Posts tagged ‘Europe’

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March 16, 2023

More of the Notre Dame Basilica of Alençon !!

Let me take you back to Alençon, the wonderful historical town of the Orne in Normandy. This time will tell you more about a hugely historical church ; part of the history of France, Europe, and the World. Hope you enjoy the post on the Notre Dame Basilica of Alençon !! as I,

The Basilica of Notre-Dame (see post) is a Gothic architecture church located in the Place de la Magdelaine in city center of Alençon in the pedestrian area. Its construction was begun by Charles III, Duke of Alençon at the time of the Hundred Years War in 1356 to end in the 19C. The Notre Dame Church, because of the importance of the pilgrimage in the footsteps of Saint Thérèse of the Child Jesus and her parents, Blessed Louis and Zélie Martin ,who became saints in October 2015, is elevated to the rank of basilica by Pope Benedict XVI in August 2009.

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A Romanesque church, already dedicated to Notre-Dame in her Assumption, existed on this site in the 12C. It depended on a priory founded by the Abbey of Lonlay. Then became a parish church, it was enlarged, The collection of stained glass, the elegance of the 15C nave and the fully restored organ are worth a visit indeed. More of these below on new text and links.

The eleven windows of the 16C are incomparable witnesses of the art of the glass painters of the Renaissance. Over the centuries, they have undergone many restorations that have enabled us to preserve this heritage. They were sheltered during WWII. Dominating the case of the great organs c1540, the Tree of Jesse was donated in 1511 by the brotherhood of Notre-Dame de l’Angevine, which brought together the leather professions. A cartouche at the bottom of the window presents the Nativity of the Virgin. The five windows on the north side illustrate fundamental biblical stories in the History of Salvation; the Creation, the Original Fault, the Sacrifice of Abraham, the Passage of the Red Sea and the cycle of Moses and the Brazen Serpent c1543. Those in the South present episodes from the life of Mary known from the Gospels or recounted in the Golden Legend: the Presentation of the Virgin in the Temple, the marriage of the Virgin, the Virgin of Mercy, the Annunciation and the Visitation, the Dormition and the Assumption. It is possible to understand the spatial arrangement of each of the themes by associating them in an analogical way: the presentation of Mary ,new Eve, facing the presentation of Eve to Adam, the human marriage facing the Mystical Marriage. In the middle of the nave, two sacrifices answer each other; the sacrifice, forbidden by God, of the only son of Abraham and the Sacrifice, granted by God, of his Only Son to save men. Likewise, the Law symbolized by Moses is fulfilled by the coming into our flesh of Jesus. The windows closest to the sanctuary deal on the one hand with the bad death, that to which sin inexorably leads, and the Good Death, that of Mary, who consecrated her life to the Love of God.

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During the restorations of the Notre Dame Church in the 19C, historiated stained glass windows for the windows of the chapels were inaugurated in 1884. Blown away by the bombardments in 1944, they were replaced between 1986 and 1996 for the Chapel of the Sacred Heart. The Chapel of the Baptistery retains a stained glass window recalling the baptism in this place, on January 4, 1873, of Thérèse Martin, the future Saint Thérèse of the Child Jesus and of the Holy Face, proclaimed Doctor of the Church in 1997, year of the centenary. of her death. Around the Coronation of the Virgin, figures of Blessed Margaret of Lorraine and Saint Thérèse of the Child Jesus, stained glass windows created in the 1930s

It should also be noted that new large organs were installed in 2016 in the case dating from 1537. There is mention of an organ in the church from 1506/1508. In 1537, a new instrument was ordered , The remarkable case of French Renaissance, which we can admire today, restored to its original light colors. A historical chronological view on the organ of the Basilique Notre Dame d’Alençon.

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From 1652 to 1657, the organ was restored. At the end of the 17C, again was restored . In 1804 and 1805, it was carried out repairs following the damage caused by the French revolution. In 1862, the case was classified as a Historic Monument and restore, or even rebuild the instrument, in an obviously very different style. In 1944, the organ suffered enormously from the Allied bombings of WWII. At the end of the 1960s, the organ was damaged by restoration work on the vault and in 1976 it became mute. In 2008, the city of Alençon approved the restoration project of the historic buffet and the reconstruction of a new instrument. In 2012, the contract for this work was awarded. From 2014 to 2016, the organcase was completely dismantled and restored . The original colours, as they appear in the 1537 contract, have been restored. It is neither a baroque or classical instrument, nor a romantic or symphonic instrument, nor a neo-classical organ from the 20C… It is a real contemporary creation.The instrument has 33 real stops on three manuals and pedalboard, with mechanical transmission of the keyboards and electromechanical stops. The sound layout allows the interpretation of different repertoires, from the 17C to the 21C. The instrument was inaugurated on September 1, 2016.

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The city of Alençon on its heritage : http://www.alencon.fr/mes-sortiesmon-temps-libre/tourisme-et-patrimoine/monuments-et-architecture/

The Alençon tourist office on its religious heritage: http://www.visitalencon.com/alen%C3%A7on-ville-sanctuaire-sainte-th%C3%A9r%C3%A8se?lang=en

The Sanctuary towns of France on Alençon: https://www.villes-sanctuaires.com/en/villes-sanctuaires/alencon

There you go folks, a memorable beautiful Notre Dame Basilica on a very nice pleasant Alençon. Again, hope you enjoy the post as I, And remember, happy travels, good health and many cheers to all !!!

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March 14, 2023

The Angelina Cafe of Versailles !!!

You are aware of the Angelina 226 ,rue de Rivoli, Paris and even maybe the one inside the palace of Versailles, but did you know there is another one way back in the gardens by the Petit Trianon ? This was our walks while living in Versailles, and playground with the boys and of course, stop for a nice coffee early in the morning here or lunch , I have briefly mentioned in other posts but feel deserves a post of its own in my blog, A new post/text using older pictures. Therefore, here is my take on the Angélina Café of Versailles !!!

The one most are familiar with is in the Cour des Princes, pavillon d’Orléans, Chateau de Versailles. However go country and visit the coffee shop at the Maison du Suisses in the Petit Trianon side building inside domain properties. Refine , a must for pastries and hot chocolates for me! Our break from walks and jogging in the gardens by the Petit Trianon!

