Palace of Fontainebleau hosts talks on 28 November

Palace of Fontainebleau (Château de Fontainebleau) will host the conference programme Marie-Antoinette and Louis XVI: Between Myth and Reality in Fontainebleau from 28 to 29 November 2026. The palace’s programme links lectures, readings and the current royal exhibition to the history of the building and its former residents.

Fontainebleau conferences examine royal life on 28 November

The two-day programme is organised by the palace and takes place in the Salle des Colonnes, reached through the Couloir des Mariniers. Saturday, 28 November, examines Marie-Antoinette’s stays at Fontainebleau, the royal apartments, the queen’s balls, fashion and the decorative interiors associated with her.

Speakers include historian Patrick Daguenet, architect Patrick Ponsot, researcher Stéphane Castelluccio, historian Evelyne Lever and heritage curator Muriel Barbier. A theatrical reading of Marie-Antoinette’s correspondence is also planned in the Salon Victoria on both days, with registration on arrival and a limited capacity of 19 places. The palace warns that numerous steps lead to this reading room. The official conference programme sets out the dates, venue and speakers.

Royal apartments connect the talks with the palace exhibition

Sunday, 29 November, turns to royal furniture, the Dauphine’s furnishings, silverware, Sèvres porcelain and the palace’s English visitors under Louis XVI. The final session considers the lasting image of Marie-Antoinette at Fontainebleau.

The talks accompany Marie-Antoinette and Louis XVI at Fontainebleau: Splendour and the Art of Living, an exhibition running from 11 October 2026 to 25 January 2027. It is organised with the GrandPalaisRmn and presents more than 120 portraits, drawings, sculptures and objects borrowed from about 20 French and international institutions. The exhibition occupies the Salle de la Belle Cheminée and the regular visitor route. Regional event details also identify the palace and the 28 to 29 November dates.

The subject has a direct connection with the building. Between 1774 and 1786, Marie-Antoinette and Louis XVI stayed at Fontainebleau seven times. Conserved interiors linked to that period include the Turkish Boudoir, the Silver Boudoir, the Queen’s Grand Cabinet, the King’s Powder Room, the Buffet Room and the Chapel of the Trinity.

Visiting Palace of Fontainebleau: what travellers from Western Europe should know

• The conference programme takes place from 28 to 29 November 2026 in the Salle des Colonnes at Palace of Fontainebleau.
• The main talks are open to visitors, while the theatrical correspondence reading in the Salon Victoria requires registration on arrival and has 19 places.
• The palace is at Place Charles de Gaulle in Fontainebleau, with the conference room reached through the Couloir des Mariniers.
• The Salon Victoria reading involves numerous steps, so visitors with reduced mobility should take this specific access detail into account.
• French is the official language and the national currency is the euro.

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Frequently asked questions about Palace of Fontainebleau

When do the Marie-Antoinette and Louis XVI conferences take place at Palace of Fontainebleau?

The programme runs on 28 and 29 November 2026 in the Salle des Colonnes.

What is the exhibition at Palace of Fontainebleau?

It is an exhibition about Marie-Antoinette and Louis XVI, running from 11 October 2026 to 25 January 2027 with more than 120 works.

Where is Palace of Fontainebleau and how do you get there?

The palace is at Place Charles de Gaulle in Fontainebleau. The conference room is reached through the Couloir des Mariniers.