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🏰 The "Living" Château: An Ultimate 360° Guide to Chantilly

Shauna November 03, 2018
Explore More: France Adventures > Castles

🏰 The "Living" Château: An Ultimate 360° Guide to Chantilly

Shauna's son at Château de Chantilly.
The "alive" grounds of Château de Chantilly, a true museum.

I have loved visiting Châteaus in France, but this trip was focused on the border, so getting into the Loire Valley wasn't something we had time for. Imagine my excitement finding that Château de Chantilly was so close to Paris and something we could visit!

Walking the grounds was a wonder, for it was so beautiful. The Château itself was not overly large, but it was elegant. It was fully **decked out** with amazing pictures and furniture, which made it feel **alive and living**—a true "gallery-type museum" with quality items on display, not just empty walls. The Library was a magnificent museum of wonderful old books.

Then, there are the stables—a literal palace for horses. The horse show was not a masculine event about racing and power; it was a lovely, graceful performance. I was extremely charmed with this lovely place, and I'm so excited to share both parts of this 360° adventure with you.

View of the Château and Moat

In This Ultimate Guide:

🌟 The Golden Nugget

My Honest Pro-Tip: While the horse show is graceful and the setting is stunning, be warned: it was an hour and a half long, and **you are not allowed to leave** after it starts. It was frustrating for us as it made us late. It's lovely, but it could easily have been 30 minutes. Plan your day accordingly!

TRANSPORT YOURSELF TO CHANTILLY

From the art-filled galleries to the "palace" for horses, here is the full 360° VR tour of the estate.

The Art Gallery (Inside the Château):

The Grand Dining Hall:

The Chapel (Walk Around the Altar):

Inside the Horse Museum & Stables:

The Path Back to the Château (View of Racecourse):

"The horse show was not a masculine event about racing and power; it was a lovely, graceful performance. I was extremely charmed with this lovely place."

🗺️ Adventure at a Glance

  • 🏞️ Location/Park: Château de Chantilly, Chantilly, France
  • 🥾 Hike/Activity: Touring the Château, Art Galleries, & Great Stables
  • 📏 Distance: N/A (Lots of walking on the grounds)
  • 📈 Elevation Gain: N/A (Some stairs in the château)
  • ⏳ Recommended Time: 4-6 hours to see everything (including the show)
  • 🧭 Can't-Miss Sights: The Grand Stables (Horse Palace), The Library, The Art Gallery, The Horse Show.

Adventure Rating:

  • Wow Factor:💎💎💎💎💎[e.g., Absolutely magnificent!]
  • Difficulty:⛰️⚪️⚪️⚪️⚪️[e.g., Easy walking]
  • Crowds:🚶🚶🚶⚪️⚪️[e.g., Busy, but "alive"!]

Part 1: The "Living" Château Interior

The interior of the castle was so beautifully decorated. The pictures were beautiful, the displays very nicely done. It's such an amazingly well-kept and maintained château, and you could feel its history was still alive.

Amazing Entrance Details

A gorgeous, ornate fireplace.
Gorgeous Fireplace
A spiral staircase and painted ceiling.
Spiral Staircase & Painted Ceiling
The intricate wall of the chapel.
Chapel Details
Family sitting on a bench with the château in the background.
The view from the grounds.

Part 2: The Magnificent Library

The room I was most impressed with was the library. The books were works of art in and of themselves, all beautifully organized. The library has over 1,500 manuscripts and 17,500 printed volumes, with 300 medieval manuscripts beautifully displayed in glass cases in the center of the room.

A Look at the Library:

The stunning two-story library.
The main library room.
A close-up of the rare books on display.
Rare manuscripts on display.

Part 3: The "Palace for Horses" & Show

There is a beautiful path from the castle down to the horse museum and old race course. As I walked into the Great Stables, I was stunned by the beauty. This magnificent building was most likely used for nobles to view and buy highly-bred horses. Today, it's a living museum and hosts a very unique show.

An Intimate Royal Welcome

The best part was how up-close and personal the experience was. As we walked towards the stables, a rider on a gorgeous horse actually came over to chat with us. Right there, just for us, she had the horse show off its graceful moves—the elegant cantor, the sideways walk, the small jumps. It was an intimate moment that captured the whole spirit of the place: these were horses raised for royalty, to prance and show off, and we got a private demonstration!

This was not a horse race, as I had thought. The formal show was a display of all the beautiful, graceful things these horses have been trained to do, from walking sideways and backwards to elegant jumps, all set to music with amazing costumes.

An Intimate Royal Welcome

The exterior of the Great Stables.
The "Palace for Horses" - The Great Stables.
The stunning interior of the stable arena.
The stunning arena inside the stables.
A scene from the horse show with performers.
A scene from the graceful horse show.
A large, powerful horse statue.
Giant horse statues stand guard.

💡 Your Traveler's Tips

  • ♦️ Getting There: Chantilly is just 1 hour North of Paris, making it an amazing day trip from the city.
  • ♦D️ Plan Your Time: Be honest about the horse show. It was 1.5 hours long and you can't leave. If you're on a tight schedule, you may want to stick to the Château and the Stables museum itself.
  • ♦️ Where to Eat: We ate at a charming, tiny spot in town called **Salon de THE DAMMANN FRERES**. The food was *superb*—I still have photos of my quiche that make my mouth water! It was the perfect meal: foreign and authentic, but "not too difficult on the palate" for a tired family. Highly recommend!
  • ♦️ The Racecourse: The old racecourse is visible from the path, but check the schedule online if you are hoping to see a real race, as they only happen a few times a year.

A Taste of Chantilly:

Delicious quiche at the local cafe.
Mouth-watering Quiche!
A photo of the salmon lasagna.
The Salmon Lasagna.
The charming interior of the Salon de The.
Inside the charming cafe.

🔎 VR Video Treasure Hunt!

When you watch the immersive 360° videos, see if you can find these special moments!

  • Art Gallery 360°: Can you find the huge, floor-to-ceiling painting?
  • Chapel 360°: Look behind the main altar! Can you see the beautiful stained glass?
  • Horse Museum 360°: Can you spot the horse (a real one!) in its stall?

⭐ Final Thoughts

Chantilly was a wonderful spot for any France vacation. I thought the "living" interior of the Château and the beautiful grounds were absolutely worth the price. It was a perfect day trip and a charming, elegant experience.

Family sitting on a bench with the château in the background.
A wonderful family memory on the château grounds.

What's your favorite château or castle you've ever explored?

What's your favorite château or castle you've ever explored?

Sending Love and Positive Vibes,

Shauna from VRGetaway


Shauna

Posted by Shauna