mitzisue

We are planning to take a trip to Chantilly from Paris either tomorrow or Monday--does anyone have any recent experience/logistics tips?

I have tried without luck to find time tables for the SNCF; I can just find that the trains leave from 5 am on. Also, I have read conflicting information about what to do once we get there--some people have said that there were no buses and taxis but no drivers. I have two little kids and have been pushing them pretty hard to walk around Paris--I know we will have an insurrection on our hands if I have them walk 34-45 mins both ways to the castle.

Any help would be more than welcome--I wonder how much of this is just stuff locals know and the rest of us need to learn from hard experience (saying this as someone who didn't know today was a holiday here, and didn't see any early closures or just plain closures on the websites from the museums/locales that, in fact, did close early/not open at all today. Not that I am complaining!

I figure, better safe than sorry. If it looks like it's going to be too difficult, I will probably just try to do something in town, but if it's relatively simple we would love to go to Chantilly.

virginiafish

Yes, we did need to walk to the castle and the horse museum. There was a local bus, that we got near the horse museum (which the kids would enjoy) http://www.museevivantducheval.fr/uk...alendrier.html but I am not sure of the schedule, etc. We took it to Senlis and spent the night. Maybe you would call the museum or castle and ask about buses.

mitzisue

Is the walk pretty at least?

virginiafish

yes. it was next to, or through, a park. don't know if you have skype/cell, etc., but if you want to talk about it, please feel free to call 804-741-7126.

kerouac

Chantilly is a really lovely place. It is worth the effort, especially the horse museum.

valtor

WE took a taxi from the train station, it was not expensive at all.
For sure the children will love the horses, make sure that you arrive there in time for the show.

Cathinjoetown

I had a look on their web site, www.chateaudechantilly.com and I can't say it was 100% clear but directions from Paris were to take the RER Line D from Chatelet les Halls (45 minutes) or SNCF from Gare du Nord, grand lignes, (27 minutes.)

It also says taxis are 6 euros from Chantilly station and alternately there's a bus from Senlis. It confirms the walk as 35 minutes. I'd advise you read it yourself.

I wish I had personal experience but the only time I've been there was by car. It was excellent, both the chateau and the horse museum--the day we were there they were doing dressage demonstrations in a small ring.

mitzisue

Thanks so much (and Virginia thank you for the offer--I am so last minute in preps though that I wouldn't be calling at a decent hour.)

I have already pored over the website in some great detail on several occasions, and of course am thrilled by what appears to be a great day out. It's the relative lack of information about trains (eg timetables) and anecdotal information about cabs being in evidence but no drivers and buses, but ones that only seem to run every hour to hour and a half. It just would be nice to know exactly what to expect, particularly with good-natured but foot-sore children. If it were just me, it would be a no-brainer, but I am trying to make this a fun experience.

We've had a great time so far, but we've had some close calls in past days (the many closed venues yesterday, for example, for which there was no advance information. Though, I suppose since we are staying on a Metro line that has May 8 in its name, I suppose I should have had some inclination something might be up that day!)

I so appreciate having this forum as a resource! It's really make our trip richer.

mitzisue

Sorry, hit "send" too fast.

I am glad to hear it's so consistently considered a worthwhile trip. I think we will try! I have prepared the children to be of good courage and dress for comfort (this particularly to my 8-year-old daughter who insisted on wearing her wedgies and dress yesterday because we were going to the fashion show later! Made walking earlier a bit tricky).

adrienne

mitzisue - I would try to get a local taxi number before you get there as when I went to Chantilly there were no taxis at the station so we walked to the chateau.

mitzisue

great idea, adrienne, thanks for the tip

mitzisue

Ok, interesting note: Stable renovations, which the website said was going to be done in April 2009? Is going to be ongoing through 2011!! Which means the museum itself is closed, and the only thing they have is the "Spectacle," which was kind of awful, and I say this as someone who appreciates dressage. My children didn't have the same appreciation for it.

What can I say? It was...an adventure. I wish we had skipped the horse thing completely and just spent more time in the woods, which were really fun. Still, it was a lot of back and forth and I can't say it was worth it.

Good news, though, my children were finally open to going to the Tuleries and seriously I have never been happier to see it. They found a trampoline park and leaped around and only made fun of me a little for the whole "pony show" as they are calling it.

mitzisue

OK, I shouldn't say it was "awful." It was strange, in a very French strange way. Which to me was kind of charming, but not so to my children. I filmed part of it. If I get a free moment, I will post it on youtube, if anyone is interested.

virginiafish

oops...wish the museum had been opened and it was a better day. when we went in Mar, 2008, parts of the chateau were closed and the water was all drained, so...