The Big INSEAD Shared Houses in Fontainebleau
Every INSEAD intake, the same question comes up in the admit groups: "Which are the big houses, and how do I get a room in one?" The big houses are a world of their own: 7 to 16+ bedrooms under one roof, housemates from ten countries, communal dinners, and — let's be honest — some of the most legendary parties of the MBA. If you want the full live-together, cook-together, celebrate-together experience, this is where it happens. Rooms in the famous houses go fast, often through word of mouth between promotions.
As local owners, we know these houses well. This page is a neutral directory of the big INSEAD colocations, with the essentials for each: number of bedrooms, location, and distance to campus. We don't rent these houses — we specialise in smaller, quieter homes (private flats, couples' apartments and 3-bedroom shares) — so consider this our contribution to your house hunt. Listed alphabetically within each area, no ranking.
In Fontainebleau town
Buddha House — 10 bedrooms, all en-suite. About 10 minutes on foot from INSEAD. A fully renovated house built for communal living: large kitchen/dining room, two living rooms, big deck with barbecue. buddha-house.com
Club 16 — 16 en-suite bedrooms. 14 Rue de Ferrare, in the town centre, walking distance to INSEAD. A 19th-century building with rooftop terrace and garden; one of the best-known houses, famous for communal dinners. leclubfonty.com
Club 8 — 8 en-suite bedrooms (same operator as Club 16). 75 Rue Saint-Honoré, walking distance to campus. leclubfonty.com
Easy Fonty House — 9 bedrooms, each with private bathroom. 17 bis Rue René Quinton; about 20 minutes on foot or 5 by bike. A renovated traditional house with private garden, run by former INSEAD residents. easyfontyhousing.com
L'Arbre Sec House — 7 en-suite bedrooms. 5 Rue de l'Arbre Sec, in the historic centre, about 8 minutes from INSEAD. An 18th-century building, fully modernised, INSEAD-only. arbresechouse.com
La Casa « Victoire » — 24 en-suite rooms plus 6 studios, the largest of all. An 18th-century mansion with 4 communal kitchens, pool, gym and co-working space in a 4,000 m² park, a 14-minute walk from campus. lacasa.io
Le Manoir — 15 rooms, each with private bathroom. A 200-year-old hôtel particulier in the heart of town, opposite the park of the Château de Fontainebleau, with gardens front and back. A long-running INSEAD house, featured in INSEAD's official housing guide.
Le Parc — 7 bedrooms, all with private bathrooms. On the edge of the château park; about 25 minutes on foot or 5 by car. fontainebleau-coliving.com
Le Portique — 8 bedrooms over 3 floors, off the Rue Grande.
Maison Royale — 9 suites, all en-suite. 3 Rue Royale, 650 m from INSEAD (10 minutes on foot). A classic Fontainebleau townhouse. maison-royale.com
Salamander House — 8 bedrooms, each with private bathroom. A restored 19th-century house on three storeys, 600 m from campus. fontainebleau-coliving.com
Villa Foch — 10 en-suite bedrooms, sleeps 16+. Maréchal Foch quarter; about 25 minutes on foot, 5 by car, on the direct bus line. A very well-known villa with a 100 m² terrace, rented to each MBA intake from late August to June. villafoch.com
Villa Patton — around 10 bedrooms across 3 apartments that can connect as one house. Town centre, about 10 minutes from campus.
In Avon
Villa Vivante — 11 bedrooms and nearly as many bathrooms, 2 kitchens, 4 floors, 1,500 m² garden. 9 Avenue Franklin Roosevelt, 800 m from Avon station, a 15-minute bike ride to campus. An 18th-century house run by INSEAD alumni for over 20 years; rooms are named after Italian cities. villavivante.info
Châteaux and villages around Fontainebleau
Château de Fleury — the iconic "INSEAD château" at Fleury-en-Bière, between campus and Barbizon village, minutes from Fontainebleau: 18 fully furnished flats (studios and 1-bedrooms) on an estate with lakes, walking trails, a gym and communal dining areas, INSEAD-dedicated. More independent living than a colocation, but a big INSEAD community under one roof. chateaudefleury.org
Château de Tavers — La Grande Paroisse, on the banks of the Seine, 20–25 minutes by car. Known as "the party château" — the only château where students live in the main house, with a full-time housekeeper and famous Thursday dinners. tavers.weebly.com
Some legendary house names — Villecerf, Shangri-La, Le Vivier — still circulate in admit groups. These houses change hands between promotions and aren't always publicly listed; ask in your intake's housing group. If you run one of them and want it listed here, contact us.
Prefer something smaller — or quieter?
Big houses are wonderful if you want the full communal experience. But if you're coming as a couple, want your own kitchen, or simply prefer sleeping before 2 am on Thursdays, that's exactly what we do: private flats, 2-room apartments and small 3-bedroom shares, all a few minutes' walk from INSEAD, all-inclusive, rented directly by the owners.
Our homes: private flats and small shares, prices public, availability live.
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