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onjour!
Bonjour. This month, we are covering one of the greatest and most dazzling estates in France, located
less than an hour’s drive from Paris in the heart of a 19,275 acre forest. Its architecture was
periodically modified over four centuries, and the castle walls now hold between them thousands of
books and priceless works of art. This monument is considered to be the second museum of France, right
after the Louvre. Welcome to the Castle of Chantilly! This is no ordinary castle...
But before continuing, please remember that you can access and read all the newsletters already
published at http://www.francemonthly.com/
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An Absence of Symmetry
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Upon arrival, the visitor is immediately struck by the majesty and the serenity of the place.
Then, after passing the gates, the question begs: Why doesn’t the castle face the entrance?
Indeed, tradition would have the huge facade of the monument greet you, but instead, you are
presented with the silhouette of an equestrian statue atop a raised esplanade.
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The Castle of Chantilly
(Click photo to enlarge)
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In his desire to compete with his cousin King Louis XIV, Louis II of Bourbon, Prince of Condé
(known as The Great Condé) appealed to Le Nôtre, the most famous landscape architect of France,
to design the gardens of his castle. Louis II deliberately chose to depart from the layout of
Versailles and did not locate his residence on any central axis from which all flower beds and
pathways originate. This was not the only eccentric touch to the Castle of Chantilly. After
ascending the long incline that leads to the equestrian statue of Anne de Montmorency, who was
the Supreme Commander of the French Armies, the visitor is greeted with magnificent sights in
all directions. The castle stands to the left, imposing and majestic. Then, there are the French
style gardens and the Grand Canal designed by Le Nôtre at the foot of a monumental staircase,
and then another structure, only two stories tall, that faces the main castle. It is the castle
of Enghien, at once linear, sober and elegant in the Italian style, with a flat roof hidden
behind a balustrade. It was built in 1769, to welcome guests who were too numerous to all stay
in the main residence.
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Italian Style Gardens
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It was a real fortress that Guillaume de Montmorency, an important lord in the Middle-Ages,
inherited in 1484. Standing on a rocky massif surrounded by water, it had more or less
successfully fought off many enemies, whether English, French or just plain bandits, over
the three centuries since it had been built. Guillaume added on to the original triangular
shape with the towers, drawbridge and donjon, and much improved the estate, but it was his
son, Anne de Montmorency, who really transformed the medieval fortress into a true Renaissance
castle. In the early 16th century, the lords came back from their wars in Italy with a taste
for the arts, architecture and classical gardens. While a certain peace and confidence in
the future emerged, elegant castles which were almost comfortable progressively replaced
the forbidding fortresses that had witnessed such a hostile and turbulent past. Anne de
Montmorency had the gardens designed and the smaller elegant structure built right next to
the main castle. The windows of this new addition opened straight onto the gardens and the
water works, much to the delight of the guests. A moat then separated the two buildings
which remained connected by a gallery, but it was eventually filled in by the last Duke of
Bourbon, in the 19th century, to form the single monument that we can admire today.
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Recipe for Sept 2007
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Apple Lemon Tart
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Friday, Fish Day and Fatal Day
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It was towards 1667 that Louis II of Bourbon, having come back into favor with the king, regained
his castle of Chantilly. Indeed, he had spent the previous 20 years fighting the centralized and
absolute royal power and helping the Spanish enemy while in exile. The prince settled down in his
beloved Chantilly and undertook grand improvement projects.
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The Gardens of Castle of Chantilly
(Click photo to enlarge)
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He acquired many works of art to decorate the interior and called upon the landscape architect Le Nôtre,
who was doing marvels at Versailles, to design his gardens. He entertained a lot, and his guests
included literary men, scientists, artists and princes. He organized memorable hunting parties and
threw lavish receptions. In the spring of 1671, he was informed that his cousin, Louis XIV “The Sun
King”, was honoring him with a visit to Chantilly for a few days. He put his master steward Vatel in
charge of planning the festivities, which were to run over the course of three days and include no
less than 2,000 guests. The businessman got to the task, planning, giving directions, placing orders,
supervising the kitchens, setting up the tables, taking delivery of goods...until the opening dinner
of Thursday, April 23, which went pretty well. A few roasts went missing, but the guests of honor
didn’t take notice. The fireworks were a little off, but once again, no one seemed to mind except
for Vatel. When on the next day, Friday, towards 8pm, he still hadn’t received the fresh fish he’d
been expecting since dawn, it was too much for him to bear. Exhausted, and feeling forever dishonored,
he ran into his room and impaled himself on his sword. The fish arrived a little thereafter and the
party went on without him!
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Sylvie’s Home and Pond
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You can admire the beautiful French style garden designed by le Nôtre from the terrace where the
equestrian statue of Anne de Montmorency stands, and take a very nice walk in this beautiful 285
acre park.
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The Hamlet in the Gardens
(Click photo to enlarge)
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As you stroll along the paths, you will experience the romantic atmosphere of the Temple of Venus
and her Island of Love, the Hamlet and its small rural-looking houses. The Prince of Condé liked
to welcome his guests in this natural setting which was very fashionable in the 17th century. The
greatest kings and princes of Europe much enjoyed themselves in these surroundings, and were treated
to “crème Chantilly”, a delicious cream whose reputation was soon to cross the borders of France.
In the heart of the forest, you will come upon a charming hunting lodge. Henri II of Montmorency
developed the park around this pavilion to please his young Italian bride, Marie Felicie Orsini.
