The Palace of Fontainebleau, a royal château that served as the residence of French monarchs from Louis VII through Napoleon III, is preparing for a major overhaul. Located just fifty-five kilometers southeast of Paris, the sprawling palace has long been overshadowed by its more famous counterpart, Versailles. France’s Minister of Culture, Fleur Pellerin, is hoping that a €115-million funding boost will change that. Versailles, which embarked on its own €350-million, seventeen-year overhaul in 2003, is the only other royal home in France to have received public funding of a similar caliber.
Announced on Monday, January 26, 2015, the plan to overhaul Fontainebleau includes the long-term conservation of the palace, which was added to UNESCO’s World Heritage list in 1981.