 | Paris and northern France |  |
38. Fontainebleau.
By the Chemin de fer de Lyon in 2 hrs.; six trains daily; fares 6 fr.
10, 4 fr. 95, 3 fr. 35 c.; return-tickets, available for the day of issue, at
reduced rates. The station (Pl., blue 12) is in the Boulevard Mazas, on
the right bank of the Seine, in the vicinity of the Pont d'Austerlitz. Special
omnibuses start from the points mentioned at p. 24 half an hour before
the departure of each train.
Those who desire to visit Fontainebleau should devote an entire day
to the excursion and leave Paris by an early train (views on the left side),
reaching their destination in 2 hrs. One hour will probably suffice for
the inspection of the palace and garden, after which a drive or walk to
the Gorges de Franchard will occupy 2—3 hrs., and a visit to the Fort
de l'Empereur 1 hr. If the stranger purposes dining at Fontainebleau he
will do well on his arrival to order a "dîner à 4 ou 5 fr. par tête" at a
hotel, for the hour at which he intends to return from his walk.
Soon after quitting Paris the train crosses the Marne near its
confluence with the Seine at the station of Charenton (the lunatic
asylum is on an eminence to the left, p. 127). Alfort, on the
opposite bank of the Marne, possesses a Veterinary School. To
the right and left rise the forts of Ivry and Charenton which here
command the course of the Seine.
Villeneuve St. Georges, a place of some importance, with a
suspension-bridge over the Seine, is picturesquely situated on the
slope of a wooded eminence.
The beautiful green dale of the Yères, a small but deep river,
bordered with rows of willows and poplars, is now traversed.
Picturesque country residences, small parks and thriving mills
are passed in rapid succession.
The next stations are Montgeron and Brunoy. The chain of
hills to the left, as well as the plain, are studded with innumerable
dwellings. Brunoy is charmingly situated in the midst of
plantations and is inhabited almost exclusively by wealthy Parisians
and retired men of business.
Before Brunoy is reached the train crosses the Yères, and
beyond the village passes over a viaduct which affords an admirable
prospect.
The valley of the Yères is now quitted, and the district becomes
flatter. Stations Combs-la-Ville, Lieusaint and Cesson.
The Seine is again reached and crossed by a handsome iron
bridge at Melun (Hôtel de France), an ancient town with a population
of 11,000, known to the Romans under the name of
Methalum or Melodunum, and picturesquely situated on an eminence
above the river. The Church of Notre Dame, dating from
the 10th cent, and the modern Gothic Town-hall are fine edifices.
After affording several picturesque glimpses of the valley of
the Seine, the train reaches the forest of Fontainebleau. The
last station is Bois-le-Roi.
The station of Fontainebleau is situated upwards of 1 M.
from the palace. The town (Hôtel de Londres; Aigle Noir; Hôtel
de France; a Café adjoins the Aigle Noir), which owes its origin
principally to the proximity of the palace, and contains 10,500
inhabitants, is a quiet place with broad and clean streets.
The town contains nothing to arrest the attention of the
stranger, except perhaps the Statue of General Damesme, erected
in 1851 in the Place du Palais de Justice. This officer, a native
of Fontainebleau, was killed during the revolution of June, 1848,
when at the head of the guards he was in the act of tearing
down a flag from a barricade near the Pantheon.
The *Palace (accessible daily during the absence of the
emperor), situated on the W. side of the town, is an extensive
pile and possesses five different courts: Cour du Cheval Blanc,
Cour de la Fontaine, Cour Ovale or du Donjon, Cour des Princes
and Cour des Cuisines or de Henri IV.
The spacious entrance court, the Cour du Cheval Blanc, separated
from the street and the Place de Ferrare by an elegant
iron railing, derives its appellation from a statue formerly placed
here. It is sometimes termed the Cour des Adieux from having
been the scene of Napoleon's parting from his old Guard and
grenadiers, April 20th, 1814, after his abdication. Here, too,
March 20th, 1815, on his return from Elba, the emperor reviewed
the same grenadiers previous to marching with them to Paris.
