Two-day weekend by car in northern Paris, in the Oise department, between a princely estate, the cradle of the Capetian dynasty and a neo-medieval fortress
Weekend in northern Paris: Chantilly, Senlis and Pierrefonds in 2 days
A two-day trip in the Oise department to explore the princely estate of Chantilly, the ruins of the royal château of Senlis where Hugh Capet was elected, and the fortress of Pierrefonds reimagined by Viollet-le-Duc.
Editorial journal · Carte des Châteaux ·
South of Paris, one thinks of Fontainebleau and Vaux-le-Vicomte. To the north, the Oise department boasts, within less than a hundred kilometres, three sites that tell a thousand years of power: Senlis, where the great nobles of the kingdom elected Hugh Capet in 987; Chantilly, transformed into a princely estate by the Montmorency, the Condés and then the Duke of Aumale; and Pierrefonds, a fortress belonging to Louis of Orléans, dismantled under Louis XIII and resurrected by Viollet-le-Duc for Napoleon III. This two-day weekend, designed for travellers driving from Paris, devotes an entire day to Chantilly, followed by Senlis in the morning and Pierrefonds in the afternoon, from west to east. This route is suitable for first-time visitors as well as couples or families, provided you avoid Tuesdays.
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The route on the map
From Chantilly to Pierrefonds
Chantilly on Saturday, then Senlis and Pierrefonds on Sunday, from west to east towards the Compiègne forest.
Markers follow the suggested visiting order. Select a castle to open its page.
Sources
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Day by day
The itinerary
Saturday: Chantilly
The Petit Château by Jean Bullant, the Grand Château of the Duke of Aumale and the Condé Museum in the morning, the Grandes Écuries and Le Nôtre’s park in the afternoon.
Sunday morning: Senlis
The ruins of the royal château where Hugh Capet was elected in 987 and the Saint-Maurice priory founded by Saint Louis, facing the cathedral. Optional detour to the exterior of the château of Mont-l'Évêque.
Sunday afternoon: Pierrefonds
The fortress of Louis of Orléans, dismantled in 1617 and rebuilt by Viollet-le-Duc for Napoleon III from 1857.