Guide for the Few

Paris, Around

The Imperial Theatre at Fontainebleau

Napoleon III's court theatre of 1857 at the Château de Fontainebleau, 400 seats with its original stage machinery and sets, opened only for a 45-minute guided tour.

Château de Fontainebleau, Place Charles de Gaulle, 77300 Fontainebleau, France

The auditorium and its chandelier

Why it is on the list

Fontainebleau was lived in by the French monarchs from the 12th to the 19th century1 and has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1981.2 Hector Lefuel designed its theatre for Napoleon III after the Opera at Versailles and the Queen's theatre at the Petit Trianon; begun in 1854 and finished in 1856, it has 400 seats in a horseshoe of parterre, two balconies and boxes, with the original stage machinery and many of the original sets.2 It was inaugurated in 1857.3 It stood closed after the Second Empire, was restored from 2007 and reopened on 30 April 2014; it is no longer used for performances.2 The château opens it, with the Petits Appartements and the Turkish Boudoir, only on guided tours.1

It is the wrong choice for a visitor who wants only the state rooms: the self-guided route covers the Grands Appartements and the Napoleon I Museum without the theatre. The château asks for about two hours.1 For a court theatre still used for opera and concerts, take the Opéra Royal at Versailles.

How to get it

Book the Imperial Theatre tour with a château ticket through the online ticketing.3 The tour lasts 45 minutes and starts daily at 4.15 pm; it covers the building of the theatre, the imperial box, the decor and the performances given for the court.3 The guided tour costs EUR 7 on top of the entrance ticket, which is EUR 17 at full rate; a ticket with a guided tour gives a reduced entrance price, direct entry in the tour's time slot, and the self-guided route afterwards.4 Guided tours are given in French all year and in English only in summer, until 31 August.5 For a private or themed tour, call the reservations team on +33 1 60 71 50 60.6

The château is closed on Tuesdays, 1 January, 1 May and 25 December; from October to March it opens 9.30 am to 5 pm, from April to September 9.30 am to 6 pm.5 By train, take a main-line service from Paris Gare de Lyon towards Montargis, Montereau or Laroche-Migennes to Fontainebleau-Avon, then bus 3401 towards Les Lilas to the Château stop.5 The château lies 55 kilometres southeast of central Paris.2

Discretion

On the daily tour a lecturer from the château opens rooms closed to the self-guided route.4 A private or themed tour is arranged by telephone with the reservations team.6 Tickets bought online go straight through the main corridor, past the ticket office.4

The stage with a painted set
The stage with a painted set
The imperial box
The imperial box
Sources
  1. A 1,500-room château. chateaudefontainebleau.fr, read 26 October 2026.
  2. Palace of Fontainebleau - Wikipedia. en.wikipedia.org, read 26 October 2026.
  3. Our guided tours, for family and friends. chateaudefontainebleau.fr, read 26 October 2026.
  4. Frequently asked questions. chateaudefontainebleau.fr, read 26 October 2026.
  5. Practical information. chateaudefontainebleau.fr, read 26 October 2026.
  6. Associations and Professionals. chateaudefontainebleau.fr, read 26 October 2026.
  7. Ticketing | Chateau de Fontainebleau | Home. chateaudefontainebleau.tickeasy.com, read 26 October 2026.
  8. Legal Notice. chateaudefontainebleau.fr, read 26 October 2026.

Last checked 7 November 2026, against the venue's own pages. The next check is due by 14 November 2026.