The hamlet at the château de Chantilly

Saturday
We took Laura to Charles de Gaulle airport this morning for her flight to the States. She was flying first to Houston ( with a connection in Newark) to spend some time with her sister, then back to Ohio, to catch up with friends and be in a wedding - her best friend from university. Since we were up in that area, we decided it would be a good opportunity to visit the chateau de Chantilly, which is about 30 minutes drive further north.
The chateau as we see it today dates back to 1875-81, the original mansion having been largely destroyed during the French Revolution. It was entirely rebuilt by Henri d'Orléans, duc d'Aumale, son of the last King of France, Louis-Philippe. This prince, who is considered to be the greatest collector of his time, made Chantilly the showcase for his countless masterpieces and precious manuscripts. The château remains as it was when the Duke of Aumale bequeathed it to the Institut de France in 1886.
We toured the château first, with the aid of an audio guide, then had lunch in the café. After lunch, we explored the beautiful gardens, which are the result of several creations according to the fashion of each period: the French-style garden created by André Le Nôtre in the 17th century, the Anglo-Chinese Garden in the 18th century and the English Garden in the 19th century. The hamlet depicted in my photograph formed part of the Anglo-Chinese garden, and provided the inspiration for Marie-Antoinette's hamlet in the Petit Trianon at Versailles.