The best part about being a student in Paris (or Europe for that matter) is that there is so much to discover around you. Every weekend is a different adventure. At times it is something as simple as going to new museum (you never finish seeing them all!), at others it is taking a cheap RyanAir flight to another country altogether!
One of my most memorable experiences during my college years in Paris has been a trip to Chantilly to try authentic Crème Chantilly at the place where it was first made.
Chantilly is a small commune in the Picardy region less than an hour away from Paris. It makes for a perfect day trip out of Paris with its beautiful Chateau de Chantilly and the gardens, the Musée Condé (the second biggest museum for classical paintings after the Louvre), the Hippodrome de Chantilly and the Grandes Ecuries (the Chantilly Racecourse and the Great Stables) and of course, the Hameau de Chantilly where you can taste the original (and absolutely heavenly) Crème Chantilly.
My friends and I visited the Chateau de Chantilly on a sunny but cold autumn afternoon. Here are some photos from my visit.
The first glimpse you catch of the Chateau is from across the lake.
A 10 minute walk around the lake and you reach the entrance of the Chateau.
This is the view from the gardens at the back of the Chateau. The road from here leads to the Hameau du Chateau. The Hameau du Chateau serves full meals as well as deserts. We reached a little past lunch time, so we could have only the desserts.
We tried the Chocolate Tart with Crème Chantilly
And a cup of Crème Chantilly with some Confiture.
The desserts were simple but extremely tasty (not to mention quite heavy). The Crème Chantilly at the Hameau is by far the best cream I have ever tasted. It was rich but light at the same time. It just melted in the mouth.
If you are in Paris for a few days, I would definitely recommend a day trip to Chantilly. You may find better Chateaus and museums in France. But the real Crème Chantilly is truly an exceptional experience.
The Craving Project 