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This is our Angelina by the Allée des 2 Trianon by the Petit Trianon. As said above, this was our hangout when jogging/ walking in the domaine property at the time of me living there; enormous, awesome, grandiose magnifique to have a light meal while looking at the Palace gardens , the back view and the Petit Trianon next to you!!  Angelina installs during the beautiful days a beautiful terrace under the trees, in front of the Petit Trianon; you can have wonderful ice creams here. .You get your oders inside the house , then you brings your trays outside. There is a very nice outdoor terrace of 100 seats and heated in Winter; great for a coffee or hot tea indeed glorious!.

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A bit of history I like tell us that it was in 1903 that the Austrian confectioner Antoine Rumpelmeyer founded Angelina, thus baptized in honor of his daughter-in-law. For more than a century, the tea room located opposite the Tuileries Gardens in Paris has established itself as a Mecca for Parisian gourmet pleasures. As soon as it opened, Angelina became the unmissable meeting place for the Parisian aristocracy. Proust, Coco Chanel and the greatest French fashion designers have met in its salons… Now find the whole atmosphere of this century-old house as part of your visit to the Domaine de Versailles. A unique place to savor the famous hot chocolate and the indescribable Mont-Blanc whose century-old secrets remain well guarded. They are now in several places inside and outside France.

The official Angelina on the Petit Trianon cafe :https://angelina-paris.fr/en/versailles-domaine-de-trianon

The official palace of Versailles on the Angelina by the Petit Trianon :https://en.chateauversailles.fr/node/659/angelina-petit-trianon

There you go folks, slow down your visit to the Palace of Versailles , take 2-3 days see it all and walk all the way back to the Petit Trianon to savour this French institution ,Angelina salon de thé on the terrace with full view of the back of the palace, sublime, Again, hope you enjoy the post as I

And remember, happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all !!!

Posted in Europe, Food and Wine, France, Paris | Leave a Comment »

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March 13, 2023

The Avenue de Paris of Versailles !!!

Back at you to update this older post on one of the most if not the most famous street of my dear Versailles, Again here is glorious and as said, Versailles is a lot more than the palace, The city is a treasure vault of historical, architectural wonders and the best way is to walk it; the city is not big, easily walkable. Therefore, let me tell you about the Avenue de Paris of Versailles !!! Hope you enjoy it as I.

We all cross it,  walk it ,and things to do , the grand the beautiful and the architecturally stunning if you look closely Avenue de Paris , The avenue is the old royal road that connected the palace of Versailles with the palace of the Louvre in Paris, In fact as you go by car as I, you come into Versailles on the Avenue de Paris and come into Paris on the Avenue de Versailles ; the now D910 or D10 road !! The Avenue de Paris was created in 1682, the central axis of the Trident set up by Jules Hardouin-Mansart (avenues of Sceaux, Paris, Saint Cloud). One of the widest avenues of France (97 meters). The avenue was planted with a double mail of elms then replaced by sycamore trees due to elm disease.

And yes it is walkable, worth the effort me think, you should try it, A wonderful sights of architecturally and historically stunning buildings along the way, Enjoy the Avenue de Paris of Versailles !!!

versailles avenue de paris to chateau mar13

The main things you can see, me think are :

At No. 1: Grande Ecurie (stables)  of the king.  Now houses the city’s Archives  open (Consultation room) from Tuesday to Friday from 14h to 17h45 amongst many others see other post.  The reason why it is shown in the Avenue de Paris, as the Petite Ecurie done to the Place d’Armes. N 2 bis: Old Porch (Pullman Hotel) remains of the artillery barracks created by Napoleon III (see the N of Napoleon on the entrance door and the Napoleonic Eagle on the entrance to the  Avenue du Général-de-Gaulle). The barracks was destroyed in 1988 to make way for the shopping district of the Les Ménages (where you can buy tickets for the Château). N  3: central Post Office building .  N ° 4 Hôtel de Ville  (city/town hall)  of Versailles, ( a must to visit you can) former hotel of the Princess of Conti (Marie-Anne de Bourbon, daughter of Louis XIV and the Marquise de Lavaliere), and then of the Grand masters of the castle. The lower part overlooking the avenue of General de Gaulle dates from the reign of Louis XIV and was the first city/town hall. The more imposing part, Neo Louis XIII style and overlooking the Avenue de Paris, dated 1897-1900. N  6: Carved portal of the Hotel des gendarmerie de la garde de Louis XV, built in 1737 , barracks until 1908 and current departmental department of Tax Services restored in 2014. Concentrate in its upper part, mainly around the bull’s eye, the carved decor is made up of military trophy falls (with armour and helmets of wars), garlands of flowers, fins and shells, whose finesse and richness make it a masterpiece of  rocaille stone art. It bears the motto of the gendarmes of the guard of the King: “Quo Jubet iratus Jupiter” or where Jupiter furiously orders.  N 11-13 Préfecture of Versailles (dept government of Yvelines). Succeeding in 1792 at the Vénerie (the King’s hunting kennel) and at the narrow rue des Reservoirs, the former hotel of the department, then prefecture in 1800,  was inaugurated in 1867. The prefecture was occupied in 1870 by the King of Prussia and his staff, then by Adolphe Thiers, Mac-Mahon and Jules Grevy as hotel of the Presidency of the French Republic until 1879. The prefecture and the Yvelines General Council have been occupying the premises since 1880.  N  15: School of Music founded by Emile Cousin in 1878 (then transferred to Rue de Jouvencel).  N 19: Police hotel in place of the old monumental stables of the Countess du Barry mistress of Louis XV, built in 1772, then owned by the Comte de Provence brother of Louis XVI , and himself later Louis XVIII . The buildings housed the lancers of Napoleon’s Imperial Guard who were killed in Waterloo, then the Montbauron barracks. They are now home to the police station. N  21: The old hotel of the Countess du Barry, built in 1751, and today Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Val d’Oise (95) and Yvelines(78) since 1937.

