Chateau de Chantilly

Ever since I found out/ made the decision to go to college at Belmont University, it never fails that I meet someone in the most random places that has a connection to that school.  It is really rather impressive but it can be comical at times.  I will explain this in a minute or so.
   On Sunday, we moved out to the country of France and visited the golden splendor that is the Chateau de Chantilly. . .

This place is magnificent, both inside and out.  It has been the estate of many important political figures in French history.  It also holds the second largest art collection in the entire country of France, second only to The Louvre.  This includes three brilliant Raphael's and an expansive collection of Poussin . . .

  Now, remember that Belmont connection I was talking about?
Well, when we arrive we find an American guide who incidentally married a French man, had a son whom they raised on the grounds oldest apartments (this being a good thing not a bad one) and now the son attends school at Belmont.  The French dad?  Walking around in his Belmont University "Dad" t-shirt and pink pants.  Yeah, it was pretty great.
   As a result, we were treated as guests the entire time and that was a really nice treat so I really appreciate the hospitality.

 

One of the main functions of the Chateau is that it houses over 3,000 horses in order to compete in thoroughbred horse races.  This has been a connection with the plantation for several centuries, leading to another really neat correlation with Belmont.  Without getting carried away with the detail of the history between it all, Louis-Philippe, a prince who owned Chantilly at the time, went to Nashville, Tennessee and bought horses both for war and for racing from Adelicia Atkins who owned the plantation of Belle Mead which was famous for its breeding of horses.  Weirdly cool, right?

  

     Another fascinating fact about the Chateau is its abundant use in film and cinema, some of the most famous including Funny Face, starring the regal Audrey Hepburn, and Sofia Coppola's Marie Antoinette. 

This link will lead you to the video that shows all the major movies that have been filmed on the grounds over the years:

http://www.chateaudechantilly.com/en/ev%C3%A9nements-et-r%C3%A9ceptions/our-offers/shooting-filming

Enjoy!