Château de Fontainebleau, located about 55 kilometers (34 miles) southeast of Paris, is one of the largest and most impressive of French royal châteaux. It served as a hunting lodge and summer residence for many of the French monarchs, beginning in 1137 with Louis VII, and extending through Francis I, Henry II, Louis-Philippe, Napoleon Bonaparte and Napoleon III. Over the generations the French monarchs gradually transformed it from a hunting lodge into a genuine palace, filled with art and decoration. It became a national museum in 1927 and was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1981 for its unique architecture and historical importance.

The grounds include the château itself, as well as 130 hectares of parks and gardens.