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At N ° 22 the hotel Menus Plaisirs. This hotel was raised by Louis XV and occupied by the administration of the Menus-Plaisirs between 1739 and 1745. It housed the workshops of sets and the material of the Games and shows related to the festivities of the King and the court. A provisional room hosted the assembly of Notables in 1787-88, and finally the deputies summoned to the States General on May 5, 1789 by the King. It was in this room that the abolition of privileges and the declaration of Human and Citizen Rights were voted on. It was bought and demolished in 1800. The hotel became a cavalry barracks, then the technical services of the city were lodged from 1942 to 1988. Since 1987, it houses the Center of Baroque Music of Versailles which produces concerts and shows in France and abroad and brings together a research center and a singing school.  No. 28: Prison for women. It was installed in 1789 at the site of a former boarding school built in 1750. Then the state bought it in 1857 and enlarged the place in 1860.  N  31: Lycée Jean-de-la-Bruyère, (high school) named after the moralistic writer who died in Versailles in 1696. It was named in 1962.  N 38-40: Chamber of Notaries. Hotel of the time of Louis XVI.  N 63 Pavillon de Provence, former residence of Monsieur, brother of the king and king Louis XVIII was born here. From 1922 to 1940, the abode housed the eastern Normal School of Daughters of the Universal Israelite Alliance. From 1946 to 1962, it was taken over by the children’s relief work and welcomed Elie Wiesel, the Nobel Peace Prize in 1986.  N 68: Convent of Solitude belonging to the Sisters of Notre-Dame du Cénacle. This building associated with an English park of the late 17C, reworked in the 19C, belonged to the Earl of Vergennes, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Louis XVI from 1775 to 1787.  N  70: Lycée Marie Curie, (high school) named after the French physicist and chemist, of Polish origin, who received twice the Nobel Prize for her research on radiation and radium in 1903 and 1911. N  73 Domaine de Madame Elizabeth.(see post) Owned by the community of Célestins monks, having been redeemed and built by the Prince and Princess of Rohan-Guéméné, then by Louis XVI, it was given as a gift to his sister who was later guillotined in 1792. Manufacture of watchmaking at the French revolution.  The Yvelines General Council bought it in 1983 as well as the Orangerie in 1997.  In 2016, the park designed in the English way before the revolution, allows to appreciate a remarkable collection of native and exotic forest species such as American oak, purple beech, lime tree, sycamore trees etc, a garden of aromatic plants and demonstrations of permaculture and a pet park. N  89 Reliefs above the door of the Vauban School, made in 1957; They represent Le Nôtre and Vauban. 

Versailles ave de Paris to Paris mars11

At N 90 bis: Old ponds where the stream of Madame Elisabeth’s English park was poured. Then replaced by a rose garden in the Truffaut nurseries, then by the residence of the Roseraie. At N 93: Robert de Montesquiou-Fezensac , one of the personalities of the Literary and Social Society of the late 19C, was a tenant from 1894. In particular, he received Marcel Proust and Sarah Bernhardt.  N  109-109 bis: Congregation of the Servant Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.  N  111 Parc Chauchard with the picturesque and vast music pavilion of Madame, Countess of Provence, sister-in-law of Louis XVI and wife of Louis XVIII, built around 1780. This pavilion is associated with a small enclosed rectangular garden at the end of which is the statue of Alfred Chauchard. Madame’s park was cut in two in the French revolution, one that later became the Lycée Sainte-Geneviève (1913 high school), the other for several successive owners, including the last Alfred Chauchard, founder of the department stores of the Louvre in Paris, which was the place for his most deserving workers who became owners in 1902.  

In 1824, the city built, on the orders of the Marquis de la Londe, mayor of the 3rd arrondissement of Seine et Oise, pavilions to collect the grant, the Grille d’Octroi . Thus the avenue de Paris is equipped at the entrance to Versailles on either side of the central artery with two pavilions. Iron gates spanning the entire width of Avenue de Paris were also installed. These pavilions and gates made it possible to control the passage of goods and to tax them. The building on the left when coming from Paris contained the collection office while the building on the right was used to house the attendants. As the grant had become a tax that hampered the development of economic activity, the city decided to abolish it in February 1943 and replace it with the collection of local taxes. The buildings are therefore decommissioned and the gates removed. Finally, the crossroads was redeveloped in 1993 to make it safer, while the pavilions were saved and today form a symbolic entrance into the city. Around it you have the square or Place Louis XIV, and here finishes the Avenue de Paris on the edge of the town of Viroflay.

versailles avenue de paris porte d'octroi 2012

The Mayor’s office of the City of Versailles :https://www.versailles.fr/38/mairie/mairie-de-versailles.htm

The Versailles tourist office on its heritage :https://en.versailles-tourisme.com/visiting-the-city.html

There you go folks, a little bit of my beloved Versailles, a town full of history of France and the world, that needs more personal and up close attention by you all. Like I said, Versailles is a lot more than the palace !! Again, hope you enjoy the post as I,

And remember, happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all !!!

Posted in Europe, France, Versailles | 2 Comments »

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March 13, 2023

Some streets of Versailles !!!

So in my ongoing efforts to bring you to Versailles more than the palace; let me update for you and me some streets of Versailles !!! The city is a treasure vault of historical, architectural wonders and the best way is to walk it; the city is not big, easily walkable. So, here are some of the streets I like the most,and see my other posts on them, Hope you enjoy it as I,

I will start with the Rue Colbert. Named after Jean-Baptiste Colbert who was one of the principal ministers of king Louis XIV . He developed the French colonial factories and companies. At  N 1: Hotel de Grammont until 1809.  N  5, Hotel de Villacerf, property at the end of the 19C of Prince Roland Bonaparte.  N 7 former Hotel of Choiseul, then of Villeroy, which housed in 1870-71 the Prussian minister of War and his services.  N 13: Current EDF, (electricity company in France) location of the former hotel of Aumont under the old regime and home of Charles-Frédéric Nepveu, architect of the château under Louis-Philippe, at the end of his life. One of the streets very close to the Castle across from the Royal Chapel.

versailles-av-colbert-nov12

The Rue Georges Clemenceau is the old rue Saint-Pierre et du  Vermandois in 1684 until the kennel. There was a fountain there.  The name of the French politician , nicknamed “The Tiger” and the “Father of the Victory”, who was president of the Council from 1906 to 1909 and from 1917 to 1920.  The street extends through the place André-Mignot, former Place de la Vénérie-Royale , then the Tribunaux. At No. 5 and No. 7: Current Monoprix convenient dept store (many times shop here!) . At the entrance to the wonderful  passage Saint-Pierre at N 19: Former property of the Lambinet family, (Jean-François was mayor of Versailles in 1848) who gave his name to the museum of the same name and city of Versailles museum located on Avenue de la Reine. This disect the Avenue de Paris and the Avenue de Saint Cloud, and great for shopping at Monoprix! and the Post Office but as you can see nice buildings even here too.

