Fontainbleau - a walk in the forest and a stylish picnic

Leaving Paris for the little known area of Fontainebleau was surprisingly stress-free. I had researched as much as possible - how to get there by train, which ticket machine to buy tickets from, which station etc etc. Life, and travel in a big city is much more complicated than small country towns, or even walking through villages. But we did it, even managed to buy tickets from the green ticket machine at a metro station near our hotel, travel by metro to a different station for Fontainebleau train, and find the right hall and platform, all without a dry run, or being 2 hours early. Incredible!! Knowing that trains run every half hour was an advantage. Forty-five minute train ride and we were in Fontainbleau-Avon Station.

Waiting in Hall 3 Gare de Lyon for our platform number to be displayed.

About 3 km walk to the village and our hotel, definitely felt good to be walking with our packs again, especially since we left some luggage back in Paris. Travelling light is sooooo much better.

Our hotel is right opposite the Chateau de Fontainebleau. It's a massive complex, about 1500 rooms apparently, and acres of gardens!! We have walked around several of the gardens, found a number of geocaches, but haven't been inside the chateau yet.

Near Fontainebleau there's a large forest area which attracts many hikers, cyclists and rock climbers. So we opted for a morning walk in the forest, following the yellow route of course. But it is not as well signed as the camino, and we wandered around a bit looking for yellow markers. It was relaxing. Saw a family out picking berries, and another group setting up for a picnic, and we found a mobile phone in the dirt and returned to some very relieved hikers.

There are lots of walking trails, but most start quite some distance from town so we were a little restricted. Walked through the village on our way back..... Past an amazing patisserie. Wow. Picnic lunch, but what to choose.

Jill, you would have loved this. Didn't see anything like this in Paris. Maybe we weren't looking hard enough.

Should really have something savoury first, and some delicious fresh French bread. All packaged magnificently. 6 pack of wine in small plastic bottles - all set.

Only one problem.... We were sitting on the grass. Apparently that's a No-no, and we we removed on.

Still time for the chateau.

Lex thought he would love to have these grounds, but it's not really downsizing.

Geocaching

Found

Think there's one in this tree. Too many muggles.

And another here on this monument, but tricky to scramble around the wall and across a pond. Not doing it.

Lovely village.

 

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