Asian Air Safari S17 EP3 FRANCE PART 1: The Delight of Chantilly | FULL EPISODE
As a battleground for many medieval wars, Europe has thousands upon thousands of fortified castles built to isolate and defend. [Music] But in France, they have chat built during peace time. The word chateau has come to describe royal country residences with manicured gardens and opulent architecture filled with the most luxurious collections to be enjoyed. In the first part of this adventure, I escaped to one of the country’s most glorious palaces right outside of Paris, the Chateau Desanti. which holds precious art and literary collections, a grand stable and a million magnificent stories. [Music] [Applause] [Music] I am back in Paris and the heat and vibrance of the Parisian summer has given way to the dreamy chill of winter. The trees may have shed their leaves and the days are moody and gray, but I find that the charm of the city of lights never fades, no matter what season. It has been a few months since we brought in the Falcon business jet from Manila, and pretty soon it will be ready for the flight back home. Back in the DO Falcon service facility in Liber, the plane undergoes some final fixes. It was also nice to catch up with Fabri and Nicholas who updated me on the status of the aircraft. We are on our last stretch on this uh inspection. just little things because the plane has been underground for a while, but this is uh normal for airplanes. We’re just doing the final checks. There were a few discrepancies that uh of course we have to correct before we go. But otherwise, uh I think it’s nice to see the airplane in one piece again. It looks like an airplane that we can fly in instead of uh what it was a couple of months ago. Well, I’m excited and I hope uh the test flight day after tomorrow will be great and everything will be okay. Of course, I’m not one to sit idly while waiting. I think this affords me some time to go on another adventure. While waiting for the completion of the aircraft here in Lere, I get a chance to go around and visit the neighboring towns and have a use of this uh all electric Porsche Tyan. [Music] The first allect electric Porsche is sleek and curvy with its subtle air intakes, sloping lines, and aerodynamically optimized 19-in alloy wheels. It kind of looks like a cross between a Panamera and a 911. Inside is a techladen cockpit, almost fully digital. There’s a sport steering wheel and a wide curved display that has all the important information you need. In the middle is a central infotainment screen with a colorful responsive interface and another touchscreen panel for climate controls. The TYON is a four-seater and the interior comes covered in rich materials with Porsche’s signature craftsmanship. Now, where to go? I decided to revisit a place not far from Paris. Going for a very relaxed drive. My destination combines three things I enjoy. An incredible chateau, a dectable dessert, and of course some horses. I am talking about the historic town of Shanti, only 40 km north of Paris. Though this would be a short leg of the journey, I’ve started to get acquainted with the Porsche Tyan. The electric drivetrain gives it a very serene ride, allowing me to soak in the beauty of the landscape. We were soon driving through the forest of Shanti, and I already see some horses participating in a fox hunt. The town has been associated with horses for centuries. Its forest is a known training ground for race horses. The road continues to snake through the forest. Suddenly, it clears up to reveal an imposing sight. The domain, the Shanti, made up of the chatau, its grounds, and the grand stables. The place packs eight centuries of history, and I can’t wait to explore it. For now, I make my way to the old town, separated from the chateau by the port of Sandeni. The town began as a collection of small hamlets outside the original chateau. In the 17th century, the prince of Kundai built a new road which is now the Ru Donatabla. Shandi’s main road. Today, Shandi is a quiet, elegant old town with plenty of treasures the locals take pride in. While here, I thought I’d stay in a chatau as well to be able to soak in the glorious heritage of this place. The hotel is set inside a domain. It is steeped in the same history and magnificence. I feel like I have been transported back in time. And while I relax like a prince, I’m already thinking about tomorrow’s adventures. Up next, I get to know the old town of Shanti by tasting its worldrenown dessert before stepping inside the chateau to see its splenders. [Music] [Music] Just under an hour away from Paris is the town of Shanti, where princes live and where the French show their love for horses. I have begun exploring this charming town, starting at the oldest street, Ru Dukanatabla. This is where the locals go about their daily business and is filled with small shops. You’ll find specialist food stores for cheese, chocolate, and local fair. But of course, I am here to try what the town is world famous for, creme de shanti. Said to be invented in the kitchens of the chateau. Though its origin is widely debated, it was in the banks of Shanti that aristocrats first tasted and wrote about this special cream. This is not something sprayed out of a can. The delicate vanilla infused cream is known for its subtle taste and airy consistency which compliments many kinds of desserts. Now it is time for the main event. A visit to the domain the Shanti. The