Les Estivales de la forêt 2026: free nature walks in Fontainebleau

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Every summer, the’National Forestry Office opens the doors to the mountains wide with Summer Festival in the Forest : nature walks free of charge, led by ONF guides, offering a different way to explore the Fontainebleau Forest. In 2026, thirteen events are on offer across the Fontainebleau and Sénart forests.

The idea is simple: you follow a forest ranger or nature guide on a specific theme, and come away with a new perspective on the trees, the animals and the history of the area. It’s aimed just as much at families as it is at curious visitors who think they already know their local forest well.

Visit Fontainebleau forest, five outings are scheduled throughout the summer, most of them starting from the Forest Education Centre :

• Where am I? An introduction to navigation : Wednesday 8 July, 2pm–6pm (brisk walk, ages 10 and over)
• Discovering birds : Thursday 9 July, 2.30–4.30 pm (ages 6 and over)
• Community-led nature project : Saturday 11 July, 9am–12 noon (removal of the palm laurel, an invasive species)
• Operation «All Fires and Flames» : Thursday 23 July, 2pm–5pm (fire safety, ages 12 and over)
• In the footsteps of Félix Parrot, a quarryman in Fontainebleau : Thursday 27 August, 2pm–5pm (geology and heritage, ages 8 and over)

All the outings are free, but registration is required, with limited places available. The full programme, practical details and registration links can be found on the ONF’s ‘Estivales de la forêt 2026’ page. The Sénart Forest also offers a number of family walks throughout the summer.