Spend the Night in Chantilly After Your CDG Flight

Flying in or out of CDG airport? Here’s a travel hack to keep in mind: Chantilly is just 20 minutes away, without the traffic jams that notoriously clog the autoroutes to Paris, making it a popular pit stop for travelers on long-haul international flights. Of course Chantilly is also a marvelous destination in its own right, with a legendary chateau and racecourse. But a hotel overnight is a great way to get over jetlag, or get some sleep before an early morning flight.

The InterContinental Chantilly opened in summer 2024 after a renovation of the Château Mont Royal. Commissioned by French composer Fernand Halphen in the early 20th century, the chateau commands a hilltop perch surrounded by oak- and beech-studded forest that was once a hunting ground for nobles, and you can still hear the stags bellow during autumn rutting season.

The story goes that Halphen wanted to offer his wife a knockout view when she opened her window curtains every morning. (The vistas are particularly sublime from the wrap-around terrace of room no. 310, the Prince of Condé suite. All 109 guest rooms and suites are filled with natural light from large windows and balconies.) A twin celebration of music and the hunt, the facade is decorated with friezes of hunting scenes, and the interiors conjure the world of music —  there’s even a replica of the stage from the Opéra Comique where Halphen’s Le Cor Fleuri premiered.

The makeover spruced up the hotel with contemporary touches alongside historic features such as the atmospheric Stradivarus bar. The spa – a partnership with cult brand Biologique Recherche – makes for the perfect jetlag remedy; book a massage, relax in the sauna with forest views, or soak in the heated swimming pool.

The event space is popular for business conferences and weekend weddings. Best of all: the hotel offers electric bikes which you can take for a spin to the nearby Étangs de Commelles, wildlife-rich ponds in the heart of the forest.

DETAILS
InterContinental Chantilly Château Mont Royal
Allée des Marronniers, Route de Plailly,
60520 La Chapelle-en-Serval, FRANCE
Tel: +33 (0)3 44 54 50 50
Rates from around 250 euros a night.
The hotel is about six miles away from the Chateau de Chantilly.