chatau grounds covers an area of 19,300 acres. Arresting in its grandeur, the chateau is a result of a long and rich history that is closely tied to the history of France. Since the Middle Ages, a castle has been built here by members of the king’s court. It passed hands among the aristocrats over a few centuries until the Mont Meny family inherited the castle during the 16th century. and de Mont Morreny the king’s faithful constable added a Renaissance style building to the chateau. It was later on inherited by a cousin of the king Louie II of Borbon known as the Grand Conde. He invited the great minds of the time and organized a courtly life as vibrant as that of Versailles. In fact, the two palaces shared the same gardener. His greatgrandson, Louisie Henry, the Duke of Borbon, had a great stables built for his great love of horses and hunting. The last prince of Ki tragically lost his son by execution through Napoleon’s orders. With no heir, he left the estate to his grand nephew, 8-year-old Prince Henry, the fifth son of the king. And the chateau, as it is today, is credited to him. Chateau de Shanti is the work of one man, Prince Henry, the Duke of Oman, who is the greatest collector of his time. [Music] I step back in time to see the vast collection of masterpieces and memorabilia collected over the centuries from its various owners. The stag gallery showcase the favorite pastime of the princes, hunting. [Music] Tapestries from the 17th century adorned the walls along with some interesting details. Here the prince hosted dinner parties for the artist and intellectuals of his time. Prince Henry’s art galleries have the largest collections of antique paintings in France. After that of the Louv, this is the gallery of paintings. On the right side is more of the French side of the uh uh family and on the left which is more on his uh mother’s side which is very Italian. There’s no specific way it was arranged. It’s just uh the way it was since he died and they’ve kept it this way. The prince was a military man and on this side are military paintings that is close to his heart. Reaching the far end of the gallery are masterpieces of the Italian Renaissance. Room after room showcase paintings from the French, Dutch and Italian masters reflecting different styles across history. This is the tradition how they presented the paintings in the past. dark wall and light coming up from the ceiling. I enter one of the chateau’s most famous rooms containing some priceless masterpieces. Two works from the Italian master Raphael can be seen here up close. These are original paintings of Raphael and Filipo. There are so many impressive rooms in the chateau like the Psyche Gallery where 44 stained glass windows from the Renaissance are carefully preserved. It is very rare to see a non-religious tale like this of Cupid and Psyche depicted in stained glass. Prince Henry was also keen on collecting the most ancient, rare, and precious books in the world. The result is one of the most extensive libraries in France. 19,500 books displayed here with 60,000 more contained inside the chateau. [Music] Elsewhere, we find the royal reception rooms and private suites. They provide a peak into the decor, furnitureures, and fashion of times past. One of my favorite rooms has some unusual characters. This is called the monk room. It depicts a life of uh people and there was so much interest in Asia at the time. The fashionable monkeys imitating aristocrats show us a bit of 18th century humor. Despite his large inheritance, Prince Henry chose a life in the military. He saw active service in the French conquest of Algeria, which he became governor general of. Despite being away from France for a long time, he never forgot Shanti and sought to restore and preserve its treasures. He lived to a ripe old age, surviving his wife and sons. With no air, he left the chateau to the institute de France with instructions that none of the collections leave the property and that it will be open to the public. The Chateau de Shanti has withtood the test of time. A cultural icon that we are lucky to still be able to enjoy until today. Up next, I explore another side of Shanti’s heritage. It’s rich equestrian history that earned it the title la capital du cheval. They say history is written on the backs of horses. And this cannot be more true than here in Shanti whose history is tied with equestrian culture. Near the chateau is this magnificent masterpiece of architecture known as the great stables. It is considered one of the most beautiful monuments dedicated to horses. The great stables were built for the seventh prince of Condi, a palace for horses dedicated for his passion for riding and hunting. Louis Henry, Duke of Bourbon and Prince of Kande believed that he would be reincarnated as a horse. So he had the stables built to accommodate a horse of his rank. The result was an architectural wonder that can house 240 horses and 500 hounds. The stone used was dug from quaries beneath the current race course. The first time I went here, all I saw was empty stalls, and this was maybe in the 80s. I’m very happy to be back and to see the improvement and see how people make use of old buildings and history to educate kids. There were kids here earlier. Today it is now part of the living museum of the horse where various equin breeds can also be seen. They have different horses here. The first one was a Spanish horse. Well, this one