- Your step :Royal Châteaux and picturesque villages
- Start :Chantilly
- Finish :Chantilly
- Km :230
Step 1: Chantilly to Vallée de l’Automne
- Step 1
- Step 2
- Accommodation
Begin by discovering the superb Château de Chantilly, home to historic royal apartments and the Musée Condé with its remarkable art collection. The town’s former Grand Stables now house the Musée Vivant du Cheval with its exhibitions and annually-changing horse shows, while the neighbouring racecourse hosts major flat-racing events as well as the Chantilly Arts & Elégance Richard Mille classic-car show.
Wander the Château’s Le Nôtre designed gardens, then try authentic Chantilly cream in La Capitainerie in the château’s former kitchens.
From here, make a leisurely 7-kilometre detour south to the Etangs de Commelles in Chantilly Forest – the perfect spot for peaceful walks alongside small lakes dotted by old mill workings. Then drive 11 km north-east to Senlis, home to one of the oldest, smallest cathedrals in France – one that provides excellent insights into the evolution of the French Gothic style. Other highlights of this former royal city are the ruins and parkland of the 12th-century palace built for Louis VI le Gros, the twice-weekly markets, and Le Comptoir Senlisien tea-room.
Another 14 km east, Duvy is noteworthy for the old manor visible from the road as you head towards Crépy-en-Valois. On the outskirts of Crépy 3km further along, spot the ruins of the Prieuré Saint-Arnoul and the old town walls. You can walk these ramparts, as well as stroll Crépy’s medieval old town and visit its archery museum.
Crépy is the gateway to the 35km Vallée de l’Automne, with 35 church spires providing a complete overview of medieval rural church architecture, as well as Gallo-Roman ruins, abbeys and chapels, castles and manors, and roadside washhouses.
The 35 Spires of the Vallée de l’Automne
A scenic tourist route taking in Gallo-Roman ruins, abbeys, chapels, castles, manor houses, roadside washhouses and villages little changed by time,...
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Auberge du Jeu de Paume, Chantilly
The stunning location of the Auberge du Jeu de Paume's La Table du Connétable, with its vast windows opening onto the lawns and gardens of the...
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Step 2: Vallée de l’Automne to Chantilly
- Step 1
- Step 2
- Accommodation
Discover the Château de Pierrefonds, which doubled for Camelot in the BBC’s Merlin. Dating from the 12th century but rebuilt in the medieval style for Napoléon III by Viollet-le-Duc, don't miss the eerie sound-and-light display in the dungeons with their antique royal statues. From Pierrefonds it’s a 16km drive north through Compiègne Forest to the Clairière de l’Armistice, a tranquil glade where the World War I peace treaty was signed, now home to the Musée de l’Armistice.
Refuel at the Auberge du Pont in Rethondes 7km south-east, with gourmet dining on a terrace by a lily-covered pond in summer. Or drive 7km west to Compiègne, where the Bistrot du Terroir delights with its rustic-chic decor and classic cuisine.
Explore the Palais de Compiègne, where a tour of the royal apartments includes Empress Marie Louise's chamber with its view along the Percée des Beaux-Monts avenue, created for her by Napoleon I. The château also houses early automobiles museum, parkland with rose garden with a tea-room and lovely terrace.
Heading 9km south-east, you come to Vieux Moulin, home to a church designed by Viollet-le-Duc for Empress Eugénie. Another 7km south lies equally charming Saint-Jean-aux-Bois with its ancient abbey and winding streets, bedecked by flowers in summer. Both villages are ideal starting points for roaming the 14,500-hectare Forêt de Compiègne – the third-largest national forest, with plenty of walking/cycling paths.
South of the forest runs the Vallée de l’Automne riverside route including 35 medieval churches and other historic architecture. At Morienval 9km south of St-Jean-aux-Bois, visit the Benedictine abbey with its rose garden featuring more than 200 varieties by David Austin. Other must-sees are the Château d'Orrouy 17km west of Morienval, and the Gallo-Roman ruins at Champlieu a further 6km to the north.
En route back to Chantilly, stop off at Abbaye du Moncel Pontpoint 20km from Champlieu, and the Prieuré St Christophe in Fleurines 7km from Moncel. From here it’s 24km to Chantilly, where the Château de Montvillargenne with its spa, gourmet restaurant and extensive grounds is a haven of relaxation.
Enjoy your road trip to discover French chateaux and pictoresque villages.
