The history of the castle begins in the beginning of the 12th Century with the building of a lodge meant for resting during royal hunting expeditions. It is only during the 16th Century, when Francois I planned to create a luxurious palace by employing famous Italian artists. During the Renaissance at the height of French architecture, the palace was completely transformed. Many paintings once commissioned for the chateau can now be found at the Louvre, such as Benvenuto Cellini's Nymph of Fontainebleau. Following the revolution, Napoleon had found the palace looted and thus empty. He took on the mission to refurnish the residence and turned it into one of his favourite places.
While visiting the castle, you can also take a look at the Napoleon Museum, full of the famous ruler’s everyday objects that bring his story to life. During the 20th Century, the palace remained a favourite leisure getaway also for the Parisian bourgeoisie not to mention the artist clique, which preferred to stay in the villages and paint away the nature surrounding them. Thus, you may also want to have a walk through some of the small villages around to get a glimpse of what inspired these artists.