Fontainebleau Castle and Villages: Our Guide to the Region


This Fontainebleau guide brings together all our favourite addresses in the region, gathered over many years!
We shall be delighted to help throughout your stay, and we do hope it proves a truly memorable experience of this beautiful region we love so dearly. We rather suspect you will be charmed by it too!
We are delighted to share our love of the Gâtinais Regional Park, and our knowledge of the forest and its trails, the neighbouring villages and châteaux, as well as the best addresses in the region. We do hope this Fontainebleau guide helps you plan your stay.

Our Favourite Addresses around the Fontainebleau Forest Region

FONTAINEBLEAU


Website: [www.fontainebleau-tourisme.com](https://www.fontainebleau-tourisme.com)
Visiting Fontainebleau Castle: [www.chateaudefontainebleau.fr](https://www.chateaudefontainebleau.fr)
In the forest: visit the Tour Denencourt: Tour Denencourt – Access Route
The finest panoramic view of Fontainebleau Castle and its gardens is found on a small road behind it, the D137. We take all our friends there, and it truly is beautiful, whether by car or on foot. Take the Avenue des Cascades, turn right, and the view simply appears!
The Google Maps pin is here: https://maps.app.goo.gl

Restaurants

  • L’Axel – The Michelin-starred fine-dining restaurant. Chef Kunihisa Goto is Japanese, yet cooks classic French cuisine – 43 rue de France – laxel-restaurant.com/fr
  • *Fuumi – Chef Goto offers beautifully authentic Japanese cooking. The teppanyaki is excellent. Always full, so book ahead – 39 rue de France – http://restaurant-fuumi.com
  • *L’Air du temps – a modern brasserie with a terrace. – 32 rue de France Tel. 01 60 74 07 48
  • *Bistrot 9 – Charming, friendly, and good cooking – 9, rue de Montebello – Tel.: 01 64 22 87 84
  • *Au Bouchon de Bleau –A good bistro – 32, Rue de France – Tel.: 01 64 22 30 99
  • La table du Parc – http://www.lademeureduparc.fr/restaurant
  • L’Atelier du Goût- traditional French cuisine – 8, Rue des 3 Maillets – https://latelier-du-gout
  • Le Caveau Restaurant and Piano bar – 24 rue de Ferrare – https://lecaveau-club.fr
  • La petite Ardoise – 16 Rue Montebello – Tel.: 01 64 24 08 66

In summer, the Guinguette l’Ephémère at Fontainebleau’s municipal theatre is a much-loved meeting spot!
Pizzeria

  • Antica Trattoria – Our favourite, for the pizzas, but also the atmosphere and the warmth of the team.
  • La Storia Pizza – the best pizza, takeaway only – 40 rue Aristide Briand – Tel: 01 60 96 57 93

Ice Cream

  • *Glassico– 9 Rue des 3 Maillets
  • Gelateria Via Veneto – 15 Rue des 3 Maillet

Bakery

  • Boulangerie Pâtisserie Dardonville – 24 rue de Sablons

Market – A market is held in Fontainebleau (clothing and handmade goods too) on Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays from 8am to 1pm.
Flea Markets – a flea market is held at weekends in front of the Jardin de Diane and beside the Carrousel (near rue de France). Do check the dates.

BOURRON-MARLOTTE

Website: http://bourronmarlotte.fr
This charming village of Bourron-Marlotte was, in the early nineteenth century, a favourite haunt of artists and intellectuals.
Restaurants

  • *La Papote – Fashionable and contemporary, with a charming terrace — perfect for a chic evening out
  • *Le Bistrot du Broc – the perfect traditional and charming “bistrot”, with classic French cooking – lebistrotdubroc.com
  • *Le Café de la Paix – Good food and a friendly spot, often busy, even at lunchtime – 59 Rue du Général de Gaulle – Tel.: : 01 64 78 31 28 – restaurant-cafedelapaix.fr

A small local market is held beside the restaurant “Le Café de la Paix” on Saturdays. Very pleasant, and a good moment to stop for a drink or lunch there.

