The Palace of Fontainebleau, France

Were Kristine and I surprised to see Fontainebleau for the first time swathed in scaffolding? Of course we were, having expected it to look like the image below, left, from Wikipedia Commons. Nor was it the only time we encountered ongoing conservation/restoration on our journey in Europe, March-
​April 2022.  We easily found another entrance (below right) and thoroughly enjoyed our tour of the sprawling Château.

Before we went inside on the glorious spring day, we admired the flowering fruit trees and the abundant camellias in the courtyard. Please remember to click on the small pictures for larger versions.  We first toured the Napoleon Museum wing, which rather amused us since the day before we had been at Waterloo where Napoleon met his . . . Waterloo. Below left, the emperor who, even after  the Revolution in 1789, wanted to make his residence the long-standing principal palace of French monarchs, and his first wife, the Empress Joséphine de  Beauharnais

 Above, left and right: The décor of the rooms is a perfect example of the neo-classic style, corresponding to the Regency in Great Britain. Below, left, a lovely salon; right, a room displaying memorials to Napoleon's son, the King of Rome by his second wife, Marie of Austria.

Above, more décor, left. Right, Napoleon's bicorn chapeau and Greatcoat. Below left, the Chapel of the Trinity (La Chapelle de la Trinite), in a part of the Château dating from the 16th century, and below right, the Gallery of Francis I, an inspiration, it is said, for the Hall of Mirrors in the Palace of Versailles.

Above, left, A bust of Francis I (1494-1547), King of France from 1515 to his death, who transformed the medieval palace begun in the 12th century into a Renaissance extravaganza.  Containing more than 1500 rooms, the Château
has been remodeled over and over ever since. It has been a national museum since 1927. Above right, typical décor on a staircase. Below left, the current construction restoring the Horseshoe Staircase, and on the right, Le Cour Ovale. 

Above left, the tippy top  of the main entrance; right, a clever portrayal of some of the famous residents on the wrapping around the construction. Below, when we arrived at our hotel, we found a antique/flea market on the pavement in front. Right, the hotel, Hotel de L'Aigle Noir  (black eagle), a lovely restful abode and a short walk to the Château.
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Again we were amused to see the wallpaper and carpeting in our hotel room, with Napoleon's emblematic bees everywhere. Associated with hard work and industriousness, the bee was seen as a symbol of French capability. Considering our recent visit to Waterloo, we were forced to adjourn to the stylish hotel bar (right) for a celebratory beverage, undoubtedly a product of the losing French.
​    Next, to the Loire Valley.