From Paris Château de Fontainebleau Vaux-le-Vicomte Guided Tour

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From Paris Château de Fontainebleau Vaux-le-Vicomte Guided Tour — Photos: the activity supplier, via Viator

From Paris Château de Fontainebleau Vaux-le-Vicomte Guided Tour, photo 2 — Photos: the activity supplier, via Viator

About this activity

Recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Château de Fontainebleau is one of France's largest and best-preserved royal palaces. While Versailles often captures the spotlight, Fontainebleau offers an equally remarkable experience with fewer crowds, allowing you to fully appreciate its grand architecture, lavish interiors, and fascinating royal history. Unlike Versailles, Fontainebleau was continuously inhabited by every French monarch from the 12th to the 19th century, making it a unique witness to nearly 900 years of French history.

Just a short distance away, discover the Château de Vaux-le-Vicomte, a masterpiece of 17th-century French architecture and the inspiration behind the Palace of Versailles. Created by visionary figures including architect Louis Le Vau, painter Charles Le Brun, and garden designer André Le Nôtre, the château showcases exquisite interiors, harmonious design, and magnificent formal gardens that represent the height of French elegance.

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At a glance

Duration: 9 hours
Confirmation: Instant confirmation
Ticket: Mobile or paper ticket accepted
Group: Up to 20 people
People per booking: 1–15
Guide: English, French, Spanish
Operated by: Wandria

Ages: Infants (0–5 years) · Adults (6–99 years)

What is included

Included

Included: Entrance fees: Entrance fee
Included: Public transportation (bus, subway, cable car, etc.): Public transportation
Included: Licensed Professional Guide

Not included

Not included: Lunch
Not included: Breakfast
Not included: Dinner
Not included: Snacks

Itinerary

Chateau de Fontainebleau

15 min

Introduction to Fontainebleau Palace

Your visit begins with an introduction to the fascinating history of the château. Learn how a medieval fortress evolved into a Renaissance masterpiece under King Francis I, who transformed the palace with the help of renowned Italian artists, including Rosso Fiorentino and Primaticcio.

Discover how successive rulers—including Henry IV, Louis XIII, Louis XIV, Louis XVI, Marie Antoinette, Napoleon I, and Napoleon III—each left their mark on the palace, creating one of the richest royal residences in Europe.

Hear the dramatic story of Napoleon Bonaparte's abdication in 1814 and his emotional farewell to the Imperial Guard in the Cour d'Honneur before departing for exile on the Island of Elba.
2
Chateau de Fontainebleau

35 min Admission included
The Royal State Apartments

Explore the magnificent Grands Appartements, where generations of French kings and emperors lived, governed, and entertained.

During the tour, you will discover:
- The Royal Chapels
- The Royal Apartments
- The Pope's Apartment, where Pope Pius VII stayed during his captivity
- The Renaissance Rooms, showcasing masterpieces of the French Renaissance
- Napoleon I's Imperial Apartment
- The elegant 19th-century galleries
Your guide will explain the symbolism, architecture, artwork, and royal traditions that shaped court life through the centuries.
Chateau de Fontainebleau

35 min Admission included

Explore Napoleon I's Fontainebleau Palace

Step into the palace that Napoleon I called the "True Home of Kings." Accompanied by your expert guide, explore the magnificent Imperial Apartments, including the only surviving Napoleonic Throne Room still preserved in its original location. Discover how Napoleon transformed the château into his favorite imperial residence after the French Revolution, welcomed Pope Pius VII before his coronation, and governed the French Empire from these historic rooms.

Hear the dramatic story of Napoleon's final days in power, from his abdication in April 1814 to his emotional Farewell to the Old Guard in the Cour d'Honneur before departing for exile on the Island of Elba. Throughout the visit, your guide will bring the palace to life with fascinating stories about Napoleon's rise, reign, and fall, making Fontainebleau one of the most significant sites of the First French Empire.
4
Chateau de Fontainebleau

35 min Admission included
Napoleon I Museum

Continue your visit to the Napoleon I Museum, home to one of France's finest collections dedicated to the First Empire.

Admire an exceptional collection of:
- Imperial furniture
- Paintings and sculptures
- Ceremonial weapons
- Royal costumes
- Decorative arts and Sèvres porcelain
Through hundreds of remarkable objects, you'll discover Napoleon's rise to power, his coronation, military achievements, and his final days at Fontainebleau before his exile.
5
Chateau de Fontainebleau

30 min Admission included
The Palace Gardens and Park

End your experience with a walk through the beautiful gardens and park surrounding the château.

Covering over 130 hectares, the estate features:
- The Grand Parterre, one of the largest formal French gardens designed by André Le Nôtre
- The elegant Diana Garden
- The picturesque English Garden
- The Grand Canal, created during the reign of Henry IV
- Historic courtyards and panoramic viewpoints perfect for memorable photographs
Your guide will explain how each garden reflects the artistic styles and tastes of different royal periods while highlighting the evolution of landscape design over several centuries.
Chateau de Fontainebleau

one hour Admission not included

Lunch break for 1 hour
Chateau de Vaux-le-Vicomte

2 hours Admission included

Spend two hours for guided tour at Château de Vaux-le-Vicomte.
Melun

20 min

We will head back to Gare de Melun and end the tour here.

Meeting point and pickup

Everyone meets at the meeting point.

Meeting point

The guide will be holding a Wandria flag or board for easy identification. This is famous "Gare de Lyon" station in Paris. The exact coordinates are: 48°50'42.6"N 2°22'23.4"E

End point

This is Gare de Melun train station. From here, the passengers can either take public transportation (train) or private taxi to return to Paris or other destination hotel or home.
The Wandria guide will accompany the tourist's group to the station, help them board the train back to Paris, and then conclude the tour there. The exact coordinates are: 48°24'59.2"N 2°43'34.0"E

Using your ticket

Tickets will be provided on-site on the day of the tour.

Cancellation

Free cancellation

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

If you cancel	You get back
At least one day before	100%
Less than a day before	0%

The operator may cancel if the weather does not allow it; you then get another date or your money back.
The operator may cancel if too few people book; you then get another date or your money back.