An Equestrian Palace: The Living Museum of the Horse

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Updated:

January 17, 2025

By Li Robbins

It’s sometimes called an “equestrian palace,” and the nickname is no exaggeration. The first glimpse of the Grandes Écuries (Great Stables) in Chantilly, France is truly jaw-dropping. To see for yourself, take a 30-minute train ride from Paris to Chantilly, home of famous lace, cream and horses — some consider the town France’s “capital city of the horse.” Next, walk through a woods so peaceful it feels like something out of a fairy tale. When you reach the end of the path you’ll be at the edge of a grassy racecourse. Gaze across the track; et voilà, that stunning view.

The Great Stables was built between 1719 and 1735 for Louis-Henri de Bourbon-Condé, a French nobleman and politician who, according to legend, believed he would be reincarnated as a horse and therefore would need suitably lavish surroundings. In his human lifetime Louis-Henri was more preoccupied with riding a horse than being one, and he loved to hunt. The massive stables were not just home to some 240 horses, but also to packs of hounds whose numbers rivalled those of the king’s. Royalty was commonplace at the Château de Chantilly in order to ride to hounds in beautiful surroundings and for the sumptuous feasts après-ride. Come the Revolution, all that ended and the château was destroyed. The stables, however, were used as barracks and consequently survived.

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Exterior details of the impressive architecture of the Great Stables, built between 1719 and 1735 to house 240 horses and 500 hounds. The stables were used as barracks during the French Revolution and therefore were not destroyed. Photo: Marc Walter

The Great Stables is not the only awe-inspiring structure on the 115-hectare grounds. The château itself, rebuilt in the late 19th century, is a moat-encircled castle home to the second largest collection of antique paintings in France after the Louvre. Even the non-horse tourist will be impressed by the stables though — its massive walls decorated with scrolls, arches, and giant equine sculptures, while inside there are 30-some strikingly beautiful horses (mainly Spanish and Portuguese-bred) as well as ponies and donkeys. It’s also home to the Living Museum of the Horse — to enter the museum proper walk through the stables then hang a right before the donkeys.

Interior Great Stables France, horse statue Grandes Ecuries Chantilly, France, museums for horse people, chateau de chantilly, living museum of the horse

The Living Museum of the Horse is housed in 15 galleries and aims “to allow visitors to discover the importance of the relationship between men and horses in all civilizations.” Photos (above/below): Sophie Lloyd

Interior Great Stables France, saddles Grandes Ecuries Chantilly, France, museums for horse people, chateau de chantilly, living museum of the horse

Housed in 15 small galleries, the museum is on a relatively modest scale, but its ambitions are large. And why not, given the subject matter. As the museum’s patron, His Highness the Aga Khan, has rightly noted, “the horse is one of the most extraordinary phenomena known to us.” There’s no end to fascinating horse lore found in the themed galleries, which include the domestication of horses, the horse in hunting and racing, the evolution of tack, carousel horses, etc.

For some, the most compelling part of the museum is the “living” aspect. If you’re lucky, you’ll catch one of the members of the Compagnie Équestre du Château de Chantilly schooling in the courtyard-outdoor ring once you exit the galleries. Horse and rider provide a window into the French dressage tradition that’s probably best-known courtesy of the famed Cadre Noir of Saumur. This notable tradition was included on the UNESCO “Intangible Cultural Heritage” list in 2011, and the riders and horses at Chantilly are part of that living cultural expression.

For a slightly more formal introduction, attend one of the daily training demonstrations held in a veritable equestrian theatre-in-the-round. The domed arena has a ceiling height of 27 metres, not to mention a stately fountain and impressive sculptures of stags. Despite the lofty height and striking décor, it’s an intimate place — the actual ring has a diameter of 30 metres, which easily allows for an equestrian to speak directly to her audience. The domed arena is also home to annual themed performances, elaborate shows which take place from April to October and combine the fundamentals of dressage with haute école, circus arts, and theatre. One of the 2024 extravaganzas, “A Day in Paris,” includes dressage riders, carriage drivers, vaulters, a mime artist, and an aerial acrobat — plus horses, ponies, and donkeys.

Equestrian and Artistic Director Sophie Bienaimé has said that the shows are intended to “share our passion for horses by giving the audience a mix of fantasy and magic.” They do. But for that matter you can also get a sense of that magic by simply visiting the The Living Museum of the Horse — it’s an enchanting place.

Chantilly show ring dome Copyright Christophe Taniere, Great Stables France, Grandes Ecuries Chantilly, France, museums for horse people, chateau de chantilly, living museum of the horse

Above: The dome of the Great Stables crowns a 13-metre sand arena around which 600 spectators can be seated. Photo: Christophe Tanière

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Above: Daily training demonstrations are held in the domed arena of the Great Stables. Photo: Li Robbins

Chantilly show ring dome Copyright Christophe Taniere, Great Stables France, Grandes Ecuries Chantilly, France, museums for horse people, chateau de chantilly, living museum of the horse

Above: A Chantilly rider warms up outside for a demonstration. Photo: James Cullingham

Chantilly One Day in Paris, Chantilly show ring dome Copyright Christophe Taniere, Great Stables France, Grandes Ecuries Chantilly, France, museums for horse people, chateau de chantilly, living museum of the horse

Above: Twice a year, two major creations are presented in the majestic dome. Here, riders of the Grandes Écuries along with horses, donkeys, and ponies are presenting the equestrian show “One Day in Paris,” taking visitors back to the busy Paris streets of 1900. Several equestrian disciplines are showcased including carriage driving, liberty, haute école, vaulting, and more. Photo: Christophe Tanière

Chantilly exterior french chateau, Great Stables France, Grandes Ecuries Chantilly, France, museums for horse people, chateau de chantilly, living museum of the horse

Above: The Château de Chantilly is a historic French château built around 1560 for French nobleman and governor, Anne de Montmorency. The Grand Château, destroyed during the French Revolution (1789-1799), was rebuilt in the 1870s. Its art gallery, the Condé Museum, houses one of France’s finest collections of paintings, and specializes in French paintings and book illuminations of the 15th and 16th centuries. Photo: Thibault Charpentier

For more information visit Grandes Écuries (Great Stables), France

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Aerial photo of the Grandes Écuries (Great Stables) in Chantilly, France. Photo: Marc Walter