I am going on an old tradition in my family especially my mother’s side, horse racing. I have been to many in NJ and Fl USA as well as Madrid, Spain. Needless, to say I have been to the ones in France , several of them. However, no where is more real and precious than on the home of the horse, Chantilly!! I like to update this older post with new text and links for you and me, Hope you enjoy the post on the Hippodrome of Chantilly as I.
The Hippodrome de Chantilly (Racecourse) was inaugurated in 1834. It is located on the edge of a forest near the Château de Chantilly (see posts) and covers 65 hectares. This is where the Jockey Club Award for males and females has been held since 1836, and since 1843 the Prix de Diane for females. These two events are flat races. There are about 42 race days a year , it can change with the year. The racecourse is the property of the Institut de France (owner of the whole domaine), but the racecourse is managed by France Galop for the maintenance of the tracks and the days of races. Room management and leasing of commercial space are managed by the Foundation for the Safeguarding and Development of the Domaine de Chantilly of the Aga Khan.
After the first race dating from 1834, the route of the current tracks dates from 1879. These are originally all grass and are 25 to 30 meters wide. The finishing line is 600 meters uphill with 10 meters in altitude over the last 800 meters which makes it particularly selective. You might be ablet to tell (not me) a large track (or Jockey Club track) of 2,400 meters (finish line 600 meters, elevation 10 meters uphill over the last 800 meters, course from 1600 to 4800 meters), A straight line of 1 200 meters (1,000 to 1,200 meters course), a track average of 2,150 meters (finish line 550 meters, elevation 10 meters uphill, course 1,600 to 2,600 meters), A round track, 1,400 meters course at 2,400 meters a 1,900 meter fiber-sand track (finish line of 550 meters and width of 20 meters), the first laid out on one of the Paris racecourses, in autumn 2011. There exists in total 13 possible starting points. The Hippodrome de Chantilly racecourse can currently accommodate 30,000 spectators, including 2,300 in the stands seated. To replace the first temporary stands built in 1835, the Duke of Aumale, owner of the land, built two new Anglo-Norman style stands in 1847. These were rebuilt in 1881. The weighing building was built in 1891. The tribune of the committee, former tribune of the prince, was rebuilt in 1911.
Several courses are held here, but the two main ones are the Prix du Jockey in June, 2100 meters for the horses of 3 yrs old and the Prix de Diane also in june, of 2100 meters for the fillies of 3 yrs both races considered top Group 1. The tracks are used to train racehorses every Tuesday. There is 2,000 gallops per year for 800 horses. Jumping de Chantilly: two jumping competition meetings held each year on the racecourse: the Grand National in April the International Jump Competition (CSI) five stars in July. In 2010, Chantilly joined the Global Champions Tour and earned its fifth star, becoming the 2nd CSI of France with Cannes. For this occasion, a 150 m by 100 m fiber grass track is permanently installed in the center of the race tracks, west of the racecourse. It also serves the ground regularly for spot kite practice.
Some interesting historical dates on the hippodrome or racecourse of Chantilly, me think
1537 : The Constable Anne de Montmorency limits the forest of Chantilly for the needs of hunting with hounds. 1662 : The Grand Condé calls André Le Nôtre to his service. This one traces great paths in the forest for the practice of hunting with hounds. 1720 :
Louis-Henri de Bourbon Condé had the Great Stables built for his hunting crews. 1833 : First informal race on the Chantilly Lawn. Creation of the Encouragement Society for the Improvement of the Horse Breed (future France Galop). 1834 :Creation of the hippodrome on the Lawn made available by the Orléans family and organization of the first races on May 15, 1834. : Foundation of the circle of the Jockey Club. 1836 : Creation of the Prix du Jockey Club, known as the Chantilly derby. 1843 : Creation of the Prix de Diane. 1847 : Construction of the first stands by the architect Grisart at the request of the Duke of Aumale. 1881 :Faced with the influx of the public on racing days, new stands are built by the architect Daumet, at the request of the Duke of Aumale . 1890 : Faced with the lack of space in the city center, creation of the Bois Saint-Denis district to install the racing stables. 1897 :Chantilly train station being too small to accommodate all the racegoers coming from Paris on grand prix days, the Gare des Courses is created: 12 tracks on the platform that can absorb 25,000 people in 2 hours! 1898 : Creation of the Jockeys Hospital. Invention of the “American riding” by the jockey Tod Sloan.1915 :The Great War or WWI interrupts the races at Chantilly. The racecourse closes for 4 years. 1939 : Pharis, horse of Marcel Boussac and trained in Chantilly is the “horse of the century” but during the Nazis invasion Pharis is seized and taken by force to Germany. 1940 :The Eagles training ground is requisitioned and becomes a military airfield. The racecourse is closed. 1948 : Reopening of the racecourse and the Les Aigles course. 1962 : First attempt to use the starting stalls at Chantilly. They will be generalized on all racecourses in 1964. 1974 : Queen Elizabeth II of England comes to Chantilly and sees her mare Highclere win the Prix de Diane. 1984 : Creation of the Living Horse Museum (see post) and equestrian shows by Yves and Annabel Bienaimé in the Great Stables of Chantilly. A copy of the Renommée is installed on the dome. 1994 : Rescue of the Chantilly racecourse threatened with closure, thanks to the mobilization of all local players. A campaign of major works to modernize the racecourse is launched. 2010 :Host of the Global Champions’ Tour. Chantilly is now registered in the world Jumping calendar. 2012 : Development of a fiber sand track or PSF on the racecourse allowing the organization of more than 40 days of meetings per year in Chantilly. The track was officially used for the first time on March 3, 2012. Azeville, a 3-year-old filly trained in Pau by François Rohaut, was the first official winner on the fiber sand track at the Chantilly racecourse. 2013 :Opening of the new Living Horse Museum in the Great Stables of Chantilly.
The official France Gallop on Chantilly : https://www.france-galop.com/en/hippodromechantilly
The official Chantilly-Senlis tourist office on the racecourse : https://www.chantilly-senlis-tourisme.com/en/la-destination/terre-de-cheval/lhippodrome-de-chantilly
There you go folks, another way to come and enjoy Chantilly, a real passionate place for horses, you like horses? you will be royally welcome in Chantilly. Again, hope you enjoy the hippodrome de Chantilly as I
And remember, happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all !!!
Paris1972-Versailles2003 