One of the provinces closest to Paris, Picardy, is not accidentally called the “land of castles.” By their diversity and architectural elegance, Picardy is quite comparable to the Loire Valley.
The most impressive of them is the Château de Chantilly. When you approach it, you are breathless from the beauty that is hard to even imagine! Surrounded by moats and fountains, the castle is like a pearl set in greenery…
Castles have appeared in this place since the 12th century. In the 16th century, the old feudal fortress was bought and rebuilt by the Duke of Montmorency (the constable, i.e., the supreme commander of the French kings). This architectural ensemble becomes one of the jewels of the French Renaissance. Since Montmorency himself served under seven kings, and his children were raised alongside the hereditary princes, it is not surprising that many events, stories, and names are associated with this castle.
For example, the love story of 54-year-old Henry IV and fifteen-year-old Charlotte de Montmorency. Wishing to maintain propriety, the king marries the girl off to the third Prince of Condé. However, the obedient groom suddenly becomes a rebellious husband and takes his young wife to Belgium, where they are protected by the patronage of the King of Spain. This provokes such a strong anger in the king that he even considers starting military actions, but soon dies, killed by Ravaillac. The son of the rebellious groom and Charlotte grows up to be a famous commander. The Great Condé wins all battles for France and secures its first place in European politics. His court rivals Versailles in its magnificence, patronage, and elegance. Among the prince’s courtiers are Boileau, Racine, La Fontaine, Madame de Sévigné, Molière. The first performance of “Tartuffe” will take place here. The Great Condé commissions Le Nôtre to create one of the first regular parks in France. It is the fountains of Chantilly that Louis XIV will take as a model when building Versailles.
Continuing his father’s traditions, the son of the Great Condé built stables in the 18th century, unmatched by any French king. Today, they remain the most famous stables in France. Here, in addition to the racetrack, there is a palace-museum and an arena-stage for unique performances, where the main actors are horses. Have you seen how, for example, a girl and a horse dance?
When, by Napoleon’s order, the last of the Bourbon heirs was killed, his father, already an elderly man, bequeathed Chantilly to Duke Amalie, his grandnephew and godson. It was the duke who created a collection of paintings and antiquities, considered the second most important in France after the Louvre…
In the castle, restored by Duke Amalie, visitors are greeted by antique figurines from the 5th-6th centuries BC, paintings by Raphael, unique cameos, an amazing collection of portraits of kings and queens of France, jewelry, famous medieval books, the unique library of the duke, a chapel with the burials of Condé, unforgettable apartments, and unique interiors…
By the way, whipped cream first appeared in Chantilly, which is still called in France – crème Chantilly…