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And closer to home base, this is the Rue Carnot , the former Rue de la Pompe  (pump) name due to the water tower, built in 1665 to No. 7 house which fed at the beginning of the reign of Louis XIV the reservoir of the Cave of Tethys from the pond of Clagny. The pumping was done with a horse wagon ride.  It was later named after the President of the French Republic Sadi Carnot.  At  N  1: Carnot Elementary School. Former Hotel de Noailles, owned by the family of the Marquis de La Fayette’s wife who stayed there. Acquired by the city in 1867. N  2a  Neoclassical facade. Former property of Antoine Gibus, a hat maker ,from 1862 to 1870 (his name designates a top hat), then more recently René Aubert President of the Académie de Versailles.  No. 5: Stables of King Louis XIV in 1672, then of the Queen and the Dauphine; Prison in the French revolution, then barracks of the Queen’s Quarter and today Court of Appeal of Justice. N  6: Former hotel of the Duc de Bouillon,  N 10: Entrance of the stables of Monsieur, Duke of Orléans (brother of King Louis XIV).  N° 11: Facade of the Pavilion of the Springs (House of the caretakers) built in 1683 with drinking water reservoir for the city. The water was derived from the sources of the towns of Rocquencourt and Chesnay (today one town). N  12: Old hotel of Duras and Montmorency, then Bath spa Hotel.  N 40: Former Hôtel de la Roche or Royal Pavilion (family whose members were caretakers of the menagerie).  N 44: Former Café Amaury at the corner of the Avenue de Saint-Cloud, in 1789 place of meeting of the Breton Club (the third State) from where the Club des Jacobins of Paris came out. Picture from rue Carnot entering the passage antiques of the rue des Deux Portes !

Versailles rue Carnot to rue de deux portes 2013

Back closer to the castle and one of my favorite street that loved to walked many times is the Rue des Reservoirs . Created in 1672, the old street of the trough located at the entrance of the Rue de la Paroisse. The name of the reservoirs of the castle built in 1685 and now extinct due to the construction of the north wing of the castle. They were located above Madame de Pompadour’s hotel.  At  N  2-4: Hotel of the government (of the Governor of Versailles), former Hotel of Louvois built in 1672, renovated in 1778. Attributed to the Ministry of War in 1834. In 2015, rehabilitation of public offices in private housing.  N 6: Hôtel Ecquevilly  named after the captains of the Hunters of Saint-Germain.  N  7 Hotel of Reservoirs built  at the beginning of the 20C. It replaced the private mansion of Madame de Pompadour and the one in the king’s storage room. The aerial pump of water from the reservoirs was located before 1750 here. It was the Government Hotel from 1765 to 1789 before knowing several owners and being bought by the State in 1934 and assigned to the castle. N  8 former Hotel de Sérent rebuilt.  N 9-11 Hotel du Garde-Meuble de la Couronne (or wardrobe of the Crown) built in 1784 . It housed the prefecture of Seine-et-Oise from 1800 to 1867. Rehabilitation in 2015 in apartments of standing with underground parking. N  13 Théâtre Montansier, current Theater Municipal de Versailles, built in 1776 by Mademoiselle de Montansier, founder and director of numerous Parisian theatres (including those of the Palais-Royal and the Variétés).It was inaugurated in the presence of Louis XVI and Marie-Antoinette in 1777. It is distinguished by its entirely round room and its blue and gold decor.  N  16: Hotel of the family of the Trémoïlle (duke of Thouars) put on sale after the French revolution now not well kept. N 19: (at the intersection with the Rue de la Paroisse), building where Ferdinand de Lesseps was born in 1852.  N  22 Hôtel de Condé where lived and died Jean de La Bruyère  and was born General Gaspard Gourgaud, a memorialist of Napoleon. Now Seventh-day Adventist Church.  N  27: (at the intersection with the Boulevard de la Reine), a building where the painter Henri-Eugène le Sidaner lived .  N 36: Former Hotel Vatel, one of the best restaurants of Versailles in 1900, disappeared in the 1980’s. And these are just the main buildings I like !!

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And this one is hotter still , very close to my home. And a must to walk by as it is close to the Castle but also the Notre Dame market! As well as the historical significant Notre Dame Church (back was my home area!). The Rue de la Paroisse; this one is the one I cross most often at home. Filled with the sandy lands of the summit of the Butte de Montbauron under Louis XIV. At  N 1: Location of the trough removed with the drying of the pond of Clagny from 1770, then land acquired by Soufflot architect of the Pantheon and now the Notre Dame market. N  7a: House of the lawyer Albert Joly in 1869.  N  11: Hotel Pièche from the beginning of the 18C with facade ornaments of the late 19C. Jean-Joseph Pièche was a musician from the King’s chamber. See the dogs seated and the garlands of flowers carved between the windows. He would have seen Rameau and Boucher pass. It was restored between the two wars. N  15 House with the sign of the royal mark in the 18C.  N  35: Notre-Dame Church created in 1686.  N  37-39-41 former House of the mission of Notre-Dame (1686); Order founded by Saint-Vincent-de-Paul.  N 43: Supposedly the house of Dionis surgeon of Louis XIV.  N 49: House of Félix de Tassy, surgeon of Louis XIV .N  53 Hotel de Bretagne, house of Guy Fagon, surgeon of Louis XIV (or the name of Saint-Côme patron of Surgeons, formerly attributed to this portion of street).  N 63: House at the Grande Fontaine, by the name of Fontaine, the public works contractor who resided there under Louis XIV.  N  79 building with the sign of the Rising Sun. Birth House of the poet Jean-François Ducis.  N  2 and 4 House of the caretakers built under Louis XVI.  At No. 4 lived Joseph-Adrien Le Roi, head of Clinic at the hospice and historian of the Streets of Versailles (1860).  N  6-6 bis 8-10  Hôtel de Saxena: stable of the Dauphine mother of Louis XVI, then Hôtel de Berry belonging to the Comte de Provence.(bro of Louis XVI and later king Louis XVIII) N  28: Restaurant of the Comte de Toulouse.  N  32 In 1811, owned by the wife of Etienne Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire , zoologist at the Natural History Museum.. No.14 or 15 Location of Madame de Maintenon charitable home, rebuilt in 1772. N  112, in 1734 Auberge Au roi Charlemagne  cabaret in Versailles. Again, some of the buildings I like while walking there,lots more a wonderful street.

