Fontainebleau--chateau of kings and emperors and NATO

DICK SAYS: Liz sometimes accuses me of being a bit of a stickler, and in some cases, I suppose I am.  Suffice it to say that there are some seriously grand chateaux in France, and although all of them aren't associated with monarchs, many are. Fontainebleau falls in the latter category. Francis I  showcased Italian renaissance achievements in art and architecture on its walls and ceilings and  grounds, catalyzing the renaissance in France.  Centuries later, Napoleon I put his own massive stamp on the place. Indeed, the little corporal much preferred the more remote Fontainebleau to Versailles. NATO must have liked the place a little bit, too. For its first 20 years, the alliance kept its headquarters down the street.We didn't explore the royal hunting ground, parts of which surrounds the chateau and the town itself. Apparently, the forested areas are home to a number of endangered species. I don't think that includes wild boar. Unlike Francis I's other simple pad at Chambord, the gift shop here doesn't sell snaps of the big, hairy pigs cavorting on the royal lawn.