Fontainebleau
In the 16th century, a natural fresh water spring located in the English garden gave its name to Fontainebleau. The name means "Spring of beautiful water" according to official chateau history. Before that time, scribes recorded the location as Fons Bleaudi or Fons Bliaudi during the 12th and 13th centuries. A popular legend claims King Louis IX found his hunting dog named Blaud by this same spring after they became separated. Another source suggests the name derives from the medieval compound noun fontaine combined with blitwald, meaning forest of Blit. In the 19th century, workers rebuilt the spring to flow into an octagonal stone basin. This single feature anchors the identity of a commune that now covers the largest land area in the Île-de-France region.
Louis VII endowed the hamlet with a royal hunting lodge and chapel in the middle of the twelfth century. Francis I transformed the country house into a true royal palace between 1494 and 1547. He reconstructed and expanded the château until it became his favorite residence alongside Anne, duchess of Étampes. Every monarch from Francis I to Louis XV made important renovations over three centuries. These changes included demolitions, reconstructions, additions, and embellishments of various descriptions. The result was a character that is heterogeneous yet harmonious nonetheless. From 1528 onwards, the French royal court entertained new ideas known as the Renaissance within these walls. Thirty-four sovereigns spent time at Fontainebleau from Louis VI to Napoleon III.
On the 18th of October 1685, Louis XIV signed the Edict of Fontainebleau there. This royal fiat reversed permission granted to Huguenots in 1598 to worship publicly. A large number of Protestants were forced to convert or enter exile mainly in England. On the 20th of April 1814, Napoleon Bonaparte bid farewell to the Old Guard in the White Horse Courtyard. The occasion was very moving according to contemporary sources. The 1814 Treaty of Fontainebleau stripped Napoleon of his powers but not his title as Emperor. Pope Pius VII remained a prisoner of Napoleon for nineteen months from June 1812 until January 1814. He never left his apartments during that entire period. Manuel Godoy signed the Treaty of Fontainebleau on the 29th of October 1807 with Napoleon to authorize passage through Spanish territories.
More than 13 million people visit the forest each year while 300,000 visit the palace annually. The forest surrounds the town and dozens of nearby villages under protection by France's Office National des Forêts. It is recognized as a French national park managed to conserve wild plants like the rare service tree of Fontainebleau. Populations of birds, mammals, and butterflies thrive within these boundaries. The area is particularly popular among climbers because it is the biggest developed bouldering area in the world. Hikers and horse riders often traverse this former royal hunting park. The forest contains prehistoric rock engravings alongside its modern climbing routes. This ecological significance complements the heavy historical weight of the surrounding commune.
INSEAD business school occupies the European campus at the edge of Fontainebleau near Lycee Francois Couperin. Students live in local accommodations around the area especially in surrounding towns. Each year 36,724 inhabitants form an urban area that serves as a satellite of Paris. The commune was renamed Fontaine-la-Montagne during the French Revolution meaning Fountain by the Mountain. In July and August 1946, the Franco-Vietnamese Conference ended in failure here. The town hosted riding portions of the 1924 Summer Olympics near a golf course. Modern institutions coexist with historic sites while tourism numbers continue to rise steadily. Trains run from Paris to Montereau and Montargis on the Transilien Line R.
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Common questions
What is the origin of the name Fontainebleau?
The name Fontainebleau means Spring of beautiful water and derives from a natural fresh water spring located in the English garden. Scribes recorded the location as Fons Bleaudi or Fons Bliaudi during the 12th and 13th centuries before King Louis IX allegedly found his hunting dog named Blaud by this same spring.
When did Francis I transform Fontainebleau into a royal palace?
Francis I transformed the country house into a true royal palace between 1494 and 1547. He reconstructed and expanded the château until it became his favorite residence alongside Anne, duchess of Étampes.
Who signed the Edict of Fontainebleau on the 18th of October 1685?
Louis XIV signed the Edict of Fontainebleau on the 18th of October 1685 to reverse permission granted to Huguenots in 1598 to worship publicly. A large number of Protestants were forced to convert or enter exile mainly in England following this royal fiat.
Why is the forest surrounding Fontainebleau significant for climbers?
The area is particularly popular among climbers because it is the biggest developed bouldering area in the world. The forest contains prehistoric rock engravings alongside its modern climbing routes while populations of birds, mammals, and butterflies thrive within these boundaries.
What happened at Fontainebleau during the Franco-Vietnamese Conference in July and August 1946?
The Franco-Vietnamese Conference ended in failure here during July and August 1946. The town hosted riding portions of the 1924 Summer Olympics near a golf course before INSEAD business school occupied the European campus at the edge of Fontainebleau.