Chantilly and Pierrefonds Castles Cheap tour in mini-groups

    Picardy was the first historic region of France.

    Wide field, huge forests, green pastures, quiet forest creek reflect and calm character of the people living in Picardy. Their life is calm and measured. There are 6 cathedrals in Picardy, the city is the birthplace of Gothic architecture, the largest of them is located in Amiens. Beautiful and unusual villages, and their unique Gothic cathedrals, and in each of them more than a few hundred years old, beautiful and huge castles belonging to the French aristocracy and the royal family, built in magnificent Romanesque abbeys and churches with Flamboyant Gothic.

    Nonet protruding from the swamps in the river valley on a rocky islet and in the course of two millennia of five locks were replaced by each other. The first fortified manor house built here in the Gallo-Roman era Kantilius after whom the place was named Chantilly (Chantilly). In the XVII century possession becomes the property of the genus Conde. The celebrated general under Louis XIV rebuilds the castle under the direction of Jules Hardouin-Mansart and Lёnotr creates another of his garden and park ensemble, which is only second in the beauty of the gardens of Versailles. Conde Museum holds a collection of the Duke of Omalskogo, fine connoisseur of art, and is recognized around the world one of the most interesting museums.

    Pierrefonds - this is one of the few real combat perfectly preserved castles in France. The earlier fortification of the XII century, in their place, the castle was built in the 90 years of the XIV century and was destroyed in the XVII century, and it was rebuilt in the second half of the XIX century . At the beginning of the XIX century with universal enthusiasm by the architecture of the Middle Ages have become a fashionable place romantic getaway castle ruins. And in 1813 Emperor Napoleon I buys the land, namely those on which was located the castle. Many artists, including Corot, captured the castle in his works. In 1850, he visited the ruins of the castle of Prince Napoleon, the future emperor was interested in archeology. In 1857, on the advice of Prosper Merimeon he decided to restore Pierrefonds, and made it his residence. Under the direction of Viollet-le-Duc began successful reconstruction of the castle.