In 1623, they opened their doors to their friend and poet Theophile de Viau, who was running away
from the king’s police after having written a few too many ribald verses. The poet, touched by the
melancholy of the beautiful hostess who was lamenting her spouse’s infidelities, fell in love with
her, and the beautiful Felicie became his muse. He declared his love for her with his verses
dedicated to Sylvie, the nymph of the forest, to avoid raising any suspicions with his host,
although history has it that this love of his remained platonic.
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Paradise for Horses
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When you enter the park, it is impossible not to be drawn to a splendid structure standing behind
the castle that is such an imposing monument it looks like a palace, albeit one of a very unusual
sort.
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The Stables of the Castle of Chantilly
(Click photo to enlarge)
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In 1719, Louis Henri, 7th Prince de Condé, hired the architect Jean Aubert to erect a real temple to
the glory of the horse. He believed in metempsychosis and was convinced that upon his death he would
be reincarnated as a horse. So he needed a palace worthy of his rank. He spent a fortune building
these stables that are 623 ft long by 59 feet wide, with walls that are 16 ft wide. These magnificent
stables, the biggest in France along with those at Versailles, could hold 240 horses and 500 dogs.
The "Great Stables" today house a Living Museum of the Horse and offer equestrian shows that are the
delight of horse enthusiasts. No doubt the horses themselves have no complaints with their accommodations
on this beautiful estate.
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The Renaissance of Chantilly |
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The Duke of Aumale was only eight years old when he inherited the castle of Chantilly in 1830. He was
the fifth son of Louis Philippe of Orleans who was pushed to the throne of France by the Parisian
revolution of the same year. This youngest son was devoted to his military career and was known for
his talent as a strategist, as well as for his courage. First lieutenant by 15, captain by 17, colonel
by 19 and general by 21, he distinguished himself by capturing the tribe of Abd-el-Kader and became
Governor of Algeria at 23 years old. But another revolution forced his father the king to abdicate
in 1848, prematurely putting an end to the Duke’s promising career. The family had to go into exile
and chose to settle in England. Even though he was very affected by this forced separation, the duke
took advantage of his unexpected free time to devote himself to his passion for art and history and
enhance his collections with many paintings and books. His experience and erudition soon made him
very popular among his English peers. When Napoleon III ordered his family to sell their land, the
duke had no trouble finding an English count willing to buy the castle. A secret retrocession clause
would allow him to recover it in good time. After 20 years away, he returned to France alone, his
wife and two sons having died. But he was very rich, and from then on was able to spend all his time
and money restoring and modernizing his beloved Chantilly estate.
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The Modern Man and the Collector
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As soon as he came back from exile in 1871, the Duke of Aumale had the main castle that was
demolished during the Revolution rebuilt on the foundations of the old fortress.
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The Duchess of Aumale's room
(Click photo to enlarge)
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He wanted something different from the look of Versailles that the Restoration had rendered unpopular.
He wanted a more comfortable castle, and had a bathroom with running hot and cold water put in, as well
as central heating and gas lighting. To compensate for the inconvenience of rooms leading into each
other, he had a gallery built right next to the 16th century facade that allowed access to each room
individually. He was very careful to make sure the same building materials and decorative elements
were used to remain in harmony with the facade of the castle. He furnished the castle as if his wife
were still alive, with period pieces in a variety of styles. The more you move forward into the
apartments, the more you go back in time. As the great collector that he was, he adorned his estate
with his most beautiful works of art and his cherished books. He entertained a lot, as he enjoyed
showing off his very eclectic collections and sharing his passion for art and history. Without any
direct descendants, he searched for an heir that would guarantee him independence from the still
forming young Republic. He chose the "Institut de France" to which he left very precise instructions.
The works of art can never leave the castle nor can they ever be moved from where he placed them. He
died in Sicily on May 7, 1897, at the age of 75, and his will has been strictly enforced ever since
then.
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An Invitation to Travel... |
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Chantilly is still today one of the most beautiful princely estates in France. The greatest kings
and princes of France and Europe all visited it, and no doubt fell under its charm. King Henri IV
used to call Chantilly « the most beautiful house in France ». When one day he suggested to his
friend, Anne de Montmorency, to swap it for one of his own residences, the commander answered "Sire,
the house is yours, but please allow me to remain its caretaker". Today, in addition to its
architectural riches, you will find one of the most prestigious museums in France with an
extraordinarily well-stocked library that counts 13,000 books and 700 manuscripts, and hundreds
of exceptional works of art, sometimes arranged in a surprising manner but such was the will of
the last owner.
Chantilly wouldn’t be Chantilly without its magnificent racetrack, inaugurated in 1834, set up in
front of the Great Stables. More than 800 stable-boys and jockeys train close to 3,000 horses there
daily. Every year, in June, Chantilly takes on the international spotlight with the "Prix du Jockey
Club" and the "Prix de Diane Hermès". We also recommend you stop by the kitchen garden nearby where
you will discover the style as well as the vegetables that the Princes of Condé were fond of. There
are many recreational activities designed around a garden and nature theme that take place there
each day, much to the enjoyment of children.
You can contact the tourism office by email at: office at chantilly-tourisme.com
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A Tip from Sylvie:
The "American Friends of Chantilly" is Not-for-Profit Association run by
a group of francophiles who have been captivated by visits to Chateau de Chantilly. They assist with
restoration projects and organize private and exclusive tours to Paris and Chantilly. Next tour
June 2008. This tour will study the "illusions" in the gardens designed by André LeNotre including
Versailles, Vaux-le-Vicomte, the Tuileries and of course Chantilly.
For more information, contact Dr Roger Burgess, President, email: burg1927 at comcast.net and
+1 615 383 2852.
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