URY

  • *Pizzeria Dayssiolini & Take away – 10, rue de Fontainebleau Ury – Phone : 07.83.99.58.27 -Très bonnes pizzas, mais aussi antipasti and salades. Du Mercredi au Dimanche (11h45 à 14h30 & 18h45 à 22h30)

MILLY-LA-FÔRET

Website: [www.milly-la-foret.fr](https://www.milly-la-foret.fr)

A beautiful medieval village with a former food hall, where a food market is held every Thursday from 1pm to 6pm. Visit the house of the twentieth-century artist and poet Jean Cocteau, with its lovely gardens, and the Chapelle Sainte-Blaise-des-Simples, painted entirely by the artist himself. – [www.jeancocteau.net](https://www.jeancocteau.net)

Another attraction is the Cyclope by Jean Tinguely and Niki de Saint Phalle (see the official site, click here). Walking through the forest near Milly, you may spot a rather distinctive rock known as the “Roche de L’Éléphant”.

BARBIZON

The painters’ village of the late nineteenth century: Corot, Millet and Rousseau, founders of the Barbizon School, but also the younger Impressionist generation, such as Monet, Bazille and Renoir. Do visit the museum devoted to the Barbizon painters. Later, the village also drew writers such as Georges Sand, Apollinaire, Colette and Zola.
Well worth a visit for its charm, “L’Esquisse Barbizon“, with its small museum / exhibition room and café: 73 Grande Rue, 77630 Barbizon
Restaurants

  • *Le Relais – An excellent restaurant with a fashionable lounge opening onto the courtyard – 2, avenue Charles de Gaulle, Tel.: 01 60 66 40 28 – lerelaisdebarbizon.fr
  • *Le Galois sur le Grill – The restaurant reccommended by the locals. – 64 Grande Rue, 77630 Barbizon Tél. : : 01 64 52 35 04
  • *L’Angélus – A good spot for meat, with a lovely terrace – 31, Grande Rue – Tel.: 01 60 66 40 30
  • L’Atelier La Pléiade – seafood cuisine – 21, Grande Rue – Tel.: 01 60 66 40 25 – hotel-les-pleiades.com
  • L’Ermitage Saint Antoine – 51 rue Grande, 7763O Barbizon – lermitagesaintantoine.com

MORET-SUR-LOING

Website: [www.ville-moret-sur-loing.com](https://www.ville-moret-sur-loing.com)
A medieval village on the river Loing, well worth exploring. The local speciality is sugared sweets, along with an excellent artisan ice-cream maker.

  • The tearoom La Maison des Arts, 15 rue Grande, Moret-sur-Loing 77250.
  • Mille et une glaces – 13 Rue de l’Église, 77250 Moret-Loing-et-Orvanne
  • The crêpes at La Poterne are good too (with a view over the Loing)

TOP LOISIRS – Canoeing and mountain biking from Grez-sur-Loing to Moret-sur-Loing
Tel. : 01 60 74 08 50/ Mobile: 06 14 75 53 69, email: infos@toploisirs.fr

LARCHANT

A place of national pilgrimage in the Middle Ages, built around the tomb of Saint Mathurin, the village belonged to the Chapter of Notre-Dame de Paris from the year 1000 until the Revolution. Its Gothic church — in fact a collegiate church — is among the most remarkable in Seine-et-Marne. Restoration work has been under way for several decades now, thanks to a dedicated association of volunteers.

For keen walkers, a 16km forest route links Recloses to Larchant on foot, following part of the GR13 through beautiful scenery.


Deep in the forest, tucked among the rocks, trees and sand, lies this iconic spot:

  • Auberge de la Dame Jouanné – Chalet Jobert – an authentic restaurant, open since 1945, right in the heart of the forest, with very good food. A terrace in summer and a cosy corner inside for lunch or dinner in winter. Tel: 01 64 28 16 23 – https://www.ladamejouanne.com

  • Au Pélerin Gourmand – the village café-restaurant of Larchant, next to the church – 5 rue des Sablons, Larchant

GREZ-SUR-LOING

A very small and charming village, well known for its artists’ colony in the early twentieth century. Notable residents included the Swedish Impressionist Carl Larsson, the American writer Louisa May Alcott and the Scottish writer Robert Louis Stevenson. It also has a small museum, founded in 1910 by Fernand Sadler.
A lovely spot for a picnic, with a fine view over the banks of the Loing and a thoroughly bucolic atmosphere!

