Fifteen ways in, one living forest
Walks and trails in Fontainebleau Forest
The names are inviting, but the right route is the one that suits the weather, your group and the areas that are genuinely accessible on the day.
Start with today’s map
Fontainebleau Forest is not a park with a handful of fixed entrances. Forest roads, waymarked trails, sandy tracks and rocky passages form a dense network. A route saved several months ago may now meet a closure, fragile ground or an area affected by the July 2026 fires.
Before every outing, open the ONF map of accessible paths and forest roads. On the ground, barriers and signs always have the final word.
The fifteen areas covered here span the whole massif: Cassepot, Cabaret Masson and Rocher Canon to the north, Samois and Thomery to the east, Franchard and Maintenon in the centre, Barbizon, Arbonne and Trois Pignons to the west, then Commanderie and Long Rocher to the south. Each page gives a currently published start where one is available and explains which route document to carry.
When you want a waymarked loop rather than a general area, use the current Fontainebleau Tourisme walking directory as well. Routes with a roadbook or GPX file are the simplest to prepare. Download the file before setting out, as a phone can lose its signal under the trees at just the wrong moment.
Which landscape should you choose?
For a first encounter with the sandstone, Franchard has gorges, boulders and the nearby Maison de la Biosphère. Rocher Canon reveals another side of the rocky landscape.
For a more open, energetic forest, consider Trois Pignons, Grands Feuillards or the area around Arbonne.
To combine forest and village, begin in Barbizon, Samois-sur-Seine or Thomery. You can walk without giving up time for a café terrace or a heritage visit.
For a less obvious corner, explore Cassepot, Cabaret Masson, Mont Aigu, the Perspective de Maintenon, the Commanderie or Restant du Long Rocher.
All fifteen areas at a glance
Here are the areas grouped geographically to make the choice easier:
- Around Fontainebleau: Mont Aigu for a modest wooded climb, Maintenon for an official 4 km loop, and Franchard for the gorges and ecotourism centre.
- To the north: Cassepot and Cabaret Masson explore the surroundings of Croix de Toulouse and Butte à Guay. Rocher Canon adds the boulder fields and can be paired with Mare aux Evées on an official route.
- By the Seine and Loing: Samois suits a day split between woods and riverbank, while Thomery connects the massif with the village’s distinctive history.
- To the west: Barbizon combines paths with the story of the painters. Arbonne, Trois Pignons and Grands Feuillards offer sand, rocky plateaux and more energetic loops.
- To the south: the Commanderie and Restant du Long Rocher deserve a full outing. Do not add them to a day already packed with sights around Fontainebleau.
Still undecided? For a relaxed two-hour outing, begin with Maintenon or Grands Feuillards. For a day that naturally combines a village and the forest, choose Barbizon, Samois or Thomery. Franchard and Rocher Canon are strong introductions to the sandstone landscape. For a more strenuous walk, compare Trois Pignons with Long Rocher, then check the ascent and rocky passages on the route sheet you intend to follow.
Compare routes with published details
These measurements come from current route sheets issued by land managers or visitor offices. They offer a useful scale, not a guaranteed finishing time.
| Route | Published distance | Indicative time | What makes it different |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cabaret Masson | 2.6 km | 2 hours | Six historical and woodland stops in a compact area |
| Cassepot | 3.7 km | 2 hours 30 | A yellow visitor loop distinct from blue trail 3 |
| Perspective de Maintenon | 4 km | 1 hour 30 | Royal history, Petit Mont Chauvet and a view towards Fontainebleau |
| Rocher Canon and Mare aux Evées | 5 km | A comfortable half-day | Sandstone, star-shaped ditches, bald cypresses and an artificial pond |
| Barbizon painters’ circuit | 6 km | 2 hours | Eleven stops linking studios, village and forest |
| Grands Feuillards | 7 km | 2 hours walking | Star junction, pine avenues and biological reserves |
| Thomery | 9 km | 3 hours | Station or village, woodland and Chasselas heritage |
A long time for a short distance does not necessarily mean a difficult walk. Cabaret Masson and Cassepot include stops, direction changes and features worth examining. Broad avenues at Grands Feuillards allow a steadier rhythm. Read the full route description before comparing kilometres alone.
For a quick decision, our guide to short walks in Fontainebleau sorts options by time, terrain and interest. It also explains when an out-and-back shorter than the official loop is a better choice.
Blue, yellow, red and white: separate the networks
The blue Denecourt-Colinet trails are historic walks that often twist between viewpoints, caves and named boulders. Les Amis de la Forêt maintain 24 routes covering around 220 km. Their numbers, links and shortcuts require close attention. Read our introduction to the Denecourt-Colinet blue trails before your first outing.
