Hauts-de-France · Oise, France

Château de Chantilly

Razed after the Revolution and rebuilt by the Duc d'Aumale to house his collections, Chantilly's Musée Condé holds one of the finest gatherings of old-master paintings in France after the Louvre — displayed, by the terms of his bequest, exactly as he hung them. Le Nôtre's water gardens and the monumental Great Stables complete the ensemble.

At a glance

Built: Petit Château c. 1560; Grand Château rebuilt 1875–1882
Style: Renaissance and 19th-century Renaissance revival
Commissioned by: Montmorency and Condé families; rebuilt by Henri d'Orléans, Duc d'Aumale
Signature feature: The Musée Condé — Raphael, Fra Angelico and the Très Riches Heures du Duc de Berry
The bequest: Left to the Institut de France on condition the display never changes
Gardens: Grand parterre and canals by André Le Nôtre
Great Stables: Jean Aubert's 18th-century stables, home of the Living Museum of the Horse
Visiting: Open to visitors (closed Tuesdays in low season)