: launch of the masterplan
The château de Fontainebleau is one of the most important historic palaces in France and the only example of a royal residence that was continually inhabited by monarchs for eight centuries, from the medieval period to the Second Empire. At Fontainebleau, like nowhere else, there are layers of history where each era has left its imprint. The château de Fontainebleau, that become a national museum in 1927, was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1981 and classified in its entirety as a historic monument in 2009. Today it covers an area of 130 hectares while the château itself has a total floor area of 63,500 m², spread over eleven levels. It has numerous and extensive outbuildings (Quartier Henri IV, Quartier des Héronnières, Quartier de la République, Vieux Gouvernement) which housed the services which kept the Court running smoothly. It also has world class gardens, renowned for their rare species and variety of pools, fountains and water features, still largely undiscovered by the public. It was at Fontainebleau that the first Grand Canal in France was created (1606-1609) and the largest Parterre in Europe (1660-1664). The château and its park are surrounded by Fontainebleau Forest.
Key figures
- 63,500m² surface area spread over 11 levels
- 1,536 rooms
- 25,000m² of roofing
- 2,600 linear metres of façades
- 1,785 examples of woodworking
- 5 main courtyards (Cour d’Honneur, Cour des Mathurins, Cour de la Fontaine, Cour des Princes and Cour Ovale), covering a total surface area of 28,000m²
- Numerous outbuildings (Quartier Henri IV, Quartier des Héronnières, Quartier de la République, Vieux Gouvernement) covering a total surface area of approximately 25,000m²
- Exceptional collections containing more than 40,000 works
- Gardens and a park (130 hectares) containing the largest Parterre in Europe, the first of its kind, more than 5,000 trees in rows, a dozen or so pools and fountains, a pond and a grand canal
- The Fontainebleau estate is classified in its entirety as a Historic Monument
- It has been inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List since 1981
- Fontainebleau is the fourth most visited palace in France, after Versailles, Chambord and Chenonceau
- 1,500,000 visitors in 2022, up 74% compared to 2021
- Public Administrative Establishment since July 2009
Fontainebleau, an evolving palace
The development potential at the château de Fontainebleau was deemed sufficiently important for aPublic Administrative Establishment to be created in 2009. Its two principal missions are to:
- preserve and promote this exceptional heritage to pass it on to future generations;
- make it accessible, right now, to as many people as possible.
Since its creation, the Château de Fontainebleau public institution has launched a consultation to set out a conservation, promotion and development plan with a view to making the estate (château, outbuildings, park and gardens) more accessible to a wider audience.
To determine the development potential of the château de Fontainebleau, the Establishment has two guidance documents approved by the Ministry of Culture:a scientific and cultural project and a renovation masterplan that were supplemented with a positioning study.
The scientific and cultural project
Approved in June 2013, the scientific and cultural project of the château de Fontainebleau sets out the broad guidelines to be followed to preserve the château and its collections and to promote them among the public.
Its recommendations include:
- redesign visitor reception areas at the château;
- schedule two exhibitions per year, based on the collections at the château;
- set up two visitor itineraries;
- relocate the Napoleon I Museum.
The château de Fontainebleau masterplan
In 2015, the Ministry of Culture and Communication gave the château a renovation masterplan, a multiannual investment programme which is aimed at:
- keeping people and property safe within the regulatory framework for institutions open to the public, while guaranteeing respect for and the integrity of the monument itself;
- undertaking the conservation, restoration and restructuring works needed for the years ahead;
- improving the reception areas and services available to the public.
An ambitious objective
As a result of the masterplan, the château de Fontainebleau hopes to achieve the objective of 700,000 visitors, compared to 350,000 in 2009 and 540,000 in 2019.
Board of Directors
Composition of the Board of Directors as of 14 June 2022
Chairman of the Board of Directors
- Marie-Christine Labourdette, President of the Château de Fontainebleau Public Establishment
State Representatives
- Luc Allaire, Secretary General of the Ministry of Culture
- Jean-François Hebert, Director General for Heritage, Ministry of Culture
- Christelle Creff, Head of National Museums Department, Ministry of Culture
- Mélanie Joder, Budget Director, Ministry of Economy and Finance
- Lionel Beffre, Prefect of Seine-et-Marne
Experts
- Jean-Charles Herrenschmidt, business leader and President of the Seine-et-Marne Chamber of Commerce and Industry
- Natacha Rafalski, President of Disneyland Paris
- Guillaume de Seynes, Deputy Managing Director of the Hermès Group
Members of the Body of General Curators and Heritage Curators
Permanent members:
- Vincent Cochet, chief curator at the Château de Fontainebleau
- Marie-Anne Sire, General Curator of Heritage, General Inspector of Historic Monuments
Substitute members:
- Jean Vittet, Chief Curator at the Château de Fontainebleau
- Caroline Piel, inspector of Historical Monuments, French Museums Department
Staff representatives
Permanent members:
- Alexandre Bouclon
- Dominique Perrin
Substitute members:
- Nicole Martin
- Richard Sabatin
Mayor of Fontainebleau
- Julien Gondard
President of the Seine-et-Marne Departmental Council
- Jean-François Parigi
Members in an advisory capacity
- Anne Mény-Horn, Managing Director of the Château de Fontainebleau Public Establishment
- N., General Heritage Curator, Director of Heritage and Collections at the château de Fontainebleau
- Christian de la Rochebrochard, Head of the Department of Budgetary Control at the Ministry of Culture
- Laurent Roturier, Regional Director of Cultural Affairs of Ile-de-France
- Martine Lavalette, Public Establishment accountant
Scientific Council
Composition of the Scientific Council as of 14 June 2022
The Director of Heritage and Collections
- N, General Heritage Curator
The Museum and Estate Curators
- Oriane Beaufils, Heritage Curator
- Christophe Beyeler, Chief Heritage Curator
- Vincent Cochet, Chief Heritage Curator
- Anaïs Dorey, Heritage Curator
- Jean Vittet, Chief Heritage Curator
The Head of the General Inspectorate of Heritage or his or her representative
- Simon Piechaud, General Heritage Curator, Heritage Inspector, representing the Head of the Inspectorate of Heritage
Heads of cultural action and documentation departments for the Establishment
- Damien Heurtebise, Director of Visitor Services
- Patricia Kalensky, Head of the scientific resources department
Three experts
- Anne Dion-Tenenbaum, General Curator in the Department of Decorative Arts at the Louvre Museum
- Isabelle Pallot-Frossard, General Curator, Director of C2RMF
- Luisa Capodieci, Lecturer at the University of Paris I – Sorbonne
