Forest of Fontainebleau

The forest of Fontainebleau is an important forestland of France, lying 60 km southeast of Paris. It has an area of 280 km² (108 sq mi) and is located primarily in the arrondissement of Fontainebleau in the southwestern part of the department of Seine-et-Marne. Most of it lies in the canton of Fontainebleau, although parts of it extend into adjoining cantons and even as far west as the city of Milly-la-Forêt in neighboring Essonne department. Its major included "communes" are the cities of Fontainebleau and Avon.

Fauna and flora

* Most numerous trees are : Oaks (44 %), Scots Pine (40 %), European Beech (10 %);
* 3,000 species of mushrooms were discovered;
* 7,000 species animals, including 5,000 species of insects.

Flora

* Tor-grass ("Brachypodium pinnatum");
* Service Tree of Fontainebleau ("Sorbus latifolia", national protection);
* Amelanchier ovalis, national protection;
* Juniperus communis;
* Orchids
** Limodorum abortivum;
** Red Helleborine ("Cephalanthera rubra", national protection);
* Thalictrum minus, national protection;
* Campanula persicifolia;
* Rubia peregrina;
* Rosa pimpinellifolia;
* Cranesbill ("Geranium sanguineum");
* Vincetoxicum hirundinaria;
* Trifolium rubens, national protection.

Birds

* Great Spotted Woodpecker ("Dendrocopos major");
* Lesser Spotted Woodpecker ("Dendrocopos minor");
* Great Tit ("Parus major");
* Blue Tit ("Parus caeruleus");
* Chiffchaff ("Phylloscopus collybita");
* Willow Warbler ("Phylloscopus trochilus");
* Phylloscopus Bonelli;
* Blackcap ("Sylvia atricapilla").

In fiction

* The forest is the main scene of action of the trilogy "Les Fourmis" of Bernard Werber.
* Act 1 (Prologue in the Italian Version) of Verdi's opera "Don Carlos" is set in the forest of Fontainebleau.

ee also

*Gorges d'Apremont, a rock climbing area

External links

* [http://www.onf.fr/fontainebleau/index.htm Fontainebleau, forêt d'émotions] Official webpage from Office National des Forêts (in French)