# Fontainebleau Palace private half-day tour from Paris Source: https://www.privatetrip.fr/day-trips-from-paris/fontainebleau-palace-tour/ Updated: 2026-11-05 The palace where French kings and Napoleon lived, its gardens and carp pond, and the town of Fontainebleau, about an hour from Paris. - **Length** Half day, 9 am to about 3 pm - **Drive** 1 h each way - **Group** 1 to 7 guests - **Winter price** €560 winter price, instead of €700€700 per group ## At a glance Fontainebleau is about 70 km from Paris, roughly 1 hour by road. This private half-day tour runs from 9 am to about 3 pm, with the palace interiors and royal apartments, the gardens and carp pond, lunch, and a walk in the town, with Barbizon or the forest if time allows. It costs €700 for up to 7 guests. - Half day, 9 am to about 3 pm - About 1 h drive each way from Paris - €560 winter price, instead of €700€700 per group of 1–7 (about €80€100 each for 7), 20% off for tours until 28 February 2027 - Pickup and drop-off at your Paris hotel - Best for: Limited time, families, an alternative to Versailles ## About this tour Fontainebleau was lived in by French sovereigns for some seven centuries, from the medieval kings to Napoleon III, and much of its furniture survived the Revolution. Francis I, Henry IV, Louis XIV and Napoleon all left their mark; it is where Napoleon said farewell to his Guard in 1814. Only an hour from Paris, it is a less crowded alternative to Versailles and the perfect half day if your time is short. It is also our home town. ## Itinerary A typical day. As the tour is private, every stop can be changed. 1. 9 am**Pickup in Paris** At your hotel or apartment. 2. 10 am**The palace** The royal apartments, the Renaissance gallery of Francis I, Napoleon’s apartments and the library. 3. 11 am**The gardens** The formal gardens and the carp pond; bring some bread if you want to feed the carp. 4. 12 pm**Lunch** In a local restaurant or sandwiches in the van. 5. 1 pm**The town** A walk in Fontainebleau, with an optional wine tasting, the forest or the painters’ village of Barbizon. 6. 3 pm**Back to Paris** Arrival around 4 to 4:30 pm, depending on traffic. ## What’s included ### Included - Spacious air-conditioned 8-seater van for your group only - Professional English-speaking guide who also drives - Pickup and drop-off at your Paris hotel or apartment - Fuel, tolls and parking - Itinerary planning and changes on the day - Hotel and restaurant suggestions and bookings - Passenger insurance while you are in the vehicle - All taxes, no hidden fees ### Not included - Meals and drinks - Entrance fees to museums, châteaux and monuments - The guide’s lunch (up to €20) - Personal purchases and gratuity (optional) - Your own travel insurance ## Practical information ### Opening days The palace is closed on Tuesdays and some public holidays, so we plan the tour on another day. ### What to wear Comfortable shoes; the palace can be cool inside. ### Drive About 1 hour each way on the A6 motorway. ## This tour in winter 20% off for tours from 1 November 2026 to 28 February 2027: **€560** instead of €700 per group of 1–7. - In winter the palace is open from 9:30 am to 5 pm, with last entry at 4:15 pm. It is closed on Tuesdays, 1 January and 25 December. - The gardens and the park are open every day and free of charge, and the palace is much quieter than in summer. - The half day starts at 9 am and has you back in Paris by mid-afternoon, before dark even in December. [Winter prices, events and opening times for all our tours](https://www.privatetrip.fr/winter-tours-from-paris/) ## Questions about this tour **Is Fontainebleau better than Versailles?** It is smaller, much less crowded and older, with Renaissance interiors that Versailles does not have. Versailles is grander. If you have only half a day and dislike crowds, Fontainebleau is the easier choice. **Is it good for children?** Yes. The gardens, the carp pond and the forest are popular with families. **What is your cancellation policy?** The booking fee is non-refundable. For one-day tours cancelled more than one month ahead, it can be used for a future tour; for multi-day tours, more than three months ahead. If we cancel for safety reasons, such as severe weather, we refund it in full. [Read the full terms](https://www.privatetrip.fr/terms/). **Is the tour really private?** Yes. It is for your group only, from 1 to 7 guests, with pickup at your Paris hotel, and the itinerary can be changed on the day. Page updated 5 November 2026. Prices and times are checked at every update. **Winter offer** For tours from 1 November 2026 to 28 February 2027 €560€700 instead of €700 per group of 1–7 guests about €80€100 per person for 7 Deborah applies it when she confirms your booking. [Offer terms](https://www.privatetrip.fr/winter-tours-from-paris/#terms) - Half day, 9 am to about 3 pm - Pickup at your Paris hotel - Reply within 24 hours [Rated 5.0 from 124 TripAdvisor reviews](https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g187145-d7040140-Reviews-Private_Trip-Fontainebleau_Seine_et_Marne_Ile_de_France.html) ## You may also like ### [Giverny & Rouen: Monet’s gardens and the medieval city](https://www.privatetrip.fr/day-trips-from-paris/giverny-rouen-tour/) Full day, 8 am to about 5 pm · drive 1 h 15 each way Monet’s water lilies at Giverny in the morning, then Rouen, the cathedral he painted more than 30 times and the square where Joan of Arc died in 1431. - Monet’s house & gardens - Giverny village - Rouen cathedral - Joan of Arc’s square - Rouen’s old town ### [Chablis, Irancy & Burgundy crémant](https://www.privatetrip.fr/wine-tours-from-paris/chablis-wine-tour/) Full day, 7 am to about 7 pm · drive 2 h each way Northern Burgundy’s white wines at a family grower and La Chablisienne, red Irancy, and crémant made inside a hillside cave at Bailly. - Premier & grand cru Chablis - La Chablisienne - Irancy pinot noir - Bailly underground crémant cellars - Chablis old town ### [Champagne: Reims, Épernay & small producers](https://www.privatetrip.fr/wine-tours-from-paris/champagne-tour/) Full day, 7 am to about 7 pm · drive 1 h 45 each way A famous house and two independent growers, Reims cathedral, the Avenue de Champagne and Dom Pérignon’s abbey at Hautvillers, with a WSET-certified guide. - Reims cathedral - Taittinger cellars - Two small producers - Avenue de Champagne in Épernay - Hautvillers & Dom Pérignon