Lately I’ve been itching to get out of Paris for a change of scenery (also because I miss traveling). Romain and I have been spending our Sundays taking little day trips. So far, we’re two for two in 2021. Visiting the Château de Fontainebleau Gardens was the perfect way to spend a sunny winter Sunday.
Getting to the Château de Fontainebleau from Paris
We decided to drive to the Château de Fontainebleau to have the flexibility to add extra excursions and stops if we wanted. There was more traffic than I expected in Paris and getting out of Paris, but once we were out of Paris it was easy.
It took us an hour to drive to the Château de Fontainebleau from Paris. With no traffic at all it would’ve probably been closer to 45 minutes. I’ve heard of cases when it can take up to an hour and a half if there’s a lot of traffic. If you have the option to drive I’d recommend it so you can explore more.
If you simply want to visit the Château de Fontainebleau, you can also easily take a train from Paris. Trains depart from Gare de Lyon. Once you’re in Fontainebleau there’s a bus that will take you to the Château. Taking the train will only take about 40 minutes. If you need any help planning travel logistics don’t hesitate to contact me here!
The town of Fontainebleau near the château is very quaint and charming with plenty of restaurant options. Even on a Sunday during COVID-19 we found a good number of places were open and offering takeaway food.
The Château de Fontainebleau allows picnics in the gardens, so if it’s a pretty day I would definitely consider picking up a sandwich and enjoying it in the garden.
The Château de Fontainebleau Gardens
When I’ve visited the Château in the past I’ve focused most of my time seeing the inside. It’s so fascinating, gorgeous, and massive that really even a day isn’t enough to see it all. I was really happy to go and just see an appreciate the tranquility of the gardens.
One of the best parts about France in the winter is that everything stays green. Normally, visiting a garden in the winter wouldn’t seem like a huge draw because not much is blooming, but both Romain and I were so impressed by the beauty and the scale of the gardens, especially the size of some of the trees.
I particularly enjoyed seeing lots of the huge carp fish in Carp Lake, the smaller and intimate Garden of Diana, and the English Garden. I can’t wait to go back during the spring and summer to see the flowers. I hope you enjoyed visiting the Château de Fontainebleau gardens!