Chantilly - Musée Vivant du Cheval

To the west of the château are the Grandes Ecuries (Great Stables) and the world-famous Chantilly racecourse, laid out in 1834. The palatial stables, just under 190m/210yds long, were built in 1821 by Louis-Henri Condé (who was persuaded that he would be reborn as a horse) and at one time accommodated up to 240 horses and over 300 dogs.

The stables are now occupied by the Musée Vivant du Cheval (Living Museum of the Horse), where visitors can see a large collection of exhibits illustrating the history of the horse as well as 40 living horses. There are also daily riding displays.