CHANTILLY PARIS
The name should sound familiar creme Chantilly is the French term for “whipped cream,” and the creamy concoction was first made in this town. The 14th- to 19th-century Chateau de Chantilly is a whimsically Baroque amalgam of Gothic extravagance, Renaissance geometry, and flashy Victorian omamental-ism. The triangular-shaped chateau is surrounded by a moat, lakes, canals, and the simple, elegant Le Notre gardens (no Versailles fireworks here). With the architecturally masterful Grandes Ecuries (stables) and world-class Musee Conde, it’s a wonder that this lovely chateau has stayed a hidden treasure for so long. ( 03 44 62 62 62. Open Mar-Oct. M and W-Su 10am-6pm; Nov.-Feb. M and W-Su 10:30am-12:45pm and 2-5pm. Gardens 3, students 2; to gardens and chateau 7, students 6.) Trains run from the Gare du Nord (Grandes Lignes) to Chantilly Gou-vieux (35min. approximately every hr. 5am-midnight, round-trip 12). Free and frequent navettes (shuttles) to the chateau: Catch one just to the left as you exit the train station; take direction Senlis. Otherwise, the chateau is a 30min. walk from the station your only option Su when the shuttle is not running.
