Hotels in Avon

Avon exists in the shadow of its famous neighbour: this modest town on the edge of Fontainebleau's forest is really the practical base for visiting the Palace of Fontainebleau, one of France's great royal residences and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, without the tourist markup of staying inside Fontainebleau itself. With around 15,000 residents, it's a workaday commuter town with a train station on the Paris line, rather than a destination in its own right — don't expect much beyond a few brasseries and the forest on your doorstep.

There's little to do in Avon after dark, and the appeal is entirely about proximity to the palace and its surrounding woodland, good for walking or cycling if you have a spare afternoon. Stay near the station if you're arriving by train from Paris, since it puts you within easy walking distance of both Avon's centre and the palace grounds.