LISA HIGGINS finds the Dolce Chantilly hotel just outside Paris the perfect base to explore France's pretty horse-racing capital

WHY STAY
It’s an  ideal location for exploring the stunning 16,000-acre Chantilly Forest, where more than 3,000 horses are trained and exercised on the extensive network of paths. Golfers will love the 18-hole course dotted with water features, reed beds and mature trees. The heated outdoor pool is perfect for a soothing dip, while the Turkish hammam, sauna and indoor pool will leave you feeling rejuvenated.

THE ROOMS
The equestrian theme extends to the light and airy rooms, with modern stencils of galloping horses adorning the walls, flat-screen TVs, rain showers in the sleek, modern bathrooms and spectacular views over the golf course and forest.   

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WINING AND DINING
Tuck into roasted cod slab with lime-marinated king prawn carpaccio and an exquisite raspberry and tomato frosted cocktail with a mint ice cube in the stylish, Michelin-starred Carmontelle restaurant, with its floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the grounds. Don’t miss the exotic cocktails and aperitifs in the elegant Donatello Piano Bar.

Head to the medieval village of Senlis and try your hand at the Napoleonic art of sabrage while dining at the pretty, wooden-shuttered restaurant Le Scaramouche, where mouth-watering foie gras and roast lamb cooked with fresh thyme and Chartreuse is served.

A ceremonial sword is used to open a bottle of champagne in one swift movement. Visitors who participate are given membership of an exclusive quaffing club that counts Gordon Ramsay and the late dramatist Sir John Mortimer among its members.

DON’T MISS
Nothing showcases the outstanding natural beauty of the area quite like a horse and carriage ride. An hour’s trot around the centre of Senlis unveiled a picturesque medieval village with imposing monuments dotted around the cobbled streets.

Another must-see attraction is Château Chantilly, which sits within 300 acres of impeccably manicured lawns (designed by Louis XIV’s personal gardener André Le Nôtre) and featured in the James Bond film A View To A Kill.

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Nearby is the Chantilly racecourse. Hippodrome de Chantilly, which hosts two of the racing world’s most prestigious events: the Prix du Jockey Club and the Prix de Diane.

The castle, recently the venue for Brazilian footballer Ronaldo’s wedding, houses the Musée Condé that has one of the finest collections of paintings in France, including iconic works by Raphael, Botticelli and Poussin. The Musée Vivant du Cheval (Living Horse Museum) is housed in the 18th-century stables, built by an eccentric aristocrat who thought he would be reincarnated as a horse and wanted to ensure a luxury home in the next life.

Decked with exquisite carvings and grand masonry, the stables can accommodate 240 horses and make an impressive venue for an equestrian show in the grand theatre under its 28-metre high cupola.

THE FACTS
Dolce Chantilly (dialling from UK: 0033 344 584 777/www.dolce-chantilly-hotel.com) offers doubles from £70pp per night (two sharing), B&B. British Airways (0844 493 0787/www.ba.com) offers return flights from Heathrow to Paris from £140pp.