Things to do in Château de Fontainebleau

It's incredibly convenient to enter directly using the e-voucher purchased on the platform! There's no need to exchange tickets on-site or schedule an entry time on a website; you just select the date when you make your purchase (which is very helpful for those whose arrival time is unpredictable)! Although I went on a Sunday, it wasn't very crowded. Even though it requires a transfer and a bus ride from Paris, it's very accessible!

It was an English-speaking tour. Although Fontainebleau still doesn't have an audio guide, fortunately, the main information boards all have Chinese translations. Plus, there were far fewer visitors than at Versailles, making the park very peaceful. Vaux-le-Vicomte Castle was arguably the unexpected highlight of this trip. It's incredibly well-maintained by a private family, and the audio guide system offers Chinese, automatically activating at each location. The ticket also included climbing to the top of the castle's bell tower, providing a fantastic 360-degree view of the entire garden—a truly wonderful experience!

I’ve always wanted to visit Fontainebleau, so I’m really glad we were able to make this day trip happen. In my opinion, it’s absolutely worth visiting. The rooms are beautifully maintained and preserved, and the audio guide is exceptionally well designed. I honestly enjoyed Fontainebleau much more than Versailles and would highly recommend it. I didn’t know much about Vaux-le-Vicomte before this trip. Since it’s still privately owned, it isn’t maintained to the same standard as Fontainebleau, but the château itself is still fascinating. The story behind it is incredibly sad and unfortunate, and it’s often considered one of the inspirations for Versailles. One thing I wouldn’t recommend, though, is climbing up to the dome despite the staff’s suggestion. I made it halfway before turning back because the second and third floors felt extremely creepy — they were once used as hospital and surgery rooms during the wars.

On June 9th, I participated in the Van Gogh's House, Monet's Garden, and Versailles Palace day tour. It was a refined small-group experience, and our guide was very professional. At Van Gogh's final resting place, we saw golden wheat fields swaying in the wind. Additionally, travelers didn't have to wait in line to buy tickets, allowing for quick entry. Monet's Garden was incredibly beautiful, with flowers blooming everywhere. The scenery on the Japanese Bridge was picturesque, and the water lilies in the pond seemed to be waiting to bloom beautifully. The explanation of the Palace of Versailles was very thorough, giving us insight into the glorious era of Louis XIV.