Seine-et-marne : homes of princes, kings and emperors

Royal towns, holiday towns, towns like fontainebleau drawn between palace and forest, accomodates the greatest for centuries

Fontainebleau  From the royal charter of 1137 to the fall of the Second Empire in 1870, the Palace of Fontainebleau saw the lives of the greatest French sovereigns from day to day : François Ier, Henri IV, Louis XIII, Louis XV, Louis XVI, Napoléon Ier, Napoléon Bonaparte, Louis-Philippe, Napoléon III.

Vaux-le-vicomte  This château is the masterpiece of three highly talented artists, brought together by the genius of their patron, Nicolas Fouquet. Louis Le Vau was the architect, Charles Le Brun was the interior decorator and André Le Nôtre was the landscape gardener. In the main rooms, the decorations by Charles Le Brun may be seen, together with remarkable furniture which was brought back by the Sommier family. The destinies of Nicolas Fouquet and the subsequent owners of the chateau are described during the tour. Those who enjoy panoramic views should not miss the visit to the dome, from which all the formal French gardens can be seen.

Ferrieres  The fashionable hunts of the Ferrières estate, the château’s comfort and luxury, and the wealth of the Rothschild collections, dazzled high society for a century. The building is a second Empire interpretation of Italian Renaissance architecture, with balusters and colonnades running across the facade, which opens onto the superb English gardens. A beautiful double ceremonial staircase leads to the central hall which takes up two floors and has overhead light from a central skylight. The hall leads to salons, one of which is an extraordinary Louis XVI salon with a ceiling after Boucher and rosy white woodwork, a tribute to Eugène Lami’s talent. The view from the terrace includes the lake and most of the park.

Champs-sur-marne  Built by the transient fortune of two financiers at the end of Louis XIV’s reign, this château is a model of eighteenth-century architecture and decoration. The most famous occupier was the Marquise de Pompadour, who rented the château for three years in 1757, spending a considerable amount on it. The architect Jean Baptiste Bullet endeavoured to improve domestic layout by building rooms that no longer communicated with each other, an innovation. The Chinese salon has panels painted by Huet that illustrate the oriental tastes of the eighteenth century. Visitors will see a delightful portrait of the Marquise dressed as a gardener on their tour. The Music room on the upper floor offers a beautiful view over the central prospect of the gardens.

Blandy-les-tours  The first baronial residence was built in the thirteenth century, in the form of a simple manor with an irregular surrounding wall. Later that century, considerable fortification work was done, particularly the three towers which were added to the fortified entrance tower. A large residential building was built inside these fortifications.

Donnemarie-dontilly  The parish of Donnemarie-Dontilly is one of the best preserved in the Ile de France region. The church of Notre Dame dates from the thirteenth century. The cloister from the church to the chapel dates from the fifteenth century. In the centre, the former churchyard has been turned into a medieval garden with the theme “life and death”. The oak and chestnut balustrade, a replica from a miniature of the period, forms the boundary of the “closed garden” where angelica and lilies grow. The plants, which were commonly used in the Middle Ages, bring back forgotten scents.

Jouarre  The locality first began to grow in the seventh century, with the foundation of the Abbey of Notre Dame by Adon, and its developing influence. Today, the Abbey houses religious treasures. The crypt of Saint Paul dates from the Merovingian period (seventh century)and counts among the most ancient buildings in Europe. Inside, the three naves house the sarcophagi of the Abbey’s founders, decorated with bas reliefs typical of seventh century sculpture. Also in the crypt there are marble pillars that show Roman influence.