Fontainebleau’s je ne sais quoi

In celebration of the Royal Baby Boy’s birth (Congratulations, Kate and Will!), today’s post is about the gorgeous royal castle of Fontainebleau.

After the boat ride on the Seine, we drove over to Fontainebleau to visit the town and castle.  We walked around the grounds, enjoying the views.  This château is stunning, for starters, but it’s the castle’s vast history that amazes me. Eight centuries of French kings enjoyed the estate; if only walls could talk!

As for the estate, I loved the dazzling lake, its fish, and of course, the gardens. They are magnifique. The great Le Nôtre had a hand in designing it, and the majority of the space is still intact today.  Walking around, I felt like I was in two different eras at the same time because what I was seeing wasn’t much different than what people saw a few hundred years ago. Mindblowing.

Also on the grounds that day was a wedding party, as well as a group of monks. I loved the diversity! Do you think Napoleon could have imagined how many different types of people from all over the world would one day visit Fontainebleau?

The town itself is picturesque, with all sorts of charming cafes and shops to enjoy.  A few more of Fontainebleau’s attractions include: INSEAD, one of the world’s best elite business schools, the Fontainebleau schools for music and architecture, and some amazing bouldering locations. I’m hoping to catch a performance of opera The Magic Flute there late September. That would be a dream!

If you are a Navigo pass holder, you can go to Fontainebleau for free this summer! I highly recommend it. Can’t wait to tour the inside of the castle soon.

Congratulations again to the English Royal Family on their baby boy!

xx PatriciaParisienne