is a pure Arabian and you can see by the shape of his face, the eyes and the nose. This one would be very nice. It’s a combination of an Arab and a Fian horse. Another Spanish horse called Bolero. And this, of course, is their tack room wherein you see the saddles and the the bits that they use. Uh, it’s a combination of snapple and straight bits. The stables also house ponies and donkeys. [Music] All the horses here receive training every day as they take part in various equestrian shows in the dome. On the other side of the stables is the large dome writing area where the prince used to hold receptions for royal guests. This is the dome where they normally have equestrian shows but since it’s winter, everyone is not around. So, um we don’t get to see any show. But it’s a fantastic place to be in watching all these horses marching and jumping. [Music] Within the great stables is the museum which explores the relationship between man and horse since the beginning of civilization. For 5,000 years, horses have been alongside mankind during periods of war and peace. The collections take us through history from the domestication of horses to the evolution of tac equipment which enabled humans to control his steed. We find bits, saddles, stirrups and spurs from different cultures. Over here they have different samples of uh different saddles. Of course, the western very American uh lady saddle. That one is a jump saddle. And this other one is for Dr. Horses soon competed with cattle for agricultural work. The invention of the horse collar that allowed cards to be pulled was a major innovation. The painted cards appeared in Sicily in the 19th century. Wow, intricate artwork for his carriage. Look at the artwork of this one. The collections also trace the role of the horse at war and the pursuit of power. Their association with military victories made them symbols of strength and prestige themselves. Shanti’s history with horses began with a fox hunt. It became an important symbol of French royalty. Good courtiers must be able to entertain the king with a hunting expedition and the chateau and forest of Shanti proved to be ideal spots. Prince Henry, the Duke of Amal, also shared a love for fox hunting and riding. Coming back from a hunt, he and his friends decided to race in front of the great stables and discovered the special properties of its sand. This gave birth to the Shanti racecourse with a fantastic backdrop of the historical buildings. Here, the most prestigious races in France are held since the 19th century. Before the steam locomotive, the only way to travel long distances was on horseback. And since travel defined human development, the history of horses is the history of civilization itself. A very long and fruitful partnership indeed. Before leaving Shanti, there was only one more thing left to do. Explore the grounds on horseback. Not far from the chateau, I see this nice group of horses and join them for a ride around the area. These are Hensen horses, a modern breed from northern France. They are bred to be strong and robust, adapted to all forms of equestrian activities. They’re used to just being out in the field and have never tasted uh living in a barn or a stable. They’re so used to doing this every time. And so we don’t even put a bridal in these horses. They just uh follow and do the regular uh route every single day. Hardworking horses over there. I can see the chateau already. Wow, what a magnificent view. The only way to go around this area is with a horse or with a Porsche. It depends on how many horsepower you want to have. And this is what Shanti is known for. It was nice to go around and explore the scenic areas on horseback. I felt like a prince enjoying a ride around his estate. Prince Henry must be very proud of the treasures and legacy has left behind. [Music] Trading my saddle for a seat on the Tyan. I enjoy its luxurious yet practical features. Modern in design, proportion and silhouette. It is also timeless and is indeed the best way to experience the luxuries of Shandi. [Music] After my quick adventure, it was back to the Duso Falcon facility for me. The plane went on a test flight, but unfortunately some errors still surfaced. Fabris was there to tell me about it. Of course, we don’t want to take the plane home with discrepancies. I know Joy, the problem was coming from the last test flight. the the antenna was not working properly. I know. Yeah. We we had art point what we call art point uh which is given a frozen picture on your screen you know because he’s moving one side and then stop. We have no other option to change the weather radar of course. Okay. We already test uh another one uh on your aircraft from another aircraft same type. It It’s working. That really is a problem. Okay, let’s just hope we get the replacement uh tomorrow. I know the the new part is coming from the US. Honeywell is sending us in the best time uh a new unit. It looks like the plane will need a bit more time in Leer. I on the other hand will have some time to go to another adventure. This time I head for France, a historic region where the kings of France were crowned, where important aviation events took place, and where champagne has been bottled and enjoyed for centuries. [Music] This has been your captain, Joya. See you in the next Asian air safari. [Music]
Special Thanks to:
Fabrice de la Laurencie and Nicholas Jorry
Dassault Falcon Service
Le Bourget, France
PGA Cars