The worldly possessions of the most symbolic imperial couple of the Second Empire are back in Fontainebleau after being on display at the Museum of Decorative Arts in Bordeaux. Napoléon III and his wife Eugénie lived in this castle during the summer months. It was their holiday destination. They would invite over fifty guests to share in the festivities and each of them was housed in a furnished apartment.

This exhibition takes us on a huge leap back in time. Visitors learn about the eclectic style and customs specific to the end of the nineteenth century with the help of one hundred and forty objects that belonged to the Emperor and his wife. These works of art were restored for this event to recreate the smoking room, the Chinese museum, the theatre or Marie-Antoinette’s famous boudoir.