THOMERY

  • Château Rosa Bonheur 12 rue Rosa Bonheur | Village de Thomery-By, 77810, Fontainebleau, France – [www.chateau-rosa-bonheur.fr](https://www.chateau-rosa-bonheur.fr)

ACHÈRES-LA-FORÊT

  • Graine de café – 51 Rue du Closeau, 77760 Achères-la-Forêt – Tel.: 07 78 13 11 86 – A pleasant, easy-going spot, very informal, with games and live music some evenings. Buffet available.

SAMOIS-SUR-SEINE

A charming village on the banks of the Seine. The five-day Django Reinhardt jazz festival, held around the last weekend of June each year, brings together internationally renowned musicians of the highest calibre.

  • Maison Sumac – A fine grocer’s and wine cellar with excellent produce, and a “table to live by” space for lunch or dinner, tapas-style. Very pleasant. (Wednesday & Thursday: 8.30am–7.30pm / Friday & Saturday: 8.30am–11.30pm / Sunday: 9.30am–4.30pm) – 42, Pl. de la République, 77920 Samois-sur-Seine – tel.: 01 64 31 19 99 – [www.instagram.com/maisonsumac](https://www.instagram.com/maisonsumac)
  • Démé Samois-sur-Seine – Italian pizzeria and kitchen, with a charming terrace on the Seine and very good pizzas! 21, quai de la République – Samois-sur-Seine – tel: 01 60 70 42 45 – https://demefontainebleau.com

LA CHAPELLE-LA-REINE

  • BO Ranch Restaurant (closed on Sundays) – A restaurant set within a ranch where you can ride Western-style (“Reining”), with competitions and events, in a most pleasant atmosphere with good food. Perfect with children! – 6 route d’Achères 77760 La Chapelle La Reine – tel.: 07 68 81 73 07 – https://bo-ranch.com/bar-restaurant

NEMOURS

Nemours has a twelfth-century castle – https://www.nemours.fr/chateau-musee/historique, a cycle path along the river Loing, the Musée Mallarmé – devoted to the poet Stéphane Mallarmé – http://www.musee-mallarme.fr and the Île-de-France Museum of Prehistory – http://www.musee-prehistoire-idf.fr

ARBONNE LA FÔRET

CHÂTEAU DE COURANCES (23.6 km)

A private seventeenth-century château with a magnificent garden. The park and the tearoom “La Foulerie” are open only on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays, from 4 April to 1 November (except 4 and 5 July). The château itself is open from 4 April to 28 June and from 5 September to 1 November. Do check their website: http://courances.net/en/jours-horaires-douvertures

CHÂTEAU DE VAUX LE VICOMTE (32.5 km)

An exceptional private seventeenth-century château, with a remarkable history that went on to inspire Versailles itself. It was built by the architect Louis Le Vau, the painter and interior designer Charles Le Brun, and the garden designer André Le Nôtre. https://vaux-le-vicomte.com

ACTIVITIES IN FONTAINEBLEAU AND THE SURROUNDING VILLAGES

Walking

There are a great many trails through the Fontainebleau forest, as well as the well-known GR (long-distance footpaths). You can download the free IGN app:
Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps
iOS: https://apps.apple.com/fr/app
Or the official IGN forest map — number 2417OT — we are happy to lend you one!
https://ignrando.fr/boutique/foret-de-fontainebleau-gps.html or a hardier version:
https://ignrando.fr/boutique/carte-ign-top25-resistante-foret-de-fontainebleau.html
or their walking guide: https://ignrando.fr/boutique/guides
Do also take a look at this site for further information and guides: https://www.visorando.com/randonnee-fontainebleau.html

