10Domaine de Chamarande 13Parc Astérix Located 35 km south of Paris, this estate The famous Gauls, Astérix and Obélix, have combines historical heritage and contem- their very own theme park. Come face to porary art. Exhibitions on art, architecture, face with Caesar in Ancient Rome, Cleopatra design and botany are held in the Louis XIII- in Ancient Egypt or Goudurix in the realm style chateau (1654), in the gardens or in the of the Vikings. A memorable family outing orangery. with thrills galore, plenty of shows to enjoy, 38 rue du Commandant Maurice Arnoux. famous characters to meet and restaurants 91730 Chamarande. 01 60 82 52 01. and cafes for a tasty treat. Daily from 9am (opening times vary 60128 Plailly. 0 826 46 66 26 (€0.15/min). according to season). Free. 31 March to 4 Nov 2018: opening days and http://chamarande.essonne.fr times vary, contact for details. Full rate: €49. www.parcasterix.fr 11Château d’Auvers-sur-Oise The village of Auvers-sur-Oise is situated in the countryside to the north of Paris. At the end of the 19th century, this bucolic setting was very popular with Impressionist painters, such as Cézanne, Pissarro and Van Gogh. The Château d’Auvers, built in the 17th century, evokes this highly-productive artis- tic past. Rue de Léry. 95430 Auvers-sur-Oise. 01 34 48 48 48. Daily: 10am-5pm (Apr to 14Domaine de Chantilly Sept, 6pm), except Mon and mid-Dec to mid- You will need to set aside at least half a day Jan. Open Easter and Whit Mon. Full rate: €15. for this truly sumptuous estate! The cha- www.chateau-auvers.fr teau, a jewel of French architecture, houses the second largest collection of fine old paintings after the Louvre. The breathtak- ing grounds, stretching over 115 hectares, feature both English and French-style for- mal gardens, ideal for a picturesque stroll. The 18th-century stables are home to the Musée du Cheval (Equestrian Museum) and equestrian shows. 7 rue du Connétable. 60500 Chantilly. 12Casino Barrière – Enghien-les-Bains 03 44 27 31 80. High season (end March to At 14 km from the Champs-Élysées, this is the end Oct): daily, 10am-6pm (8pm for the park). closest casino to Paris … and the most fre- Low season (early Nov to end March): daily, quented in France! The glass building in a lake- 10.30am-5pm (6pm for the park), except Tues. side setting has 40 gaming tables (roulette, Closed 2 weeks in Jan. Estate ticket (chateau, Black Jack, poker … ) and 500 slot machines, grounds, Great Stables and Musée du Cheval)/ 72 video-pokers and 39 English electronic rou- full rate: €17. Grounds ticket/full rate: €8. lette stations. The casino also boasts two res- www.domainedechantilly.com taurants, two bars and an Italian-style theatre with a varied programme. Smart dress and personal ID are required at the entrance. 3 av. de Ceinture. 95880 Enghien-les-Bains. 01 39 34 13 00. Daily. Mon to Fri, 10am- 4am; Sat, Sun and public holidays, 10am-5am. Admission to the casino is restricted to people over 18 yrs, not banned from playing, on pres- entation of valid ID. www.casinosbarriere.com 78 OUTSIDE PARIS