Timeline

Key figures

Origin and history

The forest of Fontainebleau, formerly called the forest of Bière, is a 25 000 hectare massif located in Seine-et-Marne, in the heart of Île-de-France. Partly managed as a state forest (17,072 ha), it peaks at 144 metres and houses diverse fauna and flora, with oaks (45%), pine trees (40%) and beech trees (10%). Crossed by major routes such as the A6 motorway and the Paris-Lyon-Marseille line, it attracts 13 million visitors annually for its landscapes, climbing and historical heritage.

The history of the forest dates back 40,000 years, with traces of nomadic populations and more than 2,000 rock shelters engraved between the Paleolithic and modern times. In the Middle Ages, it became a royal forest under the Capetians, used for hunting, wood supply and as a strategic place. François I built the castle there in 1527 and created the charge of Grand Forestier to manage its 13,365 hectares. Under Louis XIV, Colbert launched plantations after a reformation in 1664, while Napoleon I reformed his administration in 1807.

In the 19th century, the forest inspired painters from Barbizon's school, such as Théodore Rousseau and Jean-François Millet, who in 1853 obtained the creation of the first "art reserves" (624 ha) to preserve its landscapes. These reserves, extended to 1,693 ha in 1892, became the first protected areas in the world even before Yellowstone. Claude-François Denecourt and Charles Colinet trace 300 km of marked trails, still used today. The forest has also been a military land since 1875, a legacy of the transfer of the Artillery School after the defeat of 1871.

The forest is home to 2,350 ha of biological reserves, including Tillaia, which has remained unchanged since 1372, and rare species such as Fontainebleau Islander or Wild Cat. Its sandstones, formed 35 million years ago, create popular rock chaos for climbers. Used for its sand and paving stones (from 1330), its economy declined in the 20th century with the closure of the last quarries in 1983. Today, she is a candidate for national park status to reconcile protection and tourism.

Culturally, the forest has marked painting (Corot, Monet, Renoir), literature (George Sand, Musset, Proust) and cinema, with films such as The Wolf Pact (2001). Its 365 km of trails, 2,000 rock shelters and medieval remains (prieuré de Franchard) make it a major historic site. Despite recurrent fires and tourist pressures, it remains a symbol of environmental protection in France.

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