The grand stables

The architect Jean Aubert was commissioned by Louis-Henri de Bourbon, 7th Prince of Condé, to build the grand stables. Legend has it that the prince thought he would be reincarnated as a horse, so he wanted stables that would reflect the majesty of his rank. Thanks to him, France boasts an architectural masterpiece of the 18th century.

At the time, the stables hosted 240 horses and 500 hounds, split in different packs for the daily hunting sessions that took place all year long. Louis-Henri was so proud of his architectural wonder that he organised sumptuous dinners under the monumental dome which soars 28 meters high. Louis XV, the future Tsar Paul I and Frederic II of Prussia attended some of these dinners which were usually accompanied by hunting horns.

The French Revolution put an end to these princely times; however the grand stables were miraculously spared thanks to the army who used them as barracks. Only two statues were destroyed: the statue and fountain of the "Kennels Courtyard", and the "Renommée" at the top of the dome. Their lead was used to make bayonets. Two centuries later, in 1989, Yves Bienaimé organised a patronage operation, replaced the "Renommée" with a copy, and donated it to the Institut de France.

At the end of the 19th century, in 1886, the last owner of the grand stables, the Duke of Aumale, fifth son of King Louis-Philippe, donated his domain (the château, the hippodrome, the stables, the forest, the Condé Museum.) to the Institut de France, providing its state would be preserved.

Living Horse Museum

In 1982, Yves Bienaimé, a rider and instructor, created inside the grand stables the Living Horse Museum (Musée Vivant du Cheval ®). In July 2006, the museum was bought by the Foundation for the Safe-keeping and Development of the Chantilly Domain, presided over by His Highness the Aga Khan.

Since its creation, the museum has supported many artists and helped the public to discover the world of horses. Since 1982, the museum has become an internationally-renowned institution and a must-see for all horse lovers. The 31 rooms of the museum span over a surface of 4,000 square meters, and 800 m of circuit.

With an average of 160,000 visitors per year, the museum is one of the most visited equestrian places in the world.

This success is due to its living, educational and cultural aspects.

To be knowledgeable about horses, it is necessary to observe them first. From the entrance of the museum, about thirty different horse breeds are present.

Every day, the horses follow a specific routine, and three times a day, they take part of an « educational » demonstration where rider, dressed in the museum's costume, has his horse perform « airs » for visitors.