Hotel, Artist, Event planner, Event venue, Seminary
La Folie Barbizon
A four-star country house hotel and artists' residence where the village of Barbizon meets the Fontainebleau forest, its 21 rooms reimagined by around twenty artists, designers and craftspeople.
The story
Set at the end of a lane where Barbizon, the cradle of pre-impressionism, gives way to the Fontainebleau forest, La Folie is a country house about an hour from Paris. It reopened after a creative overhaul in which painters, sculptors, ceramicists, designers and interior architects reworked every room and corridor. Each of the 21 rooms has deep colours, sculpted headboards, murals, plant-motif stained glass and carefully sourced vintage furniture. The Greenline Foundation, which uses art to support the forest, is based here and runs exhibitions, residencies and events. Chef Éric Fava cooks locally sourced food inspired by the forest and nearby producers, served in a theatrical dining room under a painted sky ceiling or out in the garden. A wine and tapas bar runs on weekdays, and the forest's rocks and trails begin right next to the garden.
Good to know
TAGGG AI- ✦Plates are small, so plan to order several dishes to share for a full meal.
- ✦The kitchen adapts well to allergies, and staff are patient about dietary needs.
- ✦Resident cats wander among the restaurant tables, worth knowing if you have an allergy.