My husband I will be in Paris the end of August. I'm starting to consider a Thursday visit to Fountainebleu. Are there usually a lot of visitors there this time of year? Has this been a worthwhile destination? Thanks.
Posted by
S.F. Bay Area, CA, United States
1878 posts
We were there about five weeks ago and enjoyed it very much. It was midday on a Wednesday and there were very few visitors. The following Sunday Versailles was packed to the point of hampering our enjoyment of it. (No surprise, Rick is right about it always being packed on Sunday.) I would not worry about crowds at Fontainebleau. All the locals will be on vacation out of town, most visitors to Paris will be going to Versailles if they want to see a chateau. Even if there were five times as many people as for our visit in May, you still would be fine.
Posted by
Pensacola
9110 posts
It has more history than Versailles and is much more impressive in appearance.
I have no idea about Thurdsay and have tried to stay out of europe in the summer for the last several years.
It's big and lines move fast. It's also sadly neglected by a lot of American tourists. What sometimes looks like a crowd is really locals who have come to enjoy the park and have no intention of going into the chateau.
Apples and oranges about when I've been to both, but there always seemed to be few tour buses when I've passed by Fontainebleau. If you need to research it, use my spelling instead of yours.
Posted by
OP
Santa Rosa, CA, USA
1446 posts
That settles it - we're going there. Thanks.
Posted by
victoria, Canada
11507 posts
Sharon,, I went last summer ,, late July,, and it was most definately not crowded,, its a nice change to visit some of the places that are not packed with tourists.
Posted by
San Francisco
14980 posts
Sharon,
I saw Fontainebleau just a couple of weeks ago...on 9 June ... it definitely was not crowded. And I saw Americans there. I had not seen Fontainebleau since 2001; right now there is a special exhibit on Napoleon, which is advertised in the Paris Metro. A very good exhibit and invigorating. Yes, it certainly is a worthwhile destination.
On the way back, catch the bus, not where you got off to go to the chateau, but across the street, down in front of this restaurant.
Posted by
Atlanta, Ga, USA
2023 posts
We were there in early October several years ago and it was not crowded at all. You should try to coordinate your visit seeing Fountainbleau with a trip to Vaux le Comte. We enjoyed it more--but at that time the shuttle was not running between the two so we took a taxi--well worth the expense. Both places took the better part of a day as a side trip from Paris.