I’m a giant fan of Chantilly, a chic city surrounded by thick forests simply 55 km north of Paris. Its historic chateau relationship again to the French Renaissance maintain’s one of many nation’s most prestigious artwork collections, and the thatched-roof hamlet hidden within the huge gardens designed by Le Notre are supposedly what impressed Marie Antoinette to have the identical (“however greater”) in-built Versailles. The 18th-century stables – now housing a Dwelling Horse Museum – are even greater than the chateau itself, and function the backdrop to Chantilly’s hippodrome. It was additionally the villain’s lair within the Bond movie “A View to a Kill” (with Roger Moore, Christopher Walken, and Grace Jones).
Chantilly isn’t solely a beautiful different to Versailles for many who wish to escape the busloads of vacationers, nevertheless it’s additionally a pleasant daytrip for Parisians in want of some contemporary air. Summer time is nice as a result of you may totally benefit from the huge gardens and hamlet, and the stroll by means of the forest between the prepare station and the château is nice even on a sizzling day. However winter can be pretty, as a result of even on a “busy” day you received’t discover strains on the gatehouse ticket window nor rooms within the château so crowded you can’t even admire the attractive décor (or take “human-free” images, as my mom calls them). As you may see under, the grounds are equally enchanting in each seasons.
So how simple is it to get to Chantilly with no automobile? In idea it’s a snap (and twice as quick because the one-hour automobile journey): simply take the 24-minute TER prepare or 45-minute RER D from Gare du Nord prepare station in Paris to the Chantilly-Gouvieux station, after which a 25-minute stroll to the château.
Besides that even two Parisians — one who truly wrote a guidebook to Chantilly — virtually couldn’t determine it out.
Why? To not bore the pants off you, however every sort of public transportation in France is run by a special, and typically competing, group. The Metro in Paris and a part of the RER are run by RATP. However the remainder of the RER and French trains are run by SNCF. And throughout the SNCF there are even regional authorities. All of them need their very own tickets and their very own methods, too. When you’ve discovered French trains they’re superior. However good luck figuring them out!
Choose a Practice
For Chantilly, you’ll typically see web sites and guidebooks point out the choice of taking both the Transilien RER D (45 minutes) or the TER Hauts-de-France prepare ((previously referred to as TER Picardie), 24 minutes) from the Gare du Nord. Often they’re staggered by way of time, so at the least certainly one of them is operating roughly each hour or so. However if you happen to can select, go for the TER as a result of it’s sooner and often extra comfy (and makes fewer stops). And also you don’t must navigate the RER D maze within the bowels of the Gare du Nord station in Paris.
There are often at the least two trains an hour operating from 6am till 11pm, however there could be gaps that depart you ready bored within the station (with some fairly dodgy characters), or caught in Chantilly since you’ve missed the final prepare of the day, so test the schedule to plan your day accordingly.
Get Your Ticket
The Chantilly-Gouvieux station is definitely not within the Ile-de-France département, however in Picardie, precisely one station past the Navigo card eligibility zone. Which is a bummer as a result of it means it prices extra to get there: €9.50 every means final minute, or €5 every means if bought just a few days prematurely.
You may both buy your ticket by means of the SNCF Join app or web site, or simply buy on the Gare du Nord station. That is the place your two Parisians, after wandering round confused for 20 minutes, lastly needed to ask for assist: there are a number of completely different ticket home windows and ticket machines on the Gare du Nord, and the TER Hauts-de-France has its very personal! To search out them, search for the inexperienced ticket machines (pictured right here) proper on platforms 15, 16 and 17 of the “Grand Lignes” (these are the trains at floor degree “Corridor 1” of the Gare du Nord, don’t go downstairs). It’ll say “Hauts-de-France on them (circled in photograph under proper), however usually they’re the one inexperienced ones. They’re previous, sensitive machines, be affected person with them. 😉
There’s additionally a particular provide, Le Pack TER Chantilly, which for €27 combines return prepare fare plus common chateau entrance (or simply €1 for youths beneath 12). You should buy these passes both on the ticket counter on the station, on the little inexperienced ticket machine on the station, or on-line prematurely right here (click on “purchase” proper under the checklist of “The Benefits”). Notice that this doesn’t permit entrance to the momentary exhibitions, it’s only for the primary château, park and stables.
Discover the Practice
To get the prepare from Gare du Nord to Chantilly, it’s at all times on platforms 15, 16 or 17 in Corridor 1. Take a look at the Departures (Départs Grandes Lignes) board for the trains vacation spot Creil or Amiens (simply ensure that Chantilly is listed as one of many stops that’s proven under it). The precise platform received’t show till a couple of minutes earlier than boarding (earlier than that it’ll simply present the corridor the place you must wait). When doubtful, ask somebody who works there.
In the event you’re occurring a weekend, you’ll wish to be able to go as quickly because the platform is introduced, since you’ll be competing with the entire weekend cyclists making an attempt to get on the identical time (and whereas they need to let these on foot on first, they don’t). After we went at 11am on a Sunday, we couldn’t sit collectively as a result of it was so crowded (the 4pm return was a bit higher).
From the Station to the Château
The prepare trip to Chantilly is simply three stops, 24 minutes. From the station in Chantilly you may both try to hail a cab (not simple within the countryside) or look ahead to the free shuttle (I’ve by no means truly seen one), or make the most of the contemporary air and stroll to the château (20-25 minutes). You may both stroll by means of “city”, principally consisting of two primary streets — Avenue du Maréchal Joffre and Rue du Connétable — with the chateau on the far finish, or take the shortcut by means of the forest and across the hippodrome and stables (you’ll want footwear which are okay for mud and gravel on this case). Each instructions are completely secure and scenic in their very own means, however the shortcut by means of the forest is about 10 minutes sooner. In the event you want a café break or wish to cease in a bakery on the way in which, take the city route alongside Rue du Connétable.
Click on to see full measurement images with caption.
As there are many guides to the precise château, no have to increase on that right here, however I might suggest trying fastidiously on the official web site to see what’s at present displaying for the momentary exhibition, on the stables (they do horse reveals), and if there are any seasonal occasions just like the Christmas Market or the Flower Present.
You will get a 1-day (€18) or 2-day €23) ticket for entry to the château (together with momentary exhibitions within the château), grounds and nice stables (together with equestrian demonstrations). You too can get a €9 ticket only for the grounds (entry to the French formal backyard designed by Le Nôtre, the Anglo-Chinese language backyard and the English backyard), a €12 ticket only for the grounds and momentary exhibit within the Jeu de Paume (at present the illuminated manuscript “Très Riches Heures du duc de Berry” from 7 June to five October), in addition to a €32 ticket that features the entire above plus a horse present within the stables. There are a lot of choices if you understand what you wish to see or not see. A bit like Versailles, you could want two days if you wish to see “all the things” together with the Hamlet within the gardens. In any other case, if you happen to can’t resolve, get the usual 1-day ticket and begin with the château, then the grounds, and ending on the stables.
Provisions and Consuming
There are a number of locations to dine on the chateau and within the city, nevertheless it wouldn’t damage to have some snacks and a thermos of espresso or bottle of water with you for the journey. On hotter days, reserve a spot on the Hamlet for open-air lunch or afternoon tea with strawberries and whipped cream, which is known as chantilly in French as a result of it was supposedly invested right here! Picnics are allowed on the tables within the English Backyard and close to the playground and the Hamlet.
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