The site of the Palace is said to have been formerly occupied
by a fortified château founded by Louis VII. about the year 1162.
The present edifice was almost entirely constructed and decorated
by a number of French and Italian architects, sculptors and artists
under Francis I. (d. 1547), whose favourite residence it became.
Henry IV. afterwards made considerable additions, and Louis XV.
substituted a new wing for one of the period of Francis I. It
subsequently became a favourite residence of Napoleon I., but
its after the restoration was much neglected. For its rescue
from its dilapidated condition it was indebted to Louis Philippe.
In addition to the historical associations mentioned in the
course of the following description, a few more may now be
in arms Marshal Biron to be arrested on a charge of high
treason and a month later to be beheaded in the Bastille. Here
in 1685 Louis XIV. signed the revocation of the Edict of Nantes, by
which in 1598 Henry IV. had granted toleration to the Protestants.
![illustration](https://iiif.lib.virginia.edu/iiif/uva-lib:111209/full/!1600,1600/0/default.jpg")
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In 1808 the dethroned king Charles IV. of Spain was confined
during 24 days in the palace by order of Napoleon. Here too,
Dec. 16th, 1809, the divorce of Napoleon from Josephine took place.
The palace is usually entered by a door below the Escalier
du Fer-à-cheval, so called from being in the form of a horseshoe,
situated on the E. side of the Cour du Cheval Blanc. This
central "Pavillon des Peintures" is adorned with a bust of Francis I.,
placed there by order of Louis Philippe.
An attendant (fee 1 fr.) here receives the visitor and conducts
him through a long series of apartments, many of them sumptuously
fitted up, but possessing no great artistic merit. A few
only of the more interesting objects need here be enumerated.
The Galerie des Assiettes derives its name from the porcelain
plates with which the wainscoting is decorated.
The Appartements des Reines Mères were once occupied by
Catherine de Medicis (d. 1588, mother of three kings, Francis II.,
Charles IX., Henry III.) and by Anne of Austria (d. 1666), mother
of Louis XIV. The same apartments were assigned to Pope
Pius VII. during his imprisonment from June, 1812, to January,
1814. Under Louis Philippe they were redecorated for the reception
of the Duke and Duchess of Orleans. The pictures are
by Coypel, Mignard, Vien and other French masters; the tapestry
is from the Gobelins manufactory.
The Galerie de François I., 200 ft. long and 20 ft. in width,
contains 14 large frescoes by Rosso and Primaticcio, containing
allegorical and mythological illustrations of the adventures of
Francis I. The walls are decorated with reliefs, caryatides,
trophies and medallions, among which the letter "F" and the
salamander, the emblem of Francis I., are frequently repeated.
In the Salle d'abdication Napoleon signed the document by
which he resigned his imperial dignity, April 6th, 1814. The
table on which this was done is still shown. The adjacent
sleeping apartment is in the same condition as when occupied
by the emperor.
In the Salle du Trône, which is richly decorated and contains
a magnificent chandelier of rock-crystal, the marshals of France
formerly took their oaths of allegiance.
The Galerie de Diane, a long corridor erected under Henry IV.
and restored by Napoleon I. and Louis XVIII., contains a number
of paintings from historical subjects; the ceiling is decorated with
mythological scenes from the lives of Apollo and Diana.
(The Petits Appartements, situated below the Galerie de Diane,
formerly accessible by ticket, are now under repair and closed
to the public. They comprise the room in which Christina of
Sweden, whilst a guest at the French court after her abdication
in 1654, caused her unfortunate secretary and favourite Count
Monaldeschi to be put to death after a pretended trial. Louis XIV.
no farther steps in the matter, and for two years longer Christina
continued to reside at Fontainebleau. A marble slab in the
pavement of the small church of Avon, a village on the E. side
of the park, about 1 M. from the palace, bears the inscription:
"Ici fut inhumé, le 15 octobre 1657, à 6 heures du soir, le corps
de Monaldeschi, mis à mort dans la galerie des Cerfs, à 4 heures
et demie du même jour.")