versailles-rue-de-la-paroisses-to-market-nd-aug12

There you go folks, a little bit of my beloved Versailles, a town full of history of France and the world, that needs more personal and up close attention by you all. Like I said, Versailles is a lot more than the palace !! Again, hope you enjoy the post as I,

And remember, happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all !!!

Posted in Europe, France, Versailles | Leave a Comment »

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March 12, 2023

The Napoléon I Museum of Fontainebleau, part II

I have mentioned in my previous posts , not my favorite museum, but need to see it at least once for the history of it. And of course, visiting the beautiful,historical, architecturally stunning Château de Fontainebleau  in my nostalgic dept 77 Seine-et-Marne in the Île de France region is a must. Again written many posts on it and a very attaching castle for me and my family but feel need to tell you more about the goodies inside. I like to update this older post on a museum of a controversial figure in history; the Napoléon I Museum.

fontainebleau mus napoleon I portrait jun15

After much debate, this museum was opened in 1986, and built on two levels at the same princely apartments located in the Louis XV wing. A museum entirely devoted to Napoléon Bonaparte was thus created in Fontainebleau, its aim being to present a view of the self name emperor and his family. It was set up in the part of the château which had been restored by Napoleon I in 1810 and which before that restoration (from 1803 to 1808) had been the headquarters of the the special military academy, later known as Saint-Cyr.  (see post).

fontainebleau mus imperial eagle of napoleon I jun15

fontainebleau mus armor of napoleon I jun15

The collections came largely from the succession of the Imperial Family, Prince Napoleon, descendant of Jérôme de Westphalie, (still heir as Napoléon V, and glad to tell met Princess Napoléon his wife), younger brother and last heir of Napoleon 1st allow the evocation of Napoleon, Emperor between 1804 and 1815, of his family and in particular of his brothers, sovereigns in Europe. The gathering of an important gallery of portraits introduces to the route which successively presents the coronation, the splendours of the imperial table, the siblings and the diplomatic gifts, a campaign tent, the daily life of an emperor-soldier, the empress Marie-Louise then the heir, the King of Rome, The only throne room still visible in France, the Salle du Trône, the throne of Napoleon I, from the Tuileries Palace (now gone -see post). The rest of the elements (canopy, signs, platform) from the Palace of Saint-Cloud, (now gone) sent to Fontainebleau in 1808.

fontainebleau mus uniforms of napoleon I jun15

The official Château de Fontainebleau on the museum of Napoléon: http://:https://www.chateaudefontainebleau.fr/en/explore-the-castle-and-gardens/fontainebleau-rooms/napoleon-museum-fontainebleau/

The official Château de Fontainebleau on Napoléon: https://www.chateaudefontainebleau.fr/en/explore-the-castle-and-gardens/chateau-fontainebleau-history/the-palace-of-napoleon-i/

The official Napoléon’s family imperial site on Napoléon I: https://www.napoleon.org/en/young-historians/napodoc/in-the-footsteps-of-napoleon-i/

There you go folks, always wonderful nostalgic , words cannot describe my coming to Fontainebleau . The castle is very nice and show the history of France and the Bonaparte’s family of France, and Europe. An educational as well as historical take back in time at the Napoleon I Museum of Fontainebleau. Again, hope you enjoy the post as I

And remember ,happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all !!!

I like to have two postcrips here for the history amateur in me and for the sake of roundup the post on the museum of Napoléon I of Fontainebleau.

ps1 : In 1803, ten years after its creation, the Louvre Museum was renamed the Napoleon Museum. It remains until 1814, the most prestigious museum in the world by the extent and the quality of its collections constituted, in addition to the former royal collections and the goods seized from the Church and from emigrants, by the war prizes carried out in Belgium. , Italy, Prussia and Austria. In 1815, when the Empire fell, nearly 5,000 works were returned to their countries. It was the National Convention that offered this solution to the vanquished in 1794 to pay their war indemnities. Having become First Consul then Emperor, Napoleon multiplied the artistic requisitions throughout Europe and ordered works at the Louvre in order to welcome and present these treasures with dignity The Louvre Museum has many works purchased or commissioned under the Consulate and the Empire . I will cite here only the most prestigious paintings (me think) of the French school devoted to the Napoleonic epic: The Plague Victims of Jaffa and Napoleon on the Battlefield of Eylau by Gros, The Empress Joséphine at Malmaison by Prud’hon, Le Sacre by David, The Chasseur Officer of the Charging Guard and The Wounded Cuirassier by Géricault.

