15th September
This part of the Seine is rather lovely. There are some enormous, stunning houses next to the river – we’re still within easy commuting distance of Paris and there are clearly some very wealthy people around here! The architecture is very varied – we’ve seen a few typical 30s, deco houses and some real gothic piles. Hericy is a small, sleepy town on the right bank, just a few km from Fontainebleau. Our mooring is very tranquil with a view of tree-lined banks, interspersed with the occasional house.
The château of Fontainebleau is a true visual feast. First of all, it’s enormous, as are the grounds, and it’s impeccably kept. The interior is a tribute to excess, highly decorated and gilded from floor to ceiling. Where monarchs have been responsible for the decoration of specific rooms, their initials and symbols of power are interwoven around the frescos and decoration. I particularly enjoyed the salamanders in the François I gallery. There has been a lot of restoration so you can see everything in all its vivid glory.
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