A cabinet of curiosities on Rue de France
It’s hard to resist the urge to go in when you walk past, drawn in by the colourful trays from the shop window. You have to go inside. Maison Madeleine is a concept store specialising in home décor, fashion and accessories which is more like cabinet of curiosities Just like a classic interior design shop: sun-yellow and duck-egg-blue walls, shelves filled with a mix of vases, candles and second-hand finds, brightly coloured stools, and cushions piled high on a large wooden table. Every item has been carefully chosen; no two are alike.
Items you won’t find anywhere else
This is where you’ll find the sort of gift that makes people say, «Where on earth did you find that?». The Italian notebooks: Libri Muti, bound in the Japanese style and presented like literary classics (Moby Dick, 1984, Cyrano de Bergerac, Alice in Wonderland), just waiting for someone to write about their life or draw in them. Next to them, some patchwork fabric bags, illustrated trays, statuettes in all colours and vintage items which never stay on the shelves for long. Even the gourmet section breaks the mould, with the Feroz sauces from La Cooperativa.
Humour even in the shop window
Maison Madeleine doesn’t take itself too seriously, and that’s part of its charm. The shop window displays marble-effect plaques engraved with paradoxical sayings, which make some people smile and others raise an eyebrow. Behind the counter, two enthusiasts and their dog They welcome everyone as if they were a regular, and customers rarely leave empty-handed.
A business that has grown in Fontainebleau
The shop was originally located on Rue de Ferrare before move to Rue de France, just a stone’s throw from the Jardin de Diane and the château. A great excuse to squeeze in a spot of shopping between two strolls through the town centre: you come here for a present, and you come back for yourself.
