Fontainebleau parkrun usually takes place on Saturday at 9 am round an ornamental lake on the edge of Fontainebleau Chateau, some 40 miles south of Paris.

Note: Parkrun in France is currently suspended due to legal issues around the need for medical certificates to participate in sporting activities – hopefully this will be resolved soon…

Getting There

The start/finish are in Avenue des Cascades, just in front of the Chateau, which a 500 metres from the town of Fontainebleau. From Paris, take the A5b/D606. There is a train from Paris to Avon Fontainebleau Station, which is about 1.5 miles from the start.

Parking

There is free parking along Avenue des Cascades, but spots nearer the Chateau fill up early, so it may be necessary to park some way from the start.

Toilets

There are no facilities. There are toilets in the Chateau grounds, but these don’t open until 9.30. So, the nearest accessible pre run toilets are in town in Rue Richelieu, which is about a kilometre away, so come prepared!

Course

The course consists of two circuits of an ornamental lake; Le Grand Canal.

Terrain

The terrain is compacted earth, with a gravel section parallel with Avenue des Cascades.

Shoes

It’s all on gravel, probably trainers.

Difficulty

Fast and flat – only 16 metres of elevation. About as easy as running 5 km gets.

Fun Factor

Fontainebleau parkrun is tiny. The average number of finishers is just 16. The week we went, there were 13 runners (that’s my family plus 10). The locals were very welcoming. I had a lovely run, chatting with another British tourist all the way round. Plus, it’s a very pretty run round the lake with the Chateau in the background.

Where We Stayed

We stayed in a self contained annex in the picturesque village of Bourron-Marlotte, around 5 miles from Fontainebleau, details can be seen here.

Nearby Attractions

Fontainebleau Chateau, former residence of Napoleon is a beautiful chateau with a rich history and wonderful grounds. Definitely a place to enjoy exploring. For more about our visit to Fontainebleau, click here.