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Un Château, Des Chevaux et de la Crème?

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What do a castle, horses and whipped cream all have in common? They are all  found in Chantilly…just 25 miles northeast of Paris.

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A visit to Chantilly – with its fabulous Chateau de Chantilly, the Musee Condé filled with masterpieces second only to the Louvre, the Live Horse Museum and its incredible horse shows, the Chantilly Racecourse, and a taste of the delicious Chantilly Cream –  is an refreshing alternative to the ridiculous crowds you might encounter on a visit that other famous chateau near Paris. Don’t get me wrong…I love Versailles – the history, the palace, the gardens and the fountains all make Versailles a must see at some point in your life.  However,  if you have already seen it once or twice and you don’t want to deal with the swarms of tourists that descend upon Versailles every summer, consider Chantilly instead.
 
Although it is only a short half hour trip on either the Paris Metro RER-D or a regional train from Gare du Nord, there is a lot to see and do at Chantilly, so plan for a full day and get an early start. Upon arrival at the station, you an either take a free bus or a taxi (for around 8 euro) to the Chateau.



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The estate has a rich history dating back to the 14th century owned by the Condé branch of the House of Bourbon – it was passed down through inheritance from 1386 to 1897. The original chateau was burned to the ground during the French Revolution. The Chateau de Chantilly that is currently standing was built by Henri d’Orléans, duc d’Aumale in the 1870’s. When he died in 1897, he bequeathed the property and its contents to the Institut de France, with the condition that the collections remain intact on the property.

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Inside the Chateau you will want to visit the apartments  –  the ceremonial Grand Apartments on the first floor, which are decorated with white and gold rocaille woodworks and valuable eighteenth century furniture, and the Small Apartments or private apartment of the Duke and Duchess of Aumale on the ground floor, which are decorated and furnished according to the tastes of the nineteenth century.

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Make sure you visit The Musee Condé – the collection is considered to be the second most valuable in France, after the Louvre. The painting gallery contains no less than three Raphaels, three Fra Angelicos, four Watteaus, five Nicolas Poussins, five Ingres, and three Delacroix, all of excellent quality. The Library  contains over 1300 manuscripts and 12,500 printed volumes.

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After your visit inside the Chateau, stroll through the lush formal gardens  featuring extensive grand parterres and water features, designed by André Le Nôtre (of Versaille fame) for the Grand Condé. The park also contains a French landscape garden with a cascade, pavilions, and a rustic village, the Hameau de Chantilly, which inspired the Marie Antoinette’s Hameau at Versailles.

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Adjacent to the Chateau are the imposing Great Stables built in 1719 and considered to be the grandest and most beautiful stables in the world. Luckily they were spared during the Revolution.

(if you are not able to view this on your device, click here.)

The Live Horse Musuem puts on various demonstrations and spectacular equestrian shows demonstrating the art of Haut-Ecole training such as the amazing one in the video above (definitely watch it – it is only one minute long). Additionally, on June 15, 2013, the brand new Museum of the Horse will open with 6500 square feet of equine related exhibits.
 


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(those are The Great Stables behind the race track)
Just behind the Grand Stables is the famed Chantilly Racecourse, where the prestigious Prix du Jockey Club (called the French Derby) has been run since 1836. This year it will be run on June 15th.
 


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All of these sights will certainly make for a full day at Chantilly – at some point you will need to take a break! On the estate of the Chateau de Chantilly, you will find two restaurants – La Capitainerie, under the vaults of the former kitchen of the chateau or on the terrace, serving lunch and tea;  and Le Hameau, near the former dairy which is the birthplace of the famous Chantilly Cream, which serves lunch, desserts and snacks. You can definitely taste your share of Chantilly Cream in either place.
 
If you decide you would rather spend the night in Chantilly, particularly on evenings when they have their renowned fireworks show, a brand new Relais & Chateaux hotel, Auberge du Jeu de Paume Chantilly has recently opened on the property of the Chantilly estate.

Things to Remember:

The Chateau de Chantilly is open daily from March 30 – September 29, 2013. It is closed on Tuesdays the rest of the year. During January, it is usually closed for part of the month. Be sure to check the days and hours of opening before planning your trip here.

For more information on getting to and from Chantilly, go here.

For more information on ticket prices and events, go here.

For more information on the Equestrian Shows, go here.

For more information on Chantilly Racecourse, go here.

For more information on the town of Chantilly, go here.

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I want to thank Anita for organizing this amazing link party!! I have enjoyed reading everyone’s posts and have found many lovely new blogs to follow.



Castles Crowns and Cottages

Tomorrow I will be continuing our petits voyages
de Paris…to Giverny.

And, in case you missed it, last Friday, we visited Chartres.

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Comments

  1. Lovely post, Sandy. During my Parisian years, I went to Chantilly often to mountain bike with my then-boyfriend in the woods surrounding the Château. We would occasionally visit the estate, or the stables, and never failed to enjoy an afternoon snack involving… crême Chantilly, of course 🙂 You are right: Chantilly makes a great day trip out of Paris and is not as well known as other destinations, like Giverny, or Chartres. Can't wait for the next post. A bientôt, Veronique (French Girl in Seattle)

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  2. Sandy, I thank you PROFUSELY for the hard work you have done to present to us a variety of sites to dream about. This one is of special value to me because I ADORE horses, especially those who have been skillfully trained and kept in a traditionally honored genre. My goodness, the footage is breathtaking; I loved the one scene with the ballerina and the horse, and so much more.

    Unfortunately during my France travels, I did not get to see this enchanting place, but next time, I AM SO THERE.

    MERCI MILLE FOIS for your hard work in actively participating in this wonderful party, made special by all of YOU.

    A LA PROCHAINE! Anita

    Reply

  4. Wonderful post — I didn't know anything about Chantilly (other than the lace of the song) but it looks amazing! The library was astounding. Thanks for visiting me, I'm enjoying meeting others on our trip to France!

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  5. Wonderful post Sandy. I have never visited Chantilly. Will definitely visit on my next trip to France. I would enjoy visiting the Chateau, watch a Horse show and taste some Chantilly cream. Thank you for all of the links.

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  6. Fantastic post, dear Sandy! Thank you so much for opening my eyes to this extraordinary chateau…I have been near the grounds, but time did not allow a visit. And the horses! So beautiful…
    Merci…can't wait for Giverny! 😉
    Have a splendid day!
    xoxo,
    – Irina

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  7. This is eye candy X10. Believe it or not, I've never been there and I think I've missed something amazing.
    Thank you for taking the time to create such a beautiful post for us.
    xx's

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  9. How exciting to get this virtual tour! I'm also here from Anita's link party and did mine on Chenonceau so be sure to stop by. So much fun sharing and how lovely of Anita to bring us all together. Glad to have found you!
    Bisous, Kirsten

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  10. Bonjour Sandy,

    Merci beaucoup for sharing your wonderful tour of Chantilly and was great to discover your blog.
    Beautiful photos and I adore the magnificent chateau, tres grand.
    Happy week
    Carolyn

    Reply

  11. How wonderful that Anita's party has brought us all together from near and far.. I am at a loss for words.. This post is breathtaking! Thank you so much for sharing with us.
    You have such a beautiful blog, I am now following along.
    Wishing you a lovely week.
    Penny

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  13. Hello Sandy .. so lovely to meet you and such a gorgeous post! I have never been to Chantilly and it looks gorgeous! The castle and great stables are incredible. So sad the original chateau was destroyed in the revolution but this one is still stunning …. and Chantilly cream!!!! Perfect!
    best wishes
    Frances
    xx

    Reply

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