Fountainebleau, 2: Chateau And Grounds

Fountainebleau goes back pretty deep into the middle ages (Thomas Becket consecrated the initial Trinitaire chapel; he was passing through on his way to see the Pope), initially as a royal hunting lodge, then a royal chateau on which seemingly every French monarch has left his mark. Eight hundred years of additions, demolitions, renovations, redecorations...seemingly every room with a bit of history. All the furniture was taken and auctioned off during the Revolution, but refurnished by Napoleon III and then the public custodians of the place. Just as every room has its history, or histories, every room's furniture and decor is a bit of a melange...some Renaissance, some Louis XIV, some 19th century. (Didn't see any art nouveau). Anyhow, there's no continuous narrative thread for all this, unless you know a lot more French history than I do. 

You'll see paintings of the School of Fountainebleau in many of
the great museums of Europe; this of the 16th century duchessses
of Villars and Beaufort (and the wet nurse) 

Napoleon graciously invited the pope to attend
his coronation as emperor; then held him hostage
some months at Fountainbleau until he was willing
to sign a concordat; this was his bed chamber

Anne of Austria's bed chamber; Louis XIV's mom

Gallery of Francis I; Francois Premier brought the Renaissance
to France, with works like this, and in bringing Leonardo to France
as well

Some details of wood work, painting, etc., in the
Francis I Gallery; it was, at the time, early 16th,
France's greatest hall

Francis I

Somehow, we missed the the great ballroom, an addition by Henry II;
either it was closed or we missed a turn; anyhow, thanks, Wikipedia,
for a great article on Fountainebleau 

Louis XIII salon

Interior courtyard moving from one wing to another

I have a similar photo from 1979; love the "N"
on the grill work

The Diana Gallery; originally Henry IV, then Napoleon, then 
Louis XVIII--now a library, closed off from the tour

The Empress' Great Salon; formerly Marie Antoinette's...

The Empress' Chamber; from Marie de Medici to Empress Eugenie,
all the queens of France occupied this room

Napoleon's throne at Fountainebleau

Napoleonic council table

Napoleonic bed chamber

The abdication room and table--not a copy--where Napoleon
abdicated in 1814

Looking into the (closed) Trinitaire chapel

Exiting via the gift shop

Now venturing out onto the immense grounds

In the English garden

Until a humongous thunderstorm came along and ended our visit