Car Hire in Fontainebleau

Located just fifty miles to the south east of Paris, Fontainebleau is home to one of the largest royal residences in France, a stunning renaissance chateau and popular because it’s much less busy than Versailles, yet equally as stunning. With some of the best restaurants in the area found in the town itself, it’s a very enjoyable place to be at night, with around 200 students at the international business school keeping the town feeling young.

During the day you can explore the surrounding area, including the stunning Foret de Fontainebleau, which was once the favourite hunting forest for royals inFrance, and now a fantastic place to walk through and explore.

Probably the easiest way to get toFontainebleauis to fly intoParis, or to get the Eurostar, and then to hire a car from there before driving the last hour and a bit yourself. Alternatively you can get the train fromParistoFontainebleauwhich only takes 40 minutes and runs twice hourly, and then hire a car in the town itself. The easiest way to get around the town and surrounding area is by car, so hiring one makes sense.

Thing to do when you hire a car in Fontainebleau

Chateau de Fontainebleau

The castle that put the town on the map, this stunning building has nearly 2,000 rooms and has a guest list like no other inFrance. Still a royal residence, the stunning building is widely regarded as being every bit as stunning and beautifully decorated as the huge castle atVersailles. With a range of tapestries, wood panelling, paintings and statues in nearly every single room, you’ll be treated to everything that was popular throughout the renaissance era.

The castle has been built, knocked down and rebuilt for centuries, mostly by Kings looking to build the best status building they could, and tourists can now visit the state apartments with an audio guide, as well as other parts of the castle including the stunning ballroom at certain times of year.

The chateau is famous for being used by the Germans as a headquarters in the Second World War and it’s easy to see why. The allied forces took it back in 1944 and NATO stayed there from 1945 to 1965.

Foret de Fontainebleau

A 20,000 hectare forest, which surrounds the town, it’s impossible to miss. Starting just outside the grounds of the castle, the woods are fantastic for cycling, jogging, walking and even horse riding and there are several companies in the town offering hire and activity days.

Musee Napoleonien d’Art et d’Histoire Militaire

This museum features six rooms of military uniforms and weapons from the Napoleonic years, as well as a museum with belongings of Napoleon. Situated in the small apartments of the castle, which were once the private residence of Napoleon and his empress, Josephine.