Places

  • Gorges de Franchard – Gorges de Franchard is the spot for climbers. For walking, you may choose from a range of trails to suit your level (GR – Grande Randonnée)
  • Larchant – This village once marked a stop, in centuries past, on the pilgrimage route to Compostela for travellers from northern Europe. It boasts a strikingly impressive Gothic basilica, Saint-Mathurin de Larchant. It is also known for one of the finest spots for walking or climbing: the “Rochers de la Dame Jouanne”. For beginners: “L’Éléphant”
  • Gorges d’Apremont
  • Forêt des 3 Pignons – Cul du Chien – closed
  • Diplodocus

*Restaurant – L’Auberge de la dame Jouanne – Le Chalet Jobert – – Set deep within the forest, this rustic restaurant is utterly charming, with good food and, in summer, a delightful terrace too. – [www.ladamejouanne.fr](https://www.ladamejouanne.fr)

Cycling

  • Fontainebleau Bike Hire: delivered to Recloses – +33 (0)6 22 24 43 53 – fontainebleaubikerental.com
  • A la Petite Reine Fontainebleau – trekking bikes only – 14 rue de la Paroisse -+33 (0)1 60 74 57 57 alapetitereine.com
  • Les Cyclos du Loing – Moret-sur-Loing – lescyclosduloing.fr
  • Tous en Trott – electric trekking bikes only – Mobile: +33 (0)6 56 84 34 08
  • Barbizon Cycles Lekeuss. – Tel.: +33 (0)160 68 12 57
  • Top Loisirs – Tel.: +33 (0)1 60 74 08 50 / mobile +33 (0)6 14 75 53 69

A useful site listing all the cycle trails through the forest: http://www.utagawavtt.com/randonnee-vtt-gps

Horse Riding

Bouldering and Climbing

Note: we have the map of the forest trails, and the specific guidebook to the sites and boulders
The GR 11 (Grand Tour de Paris), a national long-distance trail across the Île-de-France, passes through the village of Recloses.
Points of interest:

  • Just across the village, there is a very fine set of boulders called Recloses – Chemin des crêtes (look up “secteur” Fontainebleau Sud on bleau.info), starting at grade 3;
  • Very close by is Dame Jouanne, quite possibly the most famous spot, with routes for everyone, ranging from grade 1 right up to 8. Nearby, you’ll also find the L’Éléphant spot, just as varied (starting from 2-); both belong to the Larchant “secteur” on bleau.info
  • Other well-known sites:

– The Trois Pignons (Ouest) “secteur” and the versatile site of Roche aux Sabots are closed following the Fontainebleau forest fire. The alternatives are therefore:
– Franchard Isatis: one of the most popular and extensive sites, offering an immense variety of boulders and technical circuits at every level, set within a magnificent forest landscape.
– Bas Cuvier & Cuvier Rempart: the historic heart of bouldering at Bleau, famous for iconic routes such as La Marie Rose (6A) and its demanding, history-laden sandstone boulders.
– Gorges d’Apremont: located near Barbizon, this site offers numerous circuits nestled among spectacular rock formations and steep-sided valleys, suited to a wide range of levels.
Do take a look at this interactive map: https://climbingaway.fr/fr/voyager/topos-guides-escalade/escalade-a-fontainebleau-les-plus-beaux-sites
Shops

Bouldering Sessions

Information on the sites — see: https://bleau.info/a.propos
Books on bouldering: Fun Bloc: Fontainebleau Bloc-Bouldering, by David Atchison-Jones
[www.amazon.fr/Bloc-Fontainebleau-Bloc-Bouldering](https://www.amazon.fr/Bloc-Fontainebleau-Bloc-Bouldering)

Balloon Flights – Hot Air Ballooning

– France Montgolfières – [www.franceballons.com](https://www.franceballons.com) Tel. 03 80 97 38 61

Golf

Fontainebleau Tourism Golf Pass – [www.fontainebleau-tourisme.com](https://www.fontainebleau-tourisme.com) – +33 (0)1 60 74 99 95

Motocross & Paintball

Adventure Park “Larchant Moto” – https://www.larchantmotos77.net/
Parks for Children

Swimming Pools

Sled Dogs

Évasion Canine – Specialists in outdoor activities with sled dogs – [www.evasion-canine.fr](https://www.evasion-canine.fr) – Tel. 06 32 68 82 26
If you have any address recommendations to add to our Fontainebleau guide, do let us know!