Claude François Denecourt
Claude-François Denecourt was born in 1788 with Neurey-in-Are worth (Haute-Saône) and died in 1875 with Fontainebleau. " Sylvain of the Forest of Fontainebleau " , it devoted the essence of its life to be made known (and to contribute to create of all parts) the richnesses of the Forêt of Fontainebleau.
Combatant of the Napoleonean Armed , it is promoted sergeant in 1814. After 14 last years with Versailles, it is named caretaker of a barracks of Fontainebleau in 1832, before being revoked because of its republican ideas. At 44 years, he discovers the beautiful landscapes of the forest who bring much comfort to him. He then decides to devote all his time and part of his economies to make known this place with the tourists. Autodidact, having discovered the books at twenty years near a teacher whereas it can hardly read and write, it publishes his first guides very quickly.
the Denecourt guides
It benefits from the success of a military army maneuvers which proceeds in October 1839 to publish a small booklet making it possible to go on the spot in order to see the troops. Consequently, this guide will be republished unceasingly until its death (11 editions only between 1839 and 1848), accompanied by many additions.
Each edition was accompanied by a chart carried out according to the wills of Denecourt itself. But, one could also only get it. The chart makes it possible to locate the various visits suggested in the guide. This one comprises also a part on the Château of Fontainebleau, generally sold separately. Even if it is not writer and that it recognizes itself his lack of erudite culture, it is its practical and concrete approach visit in forest - he guides itself the excursionists with the request - who make the success of the guides of Denecourt.
paths of walk
Starting from 1842, Denecourt is not satisfied to indicate the walks, but it starts to trace itself the ways in forest, with the tacit authorization of the administration of National Forestry Commission, sometimes with the assistance of the carriers and other tailors of paving stones: with its death, 150 km of paths are thus traced and marked out by means of blue arrows, in order not to be mislaid. It also makes arrange fountains, caves and makes build a tower of observation called " Extremely the empereur" during its inauguration in 1853 by Napoleon III (currently Denecourt Turn). He baptizes finally the most remarkable places: 600 trees, 700 rocks, sites and point of view. These names, often borrowed from mythology, the history or the literature, are the occasion for Denecourt to tell the legends - that he often invented itself - dependant on the place. In 1855, the great writers (Lamartine, Hugo, Sand, Musset, Baudelaire…) he pay homage through a compilation of texts where it is named the “Sylvain” of the forest of Fontainebleau by Théophile Gautier.
Nowadays, these blue paths Denecourt - color used on the signposts that it made carry out - exist always, baptized “Denecourt - Colinet”, of the name of Charles Colinet (1839-1905), the other Sylvain and continuator of the work of Denecourt.
Claude François Denecourt is thus regarded as one of the pioneers of the pedestrian Randonnée and the modern footpaths.
See the chart of the Denecourt-Colinet Paths on the site of the Friends of the forest of Fontainebleau