Chantilly

Chantilly needs 1 day: the château, with the Horse Museum inside the Grandes Écuries -considered among the most luxurious stables ever built for animals- in a morning walk, and the racecourse, one of Europe's most important racehorse training centers, in the afternoon. April-October is best. It's mid-to-high priced by French standards. According to local tradition, whipped cream -known worldwide today as crème Chantilly- was invented there in the château's own kitchen in the 17th century.