Forêt de Fontainebleau

The forest of Fontainebleau, formerly known as the forest of Bière is now seen as the “green lung” of the region of Paris. Spread over 20,000 hectares of woodland in the department of Seine-et-Marne, it is a privileged place for locals to go for a walk but also for worldwide tourists who come to enjoy its calm but also to admire the remarkable forest which inspired many artists of the nineteenth century such as impressionist painters, writers, photographers and poets. More than 13 million visitors come every year to walk around. The forest of Fontainebleau is one of the most beautiful forests in Europe offering a wide variety of landscapes and walks through its 300 marked nature trails. Fauna and flora, with 5000 plants and 6600 animal species, are numerous and varied in the forest despite the number of visitors. The forest of Fontainebleau is known for its strange rock formations that can be observed in several places. The most famous are: the "roche éponge”, the "Diplodocus dans le massif des Trois Pignons", the "Eléphant de Larchant" but also the "Tortue d’Outremont Ouest". The Denecourt tower built by Napoleon III and the gorges of Franchart offer an outstanding view over the forest of Fontainebleau, the gorges and the remains of an old hermitage.