ps2 : I came as a boy with my parents many many years ago always remembered even if not seen again in 52 years!! The Museo Napoleonico of La Habana (Havana), The Museo Napoleónico (Napoleon Museum) is housed in a building that was originally used as the home of Orestes Ferrera, one of the authors of the collection that is exhibited in the museum today. The house is inspired by the style of the Florentine Renaissance palaces of the 16C and was built in the decade of 1920, The house, located in calle San Miguel n°1 159 esq. Ronda, the Vedado district of Havana, was built of Italian marble, wrought iron and wood of first quality. This museum houses a large collection of nearly 7,000 personal items, weapons and works of art of Napoleon Bonaparte which were collected by Julio Lobo, the Cuban sugar magnate, and Orestes Ferrera, politician. From the collection we can notice the sketches of Voltaire, the paintings of the Battle of Waterloo, a mask from the collection of death masks made in bronze, which was made two days after his death by his personal doctor; the pistols that Napoleon carried at the Battle of Borondino, and the furniture that can be seen in Napoleon’s study room and bedroom. it is one of the most important museums in the world, To add his personal doctor Antonmarchi.  Born in Corsica died in Santiago de Cuba in 1838;today remains rest at the cemetery necropolis of Santa Ifigenia, Santiago de Cuba, The Napoleon family foundation on the museum:https://www.napoleon.org/en/history-of-the-two-empires/articles/havanas-museo-napoleonico-reopens-30-march-2011/ 

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March 12, 2023

The Basilica Notre Dame de Brebières of Albert !!!

Here I am again in the north of my belle France, the real thing, and wonderful things to see around here, close to family territory.  I have done posts on the region briefs and have come back with more on their main things to see me think. I like to update this older post with new text and links and take you to the Basilica of Notre Dame de Brébiéres of Albert. Hope you enjoy the post as I.

albert bas notre dame de brebieres front apr07

The wonderful Basilica of Notre Dame de Brébiéres was built from 1885 to 1895 in neo byzantine style, and connects to the museum of  Somme 1916.(see post). It was one of the high places of Marian worship in Picardy since the 11-12C. At the end of the 19C, the pilgrimage experienced a revival of fervor with all of Marian devotion. In 1895, at the time of its new inauguration, Pope Leo XIII conferred the honorary title of Minor Basilica on the new church. He specified in his papal bull his ambition for the basilica: “Albert would have to become the Lourdes of the North”. The bell tower-porch, 76 meters high, was surmounted by a dome carrying a golden statue of the Virgin which culminates in 82 meters. Albert’s basilica was completely destroyed during WWI ( Great War) . Just on the south side of the basilica is the entrance to the Somme 1916 Museum. As part of the ceremonies commemorating the centenary of the Battle of the Somme, American singer Barbara Hendricks gave a Peace Concert accompanied by the Orchestra de Picardie, on Friday July 1, 2016 at 22h at the Basilica Notre Dame of Brébiéres in Albert.

albert bas notre dame de brebieres virgin on top apr07

A bit on the construction which is unique me think

The main facade is formed by a porch with three gates located under the bell tower. The floor and the facade are decorated with mosaics. The bell tower-porch rises to 76 meters. Its upper part is made up of a dome carrying a virgin covered with 40,000 gold sheets, six meters high presenting the Child Jesus: the child’s arms form a cross. An outdoor gallery located sixty meters above the ground allows you to go around the bell tower and offers a remarkable view of the city and its surroundings. The layout of the basilica recalls that of the first Christian basilicas with a large apse formed by an elevated chapel and framed by two apsidioles leaning on both sides on the transept also finished in the north and in the south by two apsidioles . The transept crossing is surmounted by a small quadrangular lantern tower. A five-span nave flanked by two side aisles extends the basilica. Each of the spans communicates with the collaterals which open on each side into five chapels. A decorated frame and a coffered ceiling replace the traditional vaults. The length of the basilica is 70 meters, its width is 35 meters at the transept. The ceiling height is 23 meters. The tribune organ inaugurated in 1901; the organs were completely destroyed. They were replaced, in 1958. The Choir organ was installed in the basilica at the same time as the tribune organ.

albert bas notre dame de brebieres nave apr07

And the event that the world remembers, and me too. Here is the story.

On October 22, 1914, a first shell hit the Basilica Notre Dame de Brébiéres.  Unintentionally perhaps, because from a strategic point of view the Basilica offers the enemy a landmark for the regulation of artillery fire that destroys industry, the railway and improvised hospitals in schools and boarding schools. Three other shells still hit the Basilica across the bell tower right through without causing irreparable damage. Two others crush the central skylight, the debris of which crashes on the high altar. A quarter of the roof was destroyed. On January 7, 1915, a shell burst the dome and the vaults collapsed. Having achieved its objectives, the enemy then targets the Basilica. On January 14 and 15, 1915 about 43 shells fell on the basilica !!!.

On January 15, 1915 in the afternoon, around 15h the dome shatters, and shortly after the bronze statue of the Virgin and Child Jesus, 7 meters high, surmounting the bell tower of the Basilica of Notre Dame de Brebières , bows. Later in the evening, under the effect of the storm, it positioned itself horizontally. The frame yields without completely breaking. The Virgin finds herself suspended above the void, directed towards the south. Seeing this leaning Virgin, the soldiers imagine a legend: “When the Virgin falls, the war will end”. On March 26, 1918, Albert fell back into German hands. What remains of the bell tower of the Basilica becomes an observation post for the occupier, which must be destroyed to take back the city. On April 16, 1918, around 15h30, on the third attempt, the British artillery hit the steeple and the Virgin collapsed. We are in 1918 the Virgin felled and the same year the war ended. The legend is “respected”. Indeed wonderful story !!!

The City of Albert on its heritage :https://www.ville-albert.fr/lieux-touristiques/

The local Pays de Coquelicot tourist office on the basilica :https://www.tourisme-paysducoquelicot.com/la-basilique/

The Somme dept 80 tourist office on the basilica :https://www.somme-tourisme.com/basilique-notre-dame-de-brebieres/albert/pcupic0800011129

There is an ongoing campaign by the Stephane Bern org to restore the lectern, The lectern dates from 1723 and was donated to the Basilica by Madame Hecquet. It is an eagle lectern resting on a polychrome wooden support. Its tripod base is composed of three lyres, it ends in lion’s paws. The cherubs of the support are reported. The lectern bears an engraved inscription: “Executed by Ve Vanier et fils avril 1713”. The campaign just started, The Heritage Foundation on it : https://www.fondation-patrimoine.org/les-projets/basilique-nd-de-brebieres-a-albert

There you go folks, another gem ,this time in the north or Hauts de France, old Picardie region. Albert has a lot of punch and thanks to the Basilica Notre Dame de Brébiéres. Again, hope you enjoy the post and do come to visit it, its another must around this region.