The yellow paths account for about 90 km of generally easier walks, often lasting less than two hours. Some are intended for families or accessible visits, although several were affected by the 2026 fires.
Red-and-white markings belong to long-distance GR routes. They may cross the massif without returning to the start. Red is also used by the strenuous 25 Bosses circuit, currently listed as impassable following the fires. An orange mark may identify a mountain-bike circuit. Finally, coloured circuits painted on boulders are for climbing and do not lead a walking route.
Our guide to understanding forest waymarks shows how to recognise these systems and what to do where they cross.
Begin with your strongest constraint
You are arriving by train. Do not begin with a famous boulder. Open Walks from railway stations, compare Fontainebleau-Avon, Bois-le-Roi, Thomery, Montigny-sur-Loing and Bourron-Marlotte-Grez, then choose a route that works with the final train home.
You are walking with young children. Distance alone is a poor guide. Sand, boulders and lack of drinking water matter more. Our family walks provide visible goals, sensible turning points and days that do not turn the forest into a test of endurance.
You have two days. Avoid crossing the massif in every direction. Two days in Fontainebleau groups nearby areas while leaving time for a village, the château or a riverbank.
You want a long walk. Consider the 74 km Tour du Massif de Fontainebleau over four stages, or a blue trail that is currently open. A multi-day route needs accommodation, water, exit points and checks for every section. It cannot be improvised by joining the coordinates on this page.
A map point is not the same as a waymarked route
The pages in this guide locate different areas and provide practical starting points. For a complete itinerary, use a recent route from the ONF, Fontainebleau Tourisme or another identified land manager. Download the track before leaving, then confirm that it still matches the signs and access information for the day.
Our forest overview map helps group nearby areas. Avoid crossing the massif twice in a single day. One walk enjoyed properly leaves a clearer memory.
Three good ways to shape a day
A first visit without rushing. Arrive in the morning, spend two or three hours in one area, then have lunch in Fontainebleau, Barbizon or Samois depending on your start. Keep the afternoon for a visit, a café or a short village stroll. Forest kilometres take more effort than they appear to on paper because sand, roots and detours around boulders all slow the pace.
A day built around history. In Barbizon, walk the painters’ trail before or after the forest. At Maintenon, look along the great avenue designed for royal use. Close to Fontainebleau, star-shaped junctions and long straight roads belong to the former hunting forest. These features become much more interesting once you know why they exist.
A day without a car. Begin with the time of your return journey, then choose the walk. Fontainebleau-Avon station opens several possibilities, but an area that looks close on a map may require a slow connection. Read Fontainebleau without a car, check the journey that morning and leave enough time to reach the station without a final sprint.
Pair a walk with a real place
Around Barbizon, leave time for Auberge Ganne, the studios or mosaic trail. In Thomery, fruit walls and the story of Chasselas grapes give meaning to the streets after the forest. At Samois, a walk beside the Seine changes the pace completely. Near Larchant, Saint-Mathurin basilica, the rocks and a guided marsh visit form a coherent day with the Commanderie.
In Fontainebleau, the château helps explain the perspectives and hunting roads seen at Maintenon or the star junctions. At Franchard, the Maison de la Biosphère et de la Forêt provides context before or after a loop. An outing becomes memorable when village or heritage responds to the landscape, not when three distant sectors are added to the same day.
Once you know which areas matter, use Where to stay to choose a practical base. Being near the right station or side of the massif is more valuable than selecting a room from the centre of a general map.
What the season changes
In spring, wet soil and new growth make shortcuts especially damaging. In summer, set off early, carry more water and respect every restriction connected with fire risk. Autumn brings beautiful light, although leaves can hide roots, holes and painted markers. In winter, a short loop can be wonderful if you plan to return well before dark.
After heavy rain, sandstone stays wet longer than a road or car park. Walkers should take care on smooth surfaces and climbers should wait until the rock is fully dry. Postpone a woodland outing in strong winds. Saving a few hours is not worth the danger from a weakened branch or tree.
A simple bag is often enough
Carry water, an offline map, a charged battery, a rain layer and shoes suited to both sand and wet rock. Add a small first-aid kit and a torch if you may return near dusk. Mobile coverage is not reliable everywhere.
Shorten the stated distance with children and allow more stops. Check seasonal rules for dogs and keep yours under control. Whatever the outing, take home everything you brought.
Record two simple references as well: the nearest forest compartment number and the name of the last major junction. Forest signs and plaques can be more useful than a phone without reception. If your party becomes separated, agree on the meeting point before you start.
For an early start without crossing the region at dawn, see Where to stay.