Fontainebleau, Royal commune in Seine-et-Marne, France.
Fontainebleau is a commune in the Seine-et-Marne department in the Île-de-France region, located about 55 kilometers (34 miles) south of Paris. The town extends over several streets around the royal palace grounds and borders directly on the large state forest.
The commune developed from the 12th century onward around the royal residence and took its present form during the reigns of several French kings. Napoleon Bonaparte signed his abdication here in April 1814 after defeat by the allied forces.
The name of the town comes from the French word for fountain and refers to a spring within the royal estate. Many shops and restaurants in the center carry heraldic signs or royal symbols on their facades.
Two train stations connect the commune with Paris and allow day trips from the capital. Several bus lines run between the town center, the palace, and the entrances to the forest.
The palace grounds include an English garden with artificial lakes and canals that were laid out in the 18th century. Several parts of the forest still carry names from the hunting vocabulary of the French monarchy.
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