And remember, happy travels ,good health, and many cheers to all !!!

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March 11, 2023

The Historial de la Grande Guerre of Péronne !!!

Let me update this older post for you and me on a wonderful road warrior run in the old picardie and now Hauts de France region, in the Somme dept 80 and nice Peronne, This is another nice off the beaten path places we all should go, Hope you enjoy the post on the Historical de la Grande Guerre museum of WWI of Peronne as I.

peronne hist de la grande guerre 1914 1918 ent apr10

The Historial de la Grande Guerre or the Historial of the Great War (WWI) is located next to the medieval castle, and taken some parts of it. This museum of the history of WWI, an international research center and a documentation center. It is a an official Museum of France.

Peronne hist de la grande guerre 1914 1918 ent twins and papa 23avr10

Among the most terrible moments of WWI was the Battle of the Somme, as tragic as the Battle of Verdun: from July to November 1916, it caused, all nationalities combined, more than a million victims including more than 400k dead or missing!  The Historial of the Great War  was born, and the location was fixed in the old castle of Péronne, which offered the double advantage of being located in the heart of an area of intense fighting from 1914 to 1918 and near an access to the autoroute du nord or northern highway. The Historial of the Great War opened in 1992.  It was conceived and designed in 1986 by international specialists, it favors an approach that puts people at the center of concerns, by comparing the three main belligerent societies: Germany, France, and the United Kingdom , in fields relating to life at the front and the rear lines. On what was the front line, where more than twenty nations came to fight during WWI, the Historial was financed with European, national, regional and departmental funds.  The Historial of the Great War invites visitors to question the concept of conflict , to reflect on the past, present and future world. Thus, the museum shows the profound influence on the contemporary resonances of a war, total, industrial and world.

peronne hist de la grande guerre 1914 1918 French uniforms apr10

peronne hist de la grande guerre 1914 1918 aircraft guns apr10

The collections are distributed in space according to their level of belonging to the conflict and according to a comparative system between the German, British and French collections.

The Central Hall is designed as a hub around which the other four halls revolve. It offers a representation of anonymous faces from before 1914 and the series of fifty etchings Der Krieg (“The War”) produced in 1924 by Otto Dix, a volunteer and committed artist traumatized by his experience of fire.

Room I: “Pre-war, the causes of the conflict” Maps and objects present Europe and its tensions before August 1914. The British Empire of George V, the German Empire of William II, the Republic of Raymond Poincaré compete for settlements, economic outlets, and spheres of military and cultural influence. The museographic presentation paints a picture of pre-war societies that combine great economic modernity with representations of the world and of war that are still those of the 19C.

Room II: “From the start of the war to the Battle of the Somme (1914-1916)” Uniforms and weapons are presented in pits cut into the floor symbolizing life in the trenches. The back is evoked in the windows where newspapers, objects of daily life, period films illustrate the major themes of societies at war. The whole of this room also reminds us that the war was immediately global due to troops from all over the world and in particular from the colonies.

Room III: “From the Battle of the Somme to the Armistice, the ‘totalization’ of the war (1917-1918)” This room illustrates total war: the display cases reveal the psychological and economic mobilization of the civilian population in the war effort. The curved line of the furniture is a translation of the slow progression of time and the acceleration towards the German defeat and the Armistice. The pits show the soldier’s vulnerability in the face of tremendous efforts to develop new technologies of warfare.

Room IV: “After the War, the Consequences of the Conflict” This room deals with the complexity of the end of the war and its multiple effects in the short and long term, as well as private and official commemoration. The political and economic difficulties of the Germany of the Weimar Republic, the political threats related to its defeat, as well as the local reconstruction are recalled within the framework of the difficult return to peace, but also the attempts to find alternatives to the war.

The Documentation Center of the Historial de la Grande Guerre gives everyone access to the archives, photographs, postcards, books, brochures, bound press volumes, and to the collections database. The self-service books cover the military, political and cultural history of the period 1900-1930. Free access to temporary exhibitions held each year. They allow visitors to discover specific and original themes on the Great War, both historical, literary and artistic. Awesome!!!

The official Historial de la Grande Guerre of Peronne : https://www.historial.fr/en/

The Somme dept 80 tourist office on museums of the Great War or WWI : https://www.visit-somme.com/great-war/museums-tell-tales-great-war

The City of Peronne on its history :https://ville-peronne.fr/fr/rb/924757/lhistoire-de-peronne

There you go folks, a dandy wonderful educational museum on things we need to know. We passed by the area on our trips to visit family in the Nord so it makes it easy but if you are in Paris you should make the effort to come here, after all France is a mouvable feast! Again, hope you enjoy the Historial de la Grande Guerre museum of Péronne as I

And remember, happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all !!!

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March 11, 2023

The Château de Chantilly, interiors !!!

Let’s talk about a magical fairy tale city I love, and been there several times with family and believe or not on business once! I am talking about magical Château de Chantilly,  I like to post older new pictures to my blog that were left in my vault that fell need to be in, Therefore, this is an extra effort on the Château de Chantilly, interiors !!! I like to mention that I am Friends of the castle/condé museum since 2008 !!! Hope you enjoy this new post as I.

chan castle cabinet des porcelains nov19

For info, the City of Chantilly is in the département of the Oise,60 in the region of Hauts-de-France at the center of the forest of Chantilly, in the valley of the Nonette. It is only 40 km from Paris.

chan castle cabinet des gemmes arms nov19

The Orgemonts, the Montmorencys, the Condés and above all the Duke of Aumale made the estate an aristocratic stronghold. Over the centuries, they have built a haven of sumptuous apartments and collections of priceless works of art, preserving the castle, with each generation, from deterioration. Today, the estate offers an exceptional example of 19C architecture perfectly inspired by that of the Renaissance.

chan castle chapel Christ on Cross nov19

chan castle chapel nativity nov19

With an area of 115 hectares, the park of the Château de Chantilly brings together several periods of creations, The castle is a true sample of French Renaissance heritage, the current castle was built on an old medieval fortress for Henri d’Orléans, son of King Louis-Philippe I. It contains the Condé Museum, where the rich collection of paintings by the Duke of Aumale is exhibited, which includes paintings by great masters such as Raphaël, Fra Angelico, Poussin, Ingres and Watteau.

