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Chantilly château visit

A prince greets the Republic

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  • The duke was the fourth son of Louis-Philippe, last king of France (overthrown 1848)

 

 

Louis Philippe, France's last king, with his sons, at Versailles in 1846

         

         

        •  We tell the story of the soldier, writer and great art collector who could have become

              king of France

         

         

        The young duke
        "We talk, he converses" - Gambetta

         

         

        • One example from this extraordinary and little-publicized collection:

         

         

        Clouet's portraits of the 16th-century ruling clan are scattered through history-books.
        Here the brilliant, refined and tormented elite is united as at a – terriying – family reunion.

         

         

        • Later we cross the glorious park...

         

         

         

         

        • ... to come upon the farmhouse that inspired Marie-Antoinette's bucolic haven

         

         

         

         

        • It is now an excellent restaurant that serves farm specialities 

         

         

         

         

         

        Credits: painting /"Louis-Philippe and his sons at the gates of Versailles", by Vernet, Museum of the Château of Versailles; Duc d'Aumal in old age / from "Cette drôle de famille d'Orléans" by Georges Poisson; other photos / Claude Abron