From 8 to 11 October 2026, the’Military Riding School is hosting four days of competition at the Grand Parquet. Admission is free. It’s a chance to see a Bellifontaine institution in action – one that most residents have never seen from the inside.
The EME is based in Fontainebleau, in the Carrousel neighbourhood, on land where people have been riding horses since 1515 : this is where François I had set up his hunting stables. The buildings subsequently housed a military infirmary, a farrier’s workshop and two large riding halls, which became 1943: the first National Riding School. The Cadre Noir was established there before moving to Saumur in 1946, the year in which military equestrian sports were founded.
Affiliated with the National Sports Centre at La Défense in 2006, the organisation took its current name in 2016. It now comprises around a hundred military personnel, both men and women, and about two hundred horses. Its mission is twofold: to train soldiers who wish to pursue a career in equestrian sports, and to represent the French army in national and international competitions. In other words, the riders you’ll see on the tracks train just two kilometres away all year round.
The detailed programme for the four days has been announced by the organiser but has not yet been published. What is certain is that there will be four days of competition in October at the Grand Parquet quarries, and admission is free. Make sure you wear shoes that can cope with muddy ground and bring a warm jacket; the edge of the forest is unforgiving if you’re not properly dressed at this time of year.
Free entry, Grand Parquet, RN 152, Route d’Orléans, Fontainebleau. Free on-site parking. This event forms part of a busy autumn programme for the venue, including the Jump Bost in early October and the French Amateur Eventing Championships at the end of the month. The École Militaire d’Équitation also offers guided tours, outside competition periods, through the Pays de Fontainebleau Tourist Office.
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