Sunday, June 02, 2013

Chateau Fontainebleau

Tarte Rhubarbe, watercolor, 9" 11"
Yesterday I went to Fontainebleau again. If you have a monthly Metro card, on the weekends you can travel free within the Ile de France region on trains and buses. Friday is NOT considered the weekend by the way.
Who knew Fontainebleau had such gorgeous pastries? Strawberries plus a raspberry set on top of a caramelized rhubarb base with a poof of créme brûlée vanille. Where was my crust person when I needed you?
 
Like Versailles, this is a very pretty town with lots of pedestrian walkways and tiny shops.
 
An event was going on - Festival de l'histoire de l'art - but it turned out to be all lectures and no art. So I decided to take a stroll through the chateau where there is heaps of art.
 
Including a plate room
 
The walls are covered with embedded plates d'accord.
 



And of course there is ice cream at the chateau. This is the same company at L'Art du Jardin, Versailles and Rond Point in Paris - La Ferme de la Metarie, with 16 hand-made BIO fruity sorbets, perfect for a hot afternoon.
Dressing in one color is quite OK in Fontainebleau as well.
 
Though I think he should have been hanging out near the orange tea tins at Chocolatier Frederic Cassel.
 
This beautiful white bouquet inside the chateau.
Looks a lot like the specialty of the town, Le Fontainebleau made of fromage frais and crème fouettee(crème Chantilly). I wish there were signs when you enter a French town, that instead of welcoming you, reminded you not to not leave until you ate such and such specialty. Now I have to go back and taste this! HMPH.
 

17 comments:

  1. Barthelemy cheesemonger in the 7eme makes a fantastic Fontainebleau. It's seasonal, however, so you have to hit it at the right time!

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    1. Oh Thanks I will definitely go for it.
      It kept popping up in Fontainebleau but the last one had a label.

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  2. Such an imposition ....to have to make another trip to taste the cheese. Would it be the same if you tasted the Bartheleme cheesemonger instead? can you be sure it's the same as at Fontainebleu?
    Methinks there's another book here...one listing just the specialties of each town? It could be your life's work...

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  3. I can't believe the walls in the chateau! The art, I mean - amazing.
    Looks like a great town, too.

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  4. Your knowledge of Paris is unbelieveable, especially for the free transport. It looked quiet, so you chose a good day.

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  5. The little children are so dear with their hats:) Une vraie sortie avec maman..
    What culture for them.
    There are hot air balloon rides I read there also:) Maybe next time?
    Love the watercolor..I never noticed the raspberry on the small cake until I wnet back to your watercolor and then back to the cake..
    The man in orange is quite spiffy I find..nice to see people wearing their style..
    I must say I love your calligraphy too..looks like a stamp top right.
    Bon Dimanche..I guess done for you..
    Torrential rain last night and parts of today here..
    and wind!All the helicopters are falling from the trees like when we were kids~

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  6. The Fontainebleau is on my itinerary for my next trip--perhaps May 2014? Thanks for the fabulous sneak peak:) Now if I had only won the Cara Black trip it would have been much sooner--LOL!

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  7. Carol, it's grand to see your reporting of this visit to Fontainebleau.

    It's suddenly hot here in NYC, and somehow I missed having the first ice cream/gelato of the season today. Too many threatening thunderclouds overhead bot extend my afternoon walk.

    Before that walk...I was tuned into NBC coverage of the French Open and got to see my personal favorite Monsieur Roger Federer win a wrangle with Monsieur Simon. Whew. I was a bit concerned early in the match, but Roger found a way.

    If your were to choose between October or November in Paris, which would you prefer? Not a serious question, yet I would love to know your opinion.

    xo

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    1. Frances, definitely October!

      Jeannie

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    2. I've always come here in late October for the chocolate salon...but Paris weather offers no guarantees.
      Bonne chance!

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  8. I love Fontainbleau, Carol! The chateau, the town and the speciality. Laurent sometimes has the fontainbleau at the Maubert location. And who is your "crust person?"

    Jeannie

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    1. Laurent is also across the street here and I think I noticed it in the window..will take a look today.
      Merci Carolg

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  9. My best friend and I were having lunch. Out of nowhere she said if she ever got married again she was buying her new husband an orange suit. I said too loudly, "wth, why would you buy an orange suit?" Her face turned red and reprimanded me for being too loud because the guy heard me. I told her I needed a new friend.

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    Replies
    1. Evidently Orange is very IN for gents.
      What do we know?

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  10. Anonymous3:33 AM

    When my old French friend, Jeannine, was about 95 and had lost most of her marbles she thought, instead of the nursing home where she was, she was with her lover in the gorgeous home she grew up in in Fountainbleau.
    Not bad.
    xxx Foodwalker

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  11. What a wonderful excursion. The chateau looks amazing- a plate room! I do love your idea about signs suggesting specialities- patissieries, shops and restaurants should advise us on specialities of the house too, all too often they don't.

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  12. How funny because we may have been in Fontainebleau at the same time! I was there for an event though and didn't really get to explore the chateau (just this cold, airy tent outside of it) It really is a lovely little town and i'll have to take time to walk through the Chateau next time!


    xoxo,
    Chic 'n Cheap Living

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