Paris/fountainblue/
 

hello everyone--I have 4 days to spend in Paris this July. We are staying in a little hotel near the louvre. I have been to Paris before and have visited some of the major attractions however, would like to see lots more. Any advice would be excellent and very much appreciated. Anyone ever taken the trip to Fountainblue?? How do I get there? And how long should we spend there? Thank you very much.

Fontainbleu

http://gofrance.about.com/library/blpages/blfontain.htm<BR><BR>Sorry! got myself cut off! here is something on Fontainbleu

"Fontainebleau" is even better!

yes, it is! A lot of people don't spell that place correctly. (it can't be translated as fountain blue because the last syllable isn't bleu). I have read the origin of the name came from fontaine-belle-eau for a fountain in the middle of a forest found during a hunt (that was a hunting residence, I believe, there are forests around there). <BR><BR>In any case, yes, I've gone there although a few years ago by now. You take the train to Fontainebleau and then there is a city bus right outside the station that takes you to the chateau with little wait. It was very easy, you can't really miss the bus as most other people will be getting on it, also. I loved Fontainebleau, probably more than Versailles. It is very beautiful and more reasonable in scale. I made it a full day trip, but I like to look at things a lot and not rush myself. Aside from the chateau, there are the gardens and a small Napoleon museum. <BR><BR>SNCF has a special excursion fare to there with reduced admission ticket (the station name is Fontainebleau Avon). Here is the URL for info on that and directions on getting there:<BR>http://idf.sncf.fr/FR/TouSom.htm#font<BR><BR>If that link doesn't work, you can find it from www.sncf.com homepage, I suppose.

Well,now at least we all know how to spell it!

I am very interested in Napoleon history--not only him but his first wife Josephine. I do believe she stayed at fountainbleu...anyone know? Any other great places to see that deal with Napoleon?

except sarah, apparently

yes, Sarah, she did hang out there some and part of the chateau consists of her private apartments.<BR><BR>Other Napoleon sites are Invalides in Paris, of course, where he is entombed, and Malmaison, a home where Josephine lived at times (I think she owned it first, not sure), and Napoleon spent time there, also. That is open to the public and is at Rueil, a stop right on the A1 RER line a little outside Paris. I haven't been there, but I've heard Malmaison wasn't that great to visit.

sorry --didn't know we were so critical in here . FOUNTAINBLEAU!! Happy?? or is it fountinblue..or fountainbleux..funtinbluwwwww. : )

Fontainebleau<BR><BR>It will be easier to research information about it with the correct spelling. It's not just a snobbish frill to spell correctly.

Apart from Fontainebleau and the Malmaison, Napoleon lived also in the castle of Compiegnes, north of Paris, but this one is more known because it has been a residence for his nephew, Napoleon III. You can visit rooms with magnificent furnitures, from the Marie-Antoinette era to Napoleon III era, and a museum of coachs. In particular, there's the imperial coach Napoleon (the first Napoleon , not Napoleon III) used on the day of his sacre. If I remember correctly, however, the opening days/hours are plain weird.