The Galerie de Henri II., a spacious Salle de Bal, 95 ft. in
length and 32 ft. in breadth, was erected by Francis I. and
magnificently decorated by Henry II. for Diana of Poitiers. Her
emblem, a half-moon, and the initials "H" and "D" frequently
meet the eye. This sumptuous saloon was carefully restored
under Louis Philippe.
The paintings, the subjects of which are exclusively mythological,
were executed by Primaticcio and his pupil Nicolo del
Abbate, and afterwards revived by Alaux. The chimney piece in
white marble, decorated with lilies, is a fine work by Rondelet.
The Chapel of St. Saturnin contains windows filled with stained
glass executed at Sèvres from designs by the Princess Marie of
Orleans (p. 87). Here Pope Pius VII. usually performed mass
during his detention in the palace. The chapel occupies the site
of a more ancient edifice founded by Louis VII. and consecrated
by Thomas à Becket, at that time absent from England on
account of his differences with Henry II.
In the adjoining Galerie des Colonnes, of the same dimensions
as the Galerie de Henri II., the nuptials of the Duke of Orleans
with the Princess of Mecklenburg were solemnized according to
the rites of the Protestant church. The Roman Catholic ceremony
took place in the Chapelle de la Trinité, where in 1725 the
marriage of Louis XV. with Maria Lescinska of Poland was celebrated,
and in 1810 Napoleon III. was baptized.
The Porte Dorée, of the period of Francis I., as the salamander
which is occasionally introduced among the decorations indicates,
a magnificent portal adorned with revived frescoes designed by
Primaticcio, leads to the Cour Ovale or Cour du Donjon, the
most ancient in the palace and remarkable for its Renaissance
decorations. Facing this portal is the Allée de Maintenon.
The Jardin Anglais, behind the palace, merits a visit. The
Parterre was laid out by Le Nôtre in the style of that period.
The Etang, a fine sheet of water, contains a number of remarkably
large carp, which visitors generally amuse themselves by
feeding. The Chasselas de Fontainebleau are grapes of a superior
quality which are here trained on long frames (Treilles du Roi).
A lofty Obelisk at the S.W. extremity of a small plantation
in the rear of the palace and garden, marks the spot where at
a cross path in the forest the "wild huntsman" is said to have
(1610).
The *Forest of Fontainebleau has for centuries been the
favourite chasse of the monarchs of France. It is abundantly
stocked with deer and pheasants, and is remarkable for its strikingly
picturesque scenery. It is 60 M. in circumference and
possesses an area of 50,000 acres. It is intersected by paths in
all directions and affords the most delightful walks and rambles.
Those who are desirous of thoroughly exploring the forest
are recommended to procure the admirable Carte topographique
de la forêt et des environs de Fontainebleau by Denecourt (scale
1:100,000), which may be purchased (2 fr.) in the vestibule of
the Escalier du Fer-à-Cheval (p. 198). Strangers whose time is
limited may also visit the finest points under the guidance of
a conducteur (about 5 fr. per diem), or by carriage (about 12 fr.;
Rue de France 49 and 59). Mules and donkeys may also be
hired. Good walkers, however, furnished with the above mentioned
map, may by the aid of the numerous direction-posts which the
forest contains explore every part of it without difficulty. It
should be observed that the blue marks, which M. Denecourt,
the publisher of the map, has been instrumental in causing to
be placed on trees and rocks, indicate the way to the most
picturesque points; the red marks of the forest administration
point in the direction of the town.
Ordinary visitors seldom have leisure to extend their excursion
beyond the Rochers et Gorges de Franchard, about 3 M. from
the town, the route to which they may, by attending to the
following directions, find without a guide.
