Chantilly Day Trip from Paris by Private Van with Driver

About 50 km north of Paris, Chantilly packs a fairy-tale château, Europe's most spectacular stables, a park designed by Le Nôtre and the medieval town of Senlis into a single half day. With a private van and driver, you leave from your hotel with no train, no connection and no taxi queue at the other end.

What to see in Chantilly

• The château and the Condé Museum: one of the richest collections of old master paintings in France, set in nineteenth-century state rooms. The picture gallery and the library are the highlights.
• The Great Stables: an eighteenth-century palace built for horses. It houses the Horse Museum and, depending on the calendar, equestrian shows. Check the schedule before you pick your day.
• The park and gardens: a Le Nôtre formal garden with canals, ponds and a small hamlet. Children usually love this part.
• Chantilly cream: the tradition ties it to the château's kitchens, so a sweet stop on site is part of the visit.

Add Senlis on the way

Ten minutes by car, Senlis is a small Gallo-Roman and medieval town with a Gothic cathedral and narrow lanes. A van lets you fit it between the château and lunch without hunting for parking.

A sample day

• 9:00 am: pick-up at your hotel in Paris, about 45 minutes to Chantilly.
• 10:00 am: château and Condé Museum, then the park.
• 1:00 pm: lunch in Chantilly or Senlis.
• 3:00 pm: Great Stables or a walk in Senlis.
• 5:00 pm: back to Paris.

Allow 6 hours for a half day, from 420 euros for the vehicle with driver. For a full day with more time in both Chantilly and Senlis, an 8-hour booking leaves room to breathe.

Which van to choose

• Up to 7 people: Mercedes V-Class.
• 8 people: Mercedes Vito Tourer.
• Groups of 9 to 25: Mercedes Sprinter minibus (16 to 25 seats), at 100 euros an hour with a 3-hour minimum.

Child seats are available free of charge on request, and the driver waits for you at each stop.

Practical tips

• Check the château's closing day (usually Tuesday) and the horse show times before you book.
• Buy entry tickets in advance in high season, especially at weekends.
• In autumn and winter, leave early: the park is best seen in daylight.
• Combine with another outing: Versailles and Disneyland Paris are in the same region.

In Short

Chantilly works as a half-day trip from Paris: château and Condé Museum, Great Stables and park, with Senlis as an optional extension. By private van with driver, expect about 45 minutes each way and a price from 420 euros for 6 hours.