What to do in Chantilly
An infinite domain for young and old
When one thinks of Chantilly, one thinks first of its castle surrounded by water thanks to the talent of André Le Nôtre who laid out its park at the end of the 17th. Century. A jewel of French heritage, it houses the most important French collection of ancient paintings after the Louvre, with works by Raphael, Poussin, Watteau, Ingres, Corot, etc. On the occasion of the 500th anniversary of the death of Leonardo da Vinci, the Condé Museum unveiled one of the Master's little-known works: the nude Mona Lisa.
The Domaine de Chantilly also has stables that are unique in the world. The Grandes Écuries, a fine example of 18th century French architecture, are home to the Musée Vivant du Cheval, which offers dressage demonstrations and equestrian shows throughout the year. Legend has it that the Prince of Condé, thinking he would be reincarnated as a horse, had stables built that were worthy of his rank.
Another curiosity in the heart of Chantilly and on the banks of the Nonette is the Pavillon de Manse where you can see the Grandes Eaux machine of the princes and the hydraulic machines of the Duc d'Aumale. A visit that will please the whole family as well as the Grandes Écuries, considered as the most beautiful in the world.
Chantilly
Capital of the Horse
However, the riches of this place located at the gates of Paris go beyond this impressive cultural heritage. Chantilly is as much a tribute to art as it is a hymn to nature and to "man's most beautiful conquest", the horse. The horse world is at the heart of the economic activity of the town, which has the leading training centre for racehorses in Europe. Nearly 3,000 horses train on the track every day.
The racecourse was created on the edge of the forest in 1834 in front of the Grandes Écuries, one of the most beautiful racecourses in France, and is renowned for its two major prizes: the Prix du Jockey Club and the Prix de Diane, the equestrian event that sees the most beautiful demonstrations of French elegance with a hat!
Chantilly also boasts the largest polo school in France: the Polo Club du Domaine de Chantilly. This school organises all year round polo initiations whatever your level as well as horseback rides between "nature and culture" with the Henson horses.
In the vicinity
Senlis, adventure and theme parks
Just 10 minutes from the hotel, Senlis unfolds its centuries of history at your feet. A Gallo-Roman and royal city, the cradle of the Capetian dynasty, it invites you to take a stroll through two thousand years of architecture and history. During your stay: the medieval alleys and the superb private mansions, the Gothic Notre-Dame cathedral, the Royal Castle Park, the Gallo-Roman arenas and walls, the Saint-Vincent Abbey and the medieval rampart, the ecological park on the edge of the Aunette valley...
Around Senlis and Chantilly, the villages of character offer a soft face in the heart of smiling landscapes: Fontaine-Chaalis with its abbey, Mont-l'Evèque which was the summer residence of the bishops of Senlis, Chamant, Courteuil...
Just 20 minutes from the hotel, there is no shortage of playgrounds for families to enjoy themselves and share moments of emotion and thrills. The Parc Astérix, the craziest of the theme parks, gives you a taste of the joys of life as a Gaul, the Parc Aventure de la Vallée des Peaux Rouges offers 6 routes through the trees, the Mer de Sable (the first French theme park) lets you relive the adventure of the Far West.