The hamlet of Chantilly restored to its eighteenth

past, ie time of the Prince de Conde, these small buildings scroll saw high society, s'gayer come to a place voluntarily original. "It was the era of gardens so-called Anglo-Chinese and return to nature. Prince de Conde has built these houses, rustic on the outside with a refinement in the extreme: it is this contrast which created the surprise, "said Daniele Clergeot, Director General of the Chantilly area. Unfortunately, lack of resources, houses are now empty, and there is no trace of luxurious curtains rose, grass that soil or plants who decorated the interior walls. "We chose the outside because otherwise, the houses have simply disappeared," Pierre-Antoine advance Gati, chief architect of historic monuments. But this hamlet was very famous and served as a model for including that of Marie-Antoinette at Versailles.

The restoration work lasted nearly a year. It took a waiver request for reconstruct the buildings as they were built in 1775. For the Duke of Aumale, the last occupant of the field, wanting "to keep France on Chantilly area in its integrity" had promised at the Institut de France, which he had left, there would be no major changes. Any conservation will be "outside the spirit of faction, like shaking too abrupt, and maintaining its independence amid fluctuations policies", had he demanded.

A restoration faithful to engravings

However, the hamlet had suffered damage after the Revolution, then profound changes over time. Eager to regain the eighteenth aspect, the restorers have had to disregard the principle of "no change". And they got rid of moldings, tile or plaster nineteenth most recent.

In the archives of the castle, the architect has found watercolors faithful to the original buildings. In addition, the album of Count North, the Prince de Conde offered in 1784 to the future Czar Paul I, contains engravings very specific: they literally served as a guide for the work.

Roofs stubble - restored by an artisan Norman - have knowingly been redone erratically, as was the case at the time. The nails were forged, false chimneys added. The colors timbered are ocher, as indicated on the sketch. The whole gives this charming rustic, both popular today. "For fifteen years, there is a thorough public interest in historic gardens," says Pierre-Antoine Gati. The Chantilly area covers 7 800 hectares, and last year received almost 400 000 visitors. Besides the castle, stables, a unique library, a gallery of ancient paintings, a French garden of Le Ntre and a huge park with ponds and canals are open to visitors.

Since 2005, major operations were launched. Those of the Great Singers (a boudoir decorative) are completed, but part of the park is still under construction, including the parterre garden north of Le Ntre. The big teams, which are home to the Living Museum of the Horse will be partially rebuilt from 2009. The field of Chantilly considering, moreover, to restore the painting gallery of the Museum of Cond. But it faces a financial question and foremost, a practical problem: according to the wishes of the Duke of Aumale, collections should not be moved from Cond Museum, which makes the very organization of work difficult.