Exhibition – The princely fleet of the Chateau de Chantilly

The archives of the Musée Condé offer a fascinating glimpse into the creation of the Grand Canal and the other navigable waterways designed by André Le Nôtre, without which Chantilly’s refined pleasure fleet would never have existed! Starting in the 1670s, the waters of Chantilly were filled with a colourful fleet of galiots, longboats, frigates, gondolas and canoes, providing amusement for the Condé family and their guests. Bringing together the Château de Chantilly’s vast collection of archives, plans, books and engravings, this exhibition in the Reading Room of the Condé Museum will offer a glimpse into these maritime pleasures.

The exhibition begins by delving into the details of the boats, including their types, origins, construction methods and structural features, and their role in the success of the grand parties hosted by the Condé family at Chantilly. Central to the spectacular nautical performances held at the château, where music and fireworks illuminated the boats, canal banks and flowerbeds designed by Le Nôtre, they created a magical atmosphere day and night. Smaller boats were used for sets or fireworks, while the grandest vessels took part in parades or mock naval battles, staged for the enjoyment of the audience, much like the spectacles held for King Louis XV.

A view of the Château de Chantilly and its gardens, taken from the Vertugadin, French School, late 17th century. Gouache on vellum. © RMN GP / Gérard Blot

Unlike the fleet at Versailles, which was used for scientific and military experiments under Louis XIV, the boats kept at Chantilly had no such purpose. The Grand Canal of Chantilly was not built for naval experiments, and the sole purpose of the fleet was to entertain and amuse the princes of Condé.

The fleet was relatively small, and the types of boats used changed little over time. There was, however, a clear exchange of nautical ideas between Chantilly and Versailles. Louis XIV presented the Condé family with lavish boats, and they in turn supplied the king with men for the Versailles fleet or the royal navy. The renowned sculptor Caffieri decorated both the king’s ships and those of some of the Condé princes.

The exhibition explores the fate of the fleet after 1789 and during the 1840s and concludes with yachting, the pastime of Henri of Orléans, the last private owner of Chantilly.