Visit Chantilly, the Oise and Ile de France

The Château de Chantilly and Musée Condé (10 minutes): An architectural gem, the château houses the Musée Condé and its exceptional collections of old paintings (the second largest in France after the Louvre) as well as a priceless library. Outdoors, the charm of the French-style garden designed by Le Nôtre competes with that of the English-style garden sprinkled with fountains and the Anglo-Chinese garden criss-crossed with delightful canals.

The Museum of the Horse (10 minutes): An 18th-century architectural masterpiece, Chantilly’s great stables are a prized piece of local heritage. In addition to a collection of items dedicated to the world of horses, the museum presents dressage demonstrations throughout the year, as well as fabulous equestrian shows performed beneath the dome.

The Potager des Princes (10 minutes): With more than 25 gardens spread over three hectares, the Potager des Princes appears to be a paradise for children and nature! Come accross a water feature here, a flowering avenue there, an exotic garden, a Japanese garden and a rose garden. There is also a little farm and rabbit racecourse, where each day rabbits make a frenzied dash for the finish line while kids look on in wonder!

Chantilly Racecourse (10 minutes): Founded in 1834, Chantilly racecourse is bordered by forest and opens out towards the Château’s Great Stables. The racecourse hosts some of the most prestigious horse racing seasons with the Prix du Gros Chêne, the Prix du Jockey-Club and the most well-known, the Prix de Diane, where the elegance of the ladies competes with the beauty of the horses’ coats.

Lace Museum (10 minutes): Chantilly’s black silk lace is world-renowned. The town founded a municipal museum for heritage and lace, which houses a very extensive collection. A lovely little museum with magnificent pieces of black and blonde Chantilly lace.

The Pavillon de Manse (10 minutes): A unique heritage collection – the only one in Europe – identical replicas of hydraulic perpetual motion machines, including the Prince’s machine, built in 2005. Admire the fascinating sight of the machine room that traces the development of hydraulic techniques back to the 17th century, showing the transition from all-wooden machinery to all-metal machinery.

France Galop racehorse training centre (10 minutes): Over 2,500 horses are trained here every day: Four training grounds, 120 kilometres of sand gallops, 120 hectares of grass gallops and the forest… Every day, between 6 a.m. and 1 p.m., several hundreds of horses gallop around these facilities. Learn the history of the centre, meet some professionals, in a word discover the world of racehorses from the inside!

Royaumont Abbey (20 minutes): Built in the 13th century, the abbey still stands today, surrounded by large pounds and forests. Its cloisters and refectory are some of the most remarkable examples at this time. The park and gardens are conducive to wandering around. A medieval-inspired garden – known as the ‘garden of nine squares’ – has been open to visitors since 2004. It features a new collection of plants every three years. Since June 2010, the theme has been ‘magical’ plants.

House of Van Gogh in Auvers-sur-Oise (40 minutes): Conserved in its original condition and classified as a historical monument, it is now the only remaining house where Van Gogh once lived. The painter’s spirit lives on in the attic of the Ravoux Inn, and in Room 5, Van Gogh’s glory gives way to a more intimate atmosphere. The House of Van Gogh is a place of remembrance, but also a place of living. Just like in 1890, the dining room now welcomes guests from all around the world with the inviting, authentic atmosphere of artists’ cafés of yesteryear.