The Château de Fontainebleau, Napoleon III and Eugenie in a Second Empire tour

The Château de Fontainebleau invites us to delve into the history of the château and more specifically into the Second Empire (1852-1870) on the occasion of the commemoration of the 150th anniversary of the death of Napoleon III.

At that time, Napoleon and Eugenie stayed there and embellished the castle. The couple welcomed hundreds of guests, offering them modern apartments. Nowadays, the castle still preserves many spaces with the arrangements of this period.

As of February 18, 2023, a new itinerary is proposed in the tour circuit to present the 19th century castle with the improvements made during the Second Empire. You will discover, among other things, pieces of furniture delivered for Empress Eugenie as well as a new display in the Gallery of the Fastes.

This tour is enriched by stereoscopic views from the castle's collections, guided tours and installations, including costumes, to allow you to discover this new chapter in the history of "the house of centuries".

As part of the celebration of the 150th anniversary of the death of Napoleon III, the Château de Fontainebleau is offering an exceptional exhibition of 13 reproductions of Second Empire costumes. Thanks to these outfits presented on mannequins, you will be able to discover the feminine and masculine fashions of the period and relive the highlights of life at the court of Fontainebleau.

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This original presentation is an opportunity to discover a selection of emblematic rooms of the Second Empire tour, created especially for the occasion. Daytime, afternoon and summer dresses, ball gowns and even military outfits will be on display, allowing visitors to immerse themselves in the world of fashion at the court of Napoleon III.

Nathalie Harran, Director of the Dame d'Atours, is behind this unique exhibition that brings court life at the Château de Fontainebleau to life. In addition to this exhibition, you will be able to take advantage of numerous complementary visits to discover spaces that are usually closed, such as the smoking room with a new presentation of Rosa Bonheur's works, Napoleon III's study, the Empress's Chinese museum, the salon des Laques, the guest apartment and the majestic Imperial Theater.

Want more? Theatrical tours are on the program as well as thematic guided tours to dive even deeper into the life of the court of Fontainebleau during the Second Empire. It's the vacations and you're coming with your family? why not take advantage of the family guided tour that takes you on a 1.5-hour investigation in search of the thief of the Sacre sword.

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