I Explored France’s Cotswolds on a Budget with a New Public Transport Deal

Described as a "game-changer" by the Île-de-France transportation authority, a new flat rate of €2.50 (£2.10) was introduced at the beginning of the year. This fee covers all single trips on the Metro, RER commuter rail, and regional trains throughout the area.

Although this alteration was not widely liked by numerous individuals Parisians For raising the price of individual Metro trips by 35 cents, this benefits tourists greatly as it streamlines fare costs for lengthier rides and opens up more of the city beyond its central area. arrondissements .

In a city where $2.50 hardly gets you anything, café allongé , you can now delve into Paris’s extensive and varied périphérie , a surprisingly green halo that glows with many natural historical and cultural gems, in return for a handful of pocket change.

As the new fares' initial peak season began to ramp up, I bought a ticket and departed from the sweltering, bustling area. city centre tracing the steps of monarchs, artists, and explorers to reach Fontainebleau.

Heavily populated Paris is much smaller compared to London, making it quick work to be enveloped by nature not long after departing from Gare de Lyon. All around stretched a verdant cover of leaves, with tidy rows of hedge-bordered suburbia in sight. The journey to Fontainebleau lasted merely 40 minutes and gradually thinned out at each stopover town such as Melun and Bois-le-Roi along the way.

The Pays de Fontainebleau area, located southeast of Paris, has drawn both notable figures and infamous individuals over many years. Those who once lived here—referred to locally as Bellifontains—included authors Marcel Proust and George Sand, along with artists like Pablo Picasso and philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau. This locale boasts a castle which stands out as the sole royal residence in France where every monarch from the 12th through the 18th century resided at some point. It was also the setting for Napoleon Bonaparte’s final grand dance upon its majestic curved stairway.

But I had more than the rich And prominent before my eyes; I sought traces of overlooked artisans, along with natural marvels and the essence of the French way of life.

In the imperial city On the night before the national Fête du Travail, which coincided with the 1st May public holiday, workers were definitely enjoying themselves. In Place Napoleon Bonaparte, lively conversations and chuckles filled the air; kids enjoyed riding the merry-go-round as adults sipped rosé wine under the partial shadows cast by trees, while younger folks congregated in the town’s Rue du Soif, reminiscent of an advertisement. savoir-vivre This is what makes the region famous. The substantial number of students in Fontainebleau brings a dose of energetic youthfulness to what might otherwise be a quiet suburban town.

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The following morning, I pedaled for 30 minutes through the historic Fontainebleau Forest to reach the village of Thomery. There, I took part in a guided tour. residence and workspace of Rosa Bonheur , an animalière (an animal illustrator) who, even though she was the best-selling artist and wealthiest woman in France during the 1800s, has mostly faded from memory now.

Rosa’s tale is beautifully recounted in this snapshot from time. maison-musée From her defiant youth through to cohabiting with a partner without marrying and seeking permission to sport trousers as they were illegal for women back then, along with cutting her hair short, smoking, becoming the first female property owner in France, and earning the prestigious Legion d'Honneur as an artist—learning about these accomplishments was captivating. This intrigue deepened upon discovering that she has only become part of the French educational program over the past decade, even though her artworks grace galleries like the Musée d'Orsay in Paris and the Museum of Modern Art in New York.

While returning to Fontainebleau, I made a stop at Samoir Sur Seine, which is part of the numerous communities that form the Pays de Fontainebleau area. As I moved around, I had to weave between other cyclists using the Scandibérique route—a cycling trail stretching all the way from Belgium down to the Pyrenees, traversing this very district.

The Seine is broad and verdant in this area, and I savored a stroll along it. Affolantes , the stunning villas that line the riverside.

I spent the afternoon in the Chateau , affectionately referred to by Napoleon as the "genuine abode of monarchs." Though often described as smaller and less bustling compared to Versailles, it boasts an impressive collection with over 1,500 rooms filled with more furnishings than any other European palace. For those seeking respite from ornate details like gold leaf and stucco, highlights include exploring the Napoleon I Museum, admiring the Throne Room and Ballroom, visiting the Oval Court, wandering through the gardens, observing the carp pond, and enjoying the scenery at large. jeu de paume court.

The next day, I found myself pedaling through the refreshing shadows of the Fontainebleau Forest. Back in the 1800s, this wooded expanse was declared the planet’s inaugural nature preserve under Napoleon's orders. Today, it stands as a Unesco World Biosphere Reserve, encompassing over two times the land area of Liverpool and providing sanctuary for approximately 1,200 different types of animals.

It was also the first place in France to have hiking trails and it’s the birthplace of bouldering, thanks to the proliferation of gargantuan rocks that have eroded into interesting shapes over centuries. Bank holiday traffic had brought out a stream of family cyclists, Lycra-clad trail runners and picknickers spreading out tablecloths on the sandstone colossi in the shade.

After another thirty-minute ride, I arrived. Barbizon , a small town so appealing to artists in the 19th century that it spawned an entire artistic movement. In those times, the main draw of this single-street village was its nearby forest, another lure was its closeness to the art galleries of Paris, and lastly, it was prized as a refuge from cholera-ridden urban areas.

Today, it serves as a living museum honoring pre-impressionist painters who were drawn to this place to capture its untouched natural beauty. I strolled down the charmingly quaint main street reminiscent of the Cotswolds in England, exploring the residences and workspaces of artists such as Jean-Francois Millet and Théodore Rousseau. Afterward, I headed back to Fontainebleau and caught a train from Gare de Lyon. The experience proved to be worth every euro.

Where to find directions and transportation options

Trains leave from Gare de Lyon heading towards Fontainebleau-Avon. From there, it takes approximately 45 minutes to reach the chateau by foot, or alternatively, you can hop onto the number 1 bus for a convenient ride over. iledefrance-mobilites.fr/

Velectric moov provides electric bicycle rentals starting at €39 for a half-day period.

Where to stay

The author resided at the Hotel Victoria In Fontainebleau, where the rates start at €135 (£113) for bed and breakfast.

More information

fontainebleau-tourisme.com

visitparisregion.com/fr

Around Île-de-France

1. The Forest of Fontainebleau and Château – just 40 minutes from Gare de Lyon to Fontainebleau-Avon Station
2. Rosa Bonheur’s residence and workspace – a 38-minute journey from Gare de Lyon to Thomery station
3. Barbizon, the artist's village – 39 minutes from Gare de Lyon to Fontainebleu-Avon station via train, followed by a 25-minute ride on the bus to reach Place de l'Angélus.
4. Emile Zola’s home in Medan – approximately 23 minutes from Gare Saint-Lazare to Villennes-sur-Seine station
5. The Chateau de Monte-Cristo, embodying Alexandre Dumas's vision – it takes 36 minutes from Gare Saint-Lazare to Marly-le-Roi by train, followed by an 8-minute bus ride to Square de Monte Cristo.
6. Rodin’s Villa des Brillants in Meudon – just a 10-minute journey from Gare Montparnasse to Meudon station.
7. Vincent Van Gogh’s final residence, the Auberge Ravoux in Auvers-sur-Oise – 38 minutes from Gare Nord to Méry-sur-Oise station
8. Imperial retreat Malmaison Castle – 16 minutes from Gare Saint-Lazare to Nanterre Université followed by a 25-minute bus journey to École de La Malmaison
9. Rambouillet, with its forest and castle – 31 minutes from Gare Montparnasse to Rambouillet station
10. Versailles, the globally renowned royal palace – just a 14-minute journey from Gare Montparnasse to Versailles Chantiers station.