Chantilly

Chantilly and Senlis together can be a great trip, especially if you enjoy horses.

At Chantilly, the living horse museum is quite extensive, if nothing else, and you can usually book to watch a dressage practice (albeit in French). The stable tour is also interesting. Not sure if the race track will be open in April.

The grounds at Chantilly are like a mini-Versailles and the artwork in the chateau is really quite impressive.

Combined with Senlis (a very cool old city) makes for a great day trip. Not as impressive as Versailles, but that's only because it is not as big. Guaranteed to have about a jillion less people, too.

I'm sure you have already looked here: http://www.chateaudechantilly.com/chateauchantilly/uk/lieux.html, but you might also check here for a couple of trip reports: http://slowtalk.com/groupee/forums/a/tpc/f/3956056284/m/1471038783?r=3791059783#3791059783

http://slowtalk.com/groupee/forums/a/tpc/f/3956056284/m/1811065382?r=8341070482#8341070482

Thank you, both!
cg

I LOVED Chantilly. I loved that it was NOT crowded, it is no where near as grand and huge as Versailles, but , it does have a WORLD class collection of paintings and it is such a pleasure to walk into a room and not breath other peoples air and see nothing but a sea of heads around you. At Chantilly it is a low key day,, lovely. The horse museum and stables WERE interesting, and I do not even particularily like horses.. LOL
Also in the gardens( you'll have to walk and use the pathetic map, LOL ) you will find a little hameau, with a outdoor cafe that sells CHANTILLY cream desserts, the strawberry pie and Chantilly creme are yummy, and there is a tiny store that sels locally made jams etc. great gifts.

30 minutes on a train from Gare Du Nord, when you arrive you can either wait for the bus to the Chateau( they only run like once an hour) or take a taxi( won't cost much) or walk , about 20 minutes on a lovely chip trail along the Chantilly forest. Nice change from Paris.

ps , Chantilly has its own website, just google for it.

Hi Candy,

I'm one of those who love Chantilly. I walked through the forest from the train station and when I arrived at the chateau it was like entering a fairy tale for me. Not crowded. Absolutely beautiful.
The art collection is fine, but not breathtaking.