The Fontainebleau media library is housed in one of the town’s finest civic buildings, the’Hôtel de la Charité-Royale, at 15 Rue Royale. The building was originally a women’s almshouse, founded in the 17th century by Anne of Austria with the support of Saint Vincent de Paul. The municipal library, founded in 1837 by the mayor Denis Guérin near the Church of Saint-Louis, moved there in 1937. The building, which was in danger of collapsing, was fully restored in the 2010s, including its foundations and roofs, and reopened as a media centre in 2019.

The result can be summed up in a few words: three and a half centuries of history, and within these walls, cultural facilities that are every bit as good as those in much larger cities. Two gardens, one of which has a terrace, even allow you to read outside when the weather is fine.

What you can borrow there

For adults, 19,000 books and 53 publications. For young people, 14,000 books and 20 newspaper and magazine titles. In addition, there are books in foreign languages and language learning resources, 200 audiobooks, 500 DVDs and ten story boxes for very young children.

Digital technology and the workplace

Thirty tablets are available to borrow on site, divided into three sections: toddlers, children and adults. Ten e-readers loaded with e-books to take home. The digital area provides access to internet-connected computers, a pay-per-print service, PlayStation and Switch consoles, and a virtual reality headset. The Wi-Fi is free, the login code is sent by text message.

A study room offers tables fitted with power sockets, plus a table set aside for viewing old documents. In terms of comfort, there is a relaxation area with a drinks machine and water dispenser, a bicycle shed, a baby care area with a nappy-changing table, two self-service machines for borrowing and returning items, and a return box accessible from Rue Royale when the media centre is closed.

The heritage reserve: the home’s true treasure

This is what sets Fontainebleau apart from most media libraries of its size: around 35,000 volumes from heritage collections. The first donations came from the king Louis-Philippe, from Mayor Denis Guérin, and signatures which can still be found in the library’s guest book, Lamartine, Mérimée, Alfred de Vigny, Victor Hugo, George Sand, Michelet, Denecourt.

Among the items on display is a Illuminated Book of Hours from 1493, the *Coutumes de Loris* of 1692, a handwritten article by George Sand intended for publication on the subject of the forest, and letters by Corot. The oldest incunabulum is an annotated volume of the Works by Cicero, printed in Venice in 1484. The image collection comprises over 900 engravings and prints from the 17th to the 19th centuries, as well as photographs, old postcards, maps and plans. There is even a collection of ancient coins and medals.

These documents are available for consultation by appointment only, to ask for at least three working days in advance, via the online form on the portal, by email to [email protected] or by telephone on 01 64 22 26 36. The heritage centre is closed during the summer holidays.

Timetable

  • Monday : closed
  • Tuesday : 3.00 pm to 7.00 pm, excluding the summer holidays
  • Wednesday : 10.00 am to 7.00 pm
  • Thursday : 3 pm to 7 pm
  • Friday : 3 pm to 6 pm
  • Saturday : 10.00 am to 6.00 pm
  • Sunday : 3.00 pm to 6.00 pm, one Sunday a month (excluding the summer months)

The media centre is only open ten Sundays a year, from 3 pm to 6 pm, never in the summer. It’s not easy to work out these dates, so here they are for 2026: 18 January, 15 February, 15 March, 12 April, 31 May, 14 June, 20 September, 11 October, 22 November and 13 December.

Next Sunday when the museum is open: 20 September 2026, from 3 pm to 6 pm, during Heritage Week.

Register

€12 per year for the people of Bellifontaine, 30 € for non-residents. Registration is free of charge for those under 25, jobseekers, recipients of minimum social benefits, people with disabilities and local authorities. A lost card can be replaced for €2.

The portal mediatheque.fontainebleau.fr provides access to the full catalogue, online bookings, the events calendar and a record of their loans.