Le Pecq to the Palace of Fontainebleau: Private day trip

Start your exploration in Napoleon's apartments, walking through his private study with its Empire-style mahogany furniture and maps of his European campaigns, throne room with the original throne where he held audiences with European dignitaries, and the bedroom where he spent his final night in France before exile to Elba in 1814, ending the First Empire. Marvel at the Gallery of Francis I with its intricate Renaissance frescoes by Italian masters Rosso Fiorentino and Francesco Primaticcio, and gilded salamanders representing the king's personal symbol throughout the ornate ceiling decorations that influenced Renaissance art across Europe and established Fontainebleau as a center of artistic innovation. Don't miss the spectacular Ballroom with its coffered ceiling, massive stone fireplace carved with royal emblems, and parquet floors where royal celebrations, diplomatic receptions, and court ballets took place for centuries, witness to the rise and fall of dynasties. Step outside to explore the formal French gardens with their geometric patterns, ornamental ponds, and perfectly manicured parterres, then venture into the vast Forest of Fontainebleau—25,000 hectares of ancient oaks, dramatic sandstone rock formations, and hiking trails beloved by artists from Corot to the Barbizon School who established France's first artist colony here and revolutionized landscape painting. Climb the famous horseshoe staircase where Napoleon bid his emotional farewell to his Imperial Guard in 1814, one of history's most poignant moments captured in countless paintings and historical accounts that mark the end of an era and the transformation of Europe. Overview the palace's opening hours and buy tickets online before your trip: https://www.chateaudefontainebleau.fr/en/plan-your-visit/practical-informations/