Splendors of French kings and evocative art

FONTAINEBLEAU, France -- Down past the sprawling southern suburbs of Paris, far from the urban hordes, lie the picturesque towns of Fontainebleau and Barbizon.

The names of those towns, just a little more than an hour from the French capital, may well be remembered from history and art classes.

The palace dominating the town of Fontainebleau is "the house of centuries, the home of kings," as Napoleon boasted.

This mega-palace was the traditional country home of French monarchs and was built in a variety of styles of splendor. In many ways, the Fontainebleau palace reminds of the more-famous Versailles.

The smaller -- but by no means less famous -- town of Barbizon is just down the road. It was the home of the world-famous Barbizon school of 19th-century landscape painters.

One artist popularly associated with the Barbizon school is Jean-Francois Millet, whose masterpiece "The Angelus" shows a farmer and his wife bowing in thankful prayer. It is perhaps one of the most familiar French paintings.

Both towns are indeed worth a visit, even if it takes a while to get there.

The larger and more accessible is Fontainebleau, approximately an hour's train ride from the Gare de Lyon train station in Paris. Get off at Avon-Fontainebleau, and jump on a bus for the 10-minute ride to the chateau, which dominates the town.

Everything at the train station is well marked, and bus drivers are patient with foreigners fumbling for the right change.

It all started with the French monarchs' love of hunting in the lush forests nearby, rich in wildlife.

Expanding palace style

Most historians trace the palace back to King Louis VII, who built an abbey there in the 12th century, forming the nucleus of the present-day palace. However, only a medieval tower of this abbey survived the tumult of French history.

The present chateau dates back to Francis I, who in the 16th century created a palace modeled on Florentine and Roman styles for his hunting outings.

Under the reigns of the following kings, the palace was constantly expanded, producing a fascinating mixture of styles over the next three centuries.

Visitors walk through long, flowing corridors with elaborate inlaid paneled walls, chandeliers, creaking wood floors, and ornate, gilt-covered furniture.

The huge bay windows entice people to stop and gaze outside, imagining the more than eight centuries of French history that played out here.

In the Salle de Bal, a luminous ballroom, you can almost hear the king strutting in to the lively sounds of his Renaissance musicians.

One noteworthy event that took place at the palace of Fontainebleau was Napoleon Bonaparte's resignation as emperor of France on April 20, 1814.

It was in the courtyard of the palace, in front of the famous horseshoe-shaped steps, that he bade farewell to his Old Guard of faithful officers before heading off to exile on the Isle of Elba.

"I go, but you, my friends, will continue to serve France. Her happiness was my only thought," Napoleon told them.

"It will still be the object of my wishes."

It is impossible to cover the whole palace in one day, but the king's apartments with their chandeliers, grand furniture and tapestries, as well as the state apartments with their interesting wall paintings, provide a good introduction. Don't miss the courtyards and fountains.

The town's name will also ring some bells with the rock-climbing crowd, since the surrounding Forest of Fontainebleau offers some of the best rock climbing in the world.

Climbing here started in the early 20th century when Parisian alpinists used the forest's huge boulders as a training ground. Today, it has turned into a sport of its own.

Climbing and culture

Cuvier, les Trois Pignons and Franchard are some of the best areas. Cuvier is the most famous and the most accessible since it lies right on the main road, called the N7, between Fontainebleau and Barbizon.

Access to the forest is more difficult if you don't have a car, so you may want separate your climbing adventure from your cultural outing.

After visiting the palace in Fontainebleau, head to the village of Barbizon, approximately five miles down the road, to get a taste of a 19th-century artists' town.

Getting to Barbizon from Fontainebleau is a bit of a hassle. You can rustle up a cab for an expensive ride ---- up to $20. Or, if you go on Wednesday or Saturday, you can take a moderately priced bus in the afternoon.

Bus trip to Barbizon

The bus currently leaves from the Fontainebleau tourist office at 2:20 p.m. on Wednesday and Saturday afternoon, though you might want to ask your hotel's concierge to check before you go. Less adventurous travelers can always join one of the commercial bus tours that leave from downtown Paris every day.

Home to the Barbizon school of painters, the town is famous for nurturing 19th-century art. The school, with painter Theodore Rousseau at its center, helped to usher in Naturalism in art, and led to the further development of Realism in French landscape painting.

Attractive to painters

Above all, Barbizon attracted painters because of its quiet setting, relatively inexpensive accommodations and beautiful landscape.

Besides Rousseau, the Barbizon school also included Narciso Diaz de la Pena and Charles Daubigny. The renowned painter Jean-Baptiste Camille Corot, though popularly associated with the school, was actually outside its mainstream.

The town is built up along a main road with charming art galleries on either side. The Auberge Ganne is the town's main museum, where the exhibits seemingly bring visitors back to the time when painters strolled on the streets.

Alas, even France's quaintest towns haven't avoided modern problems, including traffic. On busy days, especially the weekends, the main street of Barbizon is clogged with traffic.

So take the time to duck into one of the charming nearby restaurants and have lunch until things clear up. Who knows, you may be rubbing elbows with a current-day painter at the next table.