SNCF to Fontainebleau. A pretty village with one long street on the edge of the Forêt de Fontainebleau, Barbizon made a name for itself in the 19thC as an artist’s colony. Precursors of the Impressionist school, the landscape artists Corot, Millet and Théodore Rousseau formed the Ecole de Barbizon, and indulged in the radical pastime of painting local scenery in the open air. Millet, in particular, broke new ground with his renderings of toiling peasants. Among the galleries, antique shops and hotels along rue Grande, Millet’s and Rousseau’s studios have been turned into mini museums, as has their local tavern, the Ancienne Auberge du Père Ganne.

The surrounding countryside remains an inspiration for present-day artists, and walkers will find several pleasant strolls in the forest. A useful starting point is the Carrefour du Bas-Breau (1 km east) for a not-too-strenuous scramble around the Gorges d’Apremont, though it can be extremely busy here on holidays and at weekends.