History and Royal Residence
It is indeed charming. This small town, about 50km from Paris by road, looks like a cute, quiet French Hamlet. Fontainebleau town is on the left bank of the river Seine. Nestled between the laid-back town square and the surrounding thick forest is the famous Fontainebleau Chateau, now a museum after it was declared a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1981. The origin of this cute chateau dates back to the twelfth century when a Royal Hunting lodge was set up for the Kings of France. It was enlarged by Louis IX (known as St. Louis) in the thirteenth century. Later it was entirely rebuilt by some famous French architects in the sixteenth century. From Louis VII through Napoleon III, this palace was used as the residence of French monarchs for over eight centuries. Among the impressive list of people who resided in this palace are King Louis XII, the Russian Czar Peter the Great, King Louis XVI, Queen Marie Antoinette, Napoleon, Pope Pius VII(who was there to crown Napoleon as Emperor and baptize Napoleon’s nephew – the future Napoleon III), Empress Josephine and Empress Marie-Louise(Napoleon’s wives), Napoleon III. During World War II the palace was occupied by the Germans for a short period in 1940.
A Historical moment
One of the most historical moments connected with the castle was the abdication of Napoleon. On 20th April 1814, he bade an emotional farewell to the soldiers of the Old Guards at the Court of Honour (courtyard with a stairway of horseshoe design) before leaving for exile. While in exile at St. Helena, he wrote his memoirs: “---- the true residence of Kings, the house of the centuries. Perhaps it was not a rigorously architectural palace, but it was certainly a place of residence well thought out and perfectly suitable. It was certainly the most comfortable and happily situated palace in Europe”. This is true. Although tiny compared to the mighty palace at Versailles, this chateau had all the ingredients of a modern-day complex.
Key Highlights Inside the Palace
Chapel, ballroom, musicians’ gallery, theatre house, museum, gardens, and ponds. History unfolds as one takes a walkthrough in the chateau. Paintings, murals, frescoes, and sculptures decorate the walls and interiors of the corridors. All handiwork of famous French painters and artists from different eras. Bedrooms for Queens, Napoleon’s Bedroom, which was earlier the King's washroom, Throne Room and Napoleon’s office, which was earlier the King's Bedroom; the elegant dining space with tables, chairs, cutlery, crockery, and other furnishings of Napoleon’s time, Napoleon’s uniform, curtains, etc all intact. During the French Revolution, i.e., the pre-Napoleon era, this chateau escaped any significant damage save the furniture, which was auctioned.
Gardens, Grounds, and Local Dining
After going around the interiors of the chateau, we strolled into the sprawling gardens, lawns, and the pond located behind the castle. Beautiful! Equally well maintained.
Before moving out we went to the Souvenir shop located on the ground floor of the chateau and bought some crockery items replicating the porcelain crockery used on Napoleon’s dining table and Eau de Cologne, which has earned the name of ‘Napoleon’ because of his intense fondness for this perfume. He used to get this from his soldiers stationed at Cologne in Germany.
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