A beautiful castle housing a rich collection of paintings and ancient volumes, a huge park and equestrian shows – all this is in the ancient estate of Chantilly (Château de Chantilly), just 40 kilometers from the French capital.
If you're in Paris and want to spend a day outside the city and see a beautiful palace with a luxurious park, you don't have to travel hundreds of kilometers to the Loire or join the crowds of tourists storming Versailles. Just 20-25 minutes by train (or 40 minutes by RER) from the Gare du Nord will take you to the tiny town of Chantilly, where a free bus will be waiting at the station—it'll take you to the castle gates in just a few minutes.
The history of the Château de Chantilly is complex. Many castles have been built on this site over the centuries, only to disappear. In the 16th century, the lands were owned by the Montmorency family, and one of them decided to build a luxurious residence.
A century later, the next owner of the estate was executed for participating in the rebellion, and the estate ended up in the hands of his relative, the Prince of Condé.
A significant portion of the ancient castle was destroyed during the Revolution. In the mid-19th century, after the death of the last Prince of Condé, the estate was inherited by his godson, the Duke of Aumale. The new owner hired an architect and commissioned him to undertake a complex project: to add a new wing and chapel to the remaining portion without disrupting the overall ensemble.
First, let's stroll through the suite of rooms of the Petit Palais. Here, in the old part of the castle, is a library containing 13,000 volumes, including 750 ancient manuscripts and 700 early printed books.
Amidst the general splendor, it's sometimes possible to overlook real treasures, such as this authentic one from a villa in Pompeii.
All the rooms are decorated with elegant paintings, but the paintings on the walls of the “monkey room” are especially beautiful (it is so named because almost every drawing has a funny monkey winking).
Let's take a look at the palace chapel. It was built relatively recently—in 1882—but on the exact spot where the old prayer house stood before the Revolution.
At the rear, behind the altar, is an urn containing the hearts of the princes of Condé and Henri II (their bodies are in a church in Burgundy). During the turbulent times of the Revolution, many graves were desecrated, and to preserve the princes' memory, it was decided to hide their hearts in the church in Chantilly, and then, a century later, they were transferred to the new chapel.
Next, we'll proceed to the New Part of the Château, which has been converted into an art gallery. Its walls are adorned with the greatest masterpieces by Botticelli, Raphael, Poussin, Ingres, Delacroix, and other artists, hanging, albeit somewhat haphazardly. According to the will of the collector and last owner, the Duke of Aumale, the paintings cannot be rearranged, nor can they leave the Château, even temporarily, so you'll never see these works of art at temporary exhibitions anywhere outside the palace. This is the richest collection (after the Louvre) in France, consisting of eighty paintings!
A classic, orderly French garden with fountains and sculptures begins at the castle walls.
A little further on, it transitions into chaotic English and elegant Japanese.
The castle's owners were haunted by the fame of Marie Antoinette's beautiful gardens, and in 1775, the Prince of Condé commissioned his architect to build a small pseudo-village "like Versailles." Of course, no one intended to house peasants at Chantilly: the pastoral idyll was intended only for the prince's guests. The interiors of these "modest houses" were decorated with flowers and silks, offering privacy and relaxation.
The park offered a variety of entertainment to distinguished guests. You can still explore the labyrinth today. It was built a few years ago and is slightly different from the old one, but be careful: it's still easy to get lost!
And for the little visitors of Chantilly, a fun playground was recently opened.
Next to the castle are gigantic stables and a racetrack. In the past, they housed 240 horses and 500 dogs, and horse races are still held there, as well as regular horse shows from April to November.
You'll likely spend several hours at the palace and garden, so be sure to check when the last bus to the station leaves—like we did, you might get carried away and miss it. However, the station is a short walk away, and you'll certainly enjoy a stroll through the charming town of Chantilly.
Source: travel.ru