Forest of Fontainebleau

Île-de-France, Francenature

Just forty minutes south of Paris by RER D train, the Forest of Fontainebleau feels like a different country entirely. Stretching across roughly 25,000 hectares of the Seine-et-Marne plateau, it combines dense oak and pine woodland with open heathland, sandstone gorges, and the quietly extraordinary boulder fields that have made this place a pilgrimage site for climbers from across Europe. Unlike the manicured Bois de Vincennes or the formal geometry of Versailles' gardens, Fontainebleau is genuinely wild in places — the kind of forest that asks something of you. The boulders are the standout feature, scattered across circuits like the Gorges d'Apremont and the Rocher Canon area, worn smooth by centuries of weather and — more recently — the hands and shoes of boulderers who come to work the low-level problems that originally gave birth to modern sport climbing. You don't need to climb to enjoy them, though. Walking among the gnarled, centuries-old oaks along the GR1 long-distance trail or the colour-coded day circuits, you'll spot roe deer at dusk, hear woodpeckers hammering overhead, and occasionally flush a wild boar from the undergrowth. The royal hunting history is tangible in the old sandstone boundary markers and broad allées cut through the trees. Entry to the forest itself is free and open year-round. The gateway town of Fontainebleau has cafés, gear shops, and the château worth half a day of anyone's time. Avoid August weekends when the car parks near popular sectors fill fast. Wear proper shoes — the terrain is uneven — and bring water, as facilities are sparse once you leave the main paths. Autumn is the finest season, when the oaks turn amber and the air is cool enough to walk all day without effort.

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