The apartments, overlooking the vast balcony of the small castle, perfectly illustrate the interior decorations under the July Monarchy. The Salon de Guise, the Chamber of the Duchess, the Boudoir of the Duchess, the Little Singerie, the Chamber of the Duke of Aumale, the Salon de Condé, the Marble Room are witnesses of the decoration of the time. There are marquetry furniture, a large roll-top desk by Grohé, and medallioned ceilings. The apartment of Madame de Clinchamp, lady-in-waiting to the Duchess of Aumale; as well as the apartment of Jean Bullant who built the small castle around 1560.

chan castle galerie des batailles arms prince nov19

chan castle galerie des batailles 2 nov19

The Condé museum houses the 2nd collection of old paintings (before 1850) in France after that of the Louvre museum! A collection essentially acquired by the Duc d’Aumale which houses more than 800 paintings and nearly 4,000 drawings, The Duc d’Aumale built up a collection of rare books (30,000 volumes) and painting manuscripts (approximately 700), including famous “Très Riches Heures du Duc de Berry” (15C) or the forty miniatures by Jean Fouquet, “Les Incunables”.

The Official Château de Chantilly: https://chateaudechantilly.fr/en/

The Chantilly-Sanlis area tourist office on the castle : https://www.chantilly-senlis-tourisme.com/en/patrimoine/chateau-de-chantilly/

The Friends of the Château de Chantilly/ Condé museum: https://www.amismuseecondechantilly.com/home

The city of Chantilly on heritage: http://www.ville-chantilly.fr/category/decouvrir-chantilly/patrimoine/

The managers/owners of the Château de Chantilly is the Institut de France :https://www.institutdefrance.fr/lepatrimoine/chateau-de-chantilly/

There you go folks, a must to visit while in France ! All worth it at magical Chantilly, and of course, the main sight, the Château de Chantilly, interiors !!!. Again, hope you enjoy the post as I.

And remember, happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all !!!

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March 11, 2023

The Château de Chantilly, exteriors !!!

Let’s talk about a magical fairy tale city I love, and been there several times with family and believe or not on business once! I am talking about magical Château de Chantilly,  I like to post older new pictures to my blog that were left in my vault that fell need to be in, Therefore, this is an extra effort on the Château de Chantilly, exteriors !!! I like to mention that I am Friends of the castle/condé museum since 2008 !!! Hope you enjoy this new post as I.

chan castle back from near mon stairs nov19

For info, the City of Chantilly is in the département of the Oise,60 in the region of Hauts-de-France at the center of the forest of Chantilly, in the valley of the Nonette. It is only 40 km from Paris.

chan castle ent far view nov19

chan castle ent lake side nov19

The Orgemonts, the Montmorencys, the Condés and above all the Duke of Aumale made the estate an aristocratic stronghold. Over the centuries, they have built a haven of sumptuous apartments and collections of priceless works of art, preserving the castle, with each generation, from deterioration. Today, the estate offers an exceptional example of 19C architecture perfectly inspired by that of the Renaissance.

chan castle ent wait line rain nov19

With an area of 115 hectares, the park of the Château de Chantilly brings together several periods of creation: the French garden designed by André Le Nôtre in the 17C, the Anglo-Chinese garden at the end of the 18C and the English garden at the beginning of the 19C. It thus offers a unique testimony to the relationship between man and nature in the West for more than three centuries.

chan castle inner garden back castle nov19

The castle of Chantilly is a true sample of French Renaissance heritage, the current castle was built on an old medieval fortress for Henri d’Orléans, son of King Louis-Philippe I. It contains the Condé Museum, where the rich collection of paintings by the Duke of Aumale is exhibited, which includes paintings by great masters such as Raphaël, Fra Angelico, Poussin, Ingres and Watteau. The park, one of the most gardens designed by Le Nôtre, is very well laid out and offers several activities for the whole family such as games and equestrian shows.

chan castle mon stairs fr garden left hercules nov19

chan castle mon stairs fr garden right hercules nov19

The French garden of Chantilly offers the most dazzling viewpoints of the visit. It includes vast water mirrors reflecting the sky, numerous water jets and fountains as well as an exceptional set of statues. Designed in 1773 by the architect Jean-François Leroy for Prince Louis-Joseph de Bourbon-Condé, the Anglo-Chinese garden houses the Hameau. A bucolic place par excellence, the English garden was designed during the Restoration from 1817 by the architect Victor Dubois. Animated by romantic factories such as the Island of Love or the Temple of Venus, it also contains a large water buffet designed by André Le Nôtre in the 17C: the Beauvais waterfalls.

chan castle left side to resto courtyard nov19

chan castle resto inner courtyard nov19

The Official Château de Chantilly: https://chateaudechantilly.fr/en/

The Chantilly-Senlis area tourist office on the castle: https://www.chantilly-senlis-tourisme.com/en/patrimoine/chateau-de-chantilly/

The city of Chantilly on heritage: http://www.ville-chantilly.fr/category/decouvrir-chantilly/patrimoine/

The Friends of the Château de Chantilly/ Condé museum : https://www.amismuseecondechantilly.com/home

The managers/owners of the Château de Chantilly is the Institut de France : https://www.institutdefrance.fr/lepatrimoine/chateau-de-chantilly/

There you go folks, a must to visit while in France ! All worth it at magical Chantilly, and of course the main sight, the Château de Chantilly ,exteriors !!! , Again, hope you enjoy the post as I.

And remember, happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all !!!

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March 10, 2023

The Hippodrome of Chantilly !!

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.

chantilly hippo front nov19

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.

chantilly hippo from castle nov19

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.

chantilly hippo arriving nov19

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.

chantilly hippodrome side-nov10

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 !!!

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