From the Barrière de Paris, at the N.W. extremity of the
town, the broad path, which diverges to the left from the high
road to Paris, must be taken; after 35 min. a cross-way (carrefour)
is reached, where the road to the left must be followed,
from which after 5 min. a footpath to the r. diverges, leading
through the forest in 5 min. more to the Restaurant de Franchard,
one of the most frequented spots in the environs of Fontainebleau.
The celebrated Rochers et Gorges de Franchard, a rocky basin
overgrown with trees and bushes, about 3 M. in circuit, commence
about 5 minutes walk to the W., at the Rochers des Ermites and
the "Roche qui pleure", a short distance beyond the ruins of an
ancient monastery (now forester's dwelling). The water which
trickles from this "weeping rock" is popularly believed to be
beneficial in cases of diseases of the eye; its appearance, however,
is not inviting. "L'eau que filtre le rocher qui est proche
votre cellule n'est ni belle à voir ni bonne à boire" wrote the
Abbot of Ste. Geneviève upwards of 800 years ago to the founder
of the monastery above alluded to. The accuracy of this opinion
may be tested on the spot.
Above the Roche qui pleure a good survey of the entire gorge
is obtained: in the distance to the N. the Gorges d'Apremont,
another well known rocky wilderness, are visible. These ravines
all partake of the same character, being strewn with huge blocks
of "grès de Fontainebleau", a species of hard white sandstone
of which a considerable portion of the paving-stones of Paris
are formed.
The visitor may now return to the town by the same route.
An excursion to the Rochers and Gorges d'Apremont and the
neighbouring Bas-Bréau is not less interesting than the above.
This locality affords an admirable field for artists, a whole colony
of whom have established themselves at the village of Barbison
in the vicinity. (The village of Marlotte, on the opposite verge
of the forest, contains a similar community.)
Many of the magnificent forest-trees of the Bas-Bréau are
designated by various names, such as Henri IV., Sully, Reine
Blanche etc. Between the Rochers d'Apremont and the Monts
Girard, another chain of hills, the Dormoir extends, a plain partly
wooded and partly covered with rocks and heath, one of the most
beautiful portions of the forest and a favourite rendezvous of
the Imperial chasse. In the upper part of the Gorges d'Apremont
is situated the Caverne de Brigands, said once to have been the
haunt of bandits. The only inhabitant of this locality at the
present day is an individual who lives in a rustic hut and supports
himself by the sale of beverages, carved walking-sticks,
living reptiles etc.
Among the innumerable other delightful rambles which the
forest affords may be mentioned the Belle Croix with its numerous
miniature lakes (mares), the largest of which is the Mare à Piat;
the Hauteur de la Solle, near which, in the Vallée de la Solle,
races take place in summer; and above all the Gros Fouteau,
with its magnificent forest-trees, at no great distance from the
town, the Rendez-vous des Artistes in the vicinity, and the Gorge
aux Loups and Longs Rochers near the village of Marlotte.
The most beautiful view in the neighbourhood of Fontainebleau
is afforded by the *Fort de l'Empereur, which may be
attained with ease in 25 min. from the railway station. By the
unpretending restaurants of the station the road to the left must
be ascended; after 10 min., where the wood commences, it should
be entered to the left and the broad, sandy path followed, leading
to the eminence on which the "Fort" is situated. This is a belvedere,
constructed in the form of a small fortification, which
commands a most strikingly picturesque panorama, embracing a
great portion of the forest, and to the N. and E. the chain of
hills studded with numerous villages, at the base of which the
Seine flows. The town of Melun is a conspicuous object; Paris
itself may in favourable weather be distinguished in the distance.
![illustration](https://iiif.lib.virginia.edu/iiif/uva-lib:111216/full/!1600,1600/0/default.jpg")
| Paris and northern France | |