Forest of Fontainebleau, Protected national forest in Seine-et-Marne, France
The forest covers 25,000 acres of mixed deciduous woodland with sandstone formations, pine groves, and an extensive network of marked trails throughout the terrain.
French monarchs designated this area as a royal hunting ground in the 12th century, leading to the establishment of formal forest management under François I.
The forest landscapes influenced the development of French art during the 19th century, when the Barbizon School painters created works among its trees.
Located 60 kilometers southeast of Paris, the forest offers numerous access points, designated parking areas, and clear signage for various outdoor activities.
The area became the first designated nature reserve worldwide in 1861, following Claude-François Denecourt's development of walking paths throughout the forest.
Location: Seine-et-Marne
Address: Forest of Fontainebleau, France
GPS coordinates: 48.40196,2.66272
Latest update: June 23, 2025 09:36
France features a notable variety of protected natural areas, showcasing the country’s geological and ecological richness. From Lake Allos in the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence to the underground rivers of Padirac in Dordogne, from the mountain ranges of Savoy to the limestone formations of the Ardèche gorges, each region displays landscapes shaped over millennia of natural evolution. This collection gathers sites where nature is expressed freely: primary forests, karst systems, high-altitude lakes, moving dunes of the Atlantic coast, and rock formations carved by erosion. These areas provide diverse ecosystems, home to species adapted to different environments, from Alpine flora and fauna to dune communities and underground cave biodiversity. Each natural site in this selection serves as an open-air laboratory where geological processes, ecosystem dynamics, and living adaptation to local conditions can be observed. These sites invite discovery of authentic landscapes, removed from human impact, where geological time is evident in every rock formation and glacier valley.
Marie-Antoinette obelisk
2.3 km
Hôtel de Pompadour
2.3 km
Hôtel de Ferrare
2.5 km
Chapelle de l'ermitage de Franchard
2.4 km
Golf de Fontainebleau
1.5 km
Pierrotet House
2.1 km
France and England Hotel
2.5 km
Londres Hotel
2.5 km
Britannique Mansion
2.3 km
War memorial of Fontainebleau
2.6 km
Hôtel de Beauharnais
2.3 km
Hôtel du Tambour
2.5 km
Launoy Hotel
2.5 km
Hôtel de la Surintendance des Bâtiments
2.5 km
Marteau House
2.5 km
Hôtel de la Galère
2.5 km
Hôtel d'Orléans
2.3 km
Vieux Logis
2.3 km
Immeuble, 3 rue Royale
2.5 km
Immeuble, 5 rue Royale
2.5 km
Aligre Hotel
2.4 km
Place du Général-de-Gaulle
2.5 km
Parjure Cave
1 km
Monument to Decamps
2.5 km
Halles à fourrage de Magenta
2.3 km
Sylvain Colinet's villa
2.5 km
Lilas Garden Square
2.1 km
Lilas Residence
2 kmReviews
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