The Oise River carves out a wooded valley an hour’s drive north of Paris, and at its edge stands Chantilly, a small town known for horse racing, lace and porcelain. It’s home to the Château de Chantilly, a fairy-tale castle of towers, turrets and balconies reflected in a moat. The area rewards the dedication of a full day, allowing for the leisurely enjoyment of horses at dawn, a duke’s art collection, regal gardens and exceptional dining.

Begin and end your time in Chantilly at Auberge du Jeu de Paume, a sophisticated country house hotel located less than a 10-minute walk from the castle. The interiors echo the regal décor of the château, and the hotel’s chic restaurant and sumptuous accommodations bring this Perfect Day to a memorable close.

Morning

Start the day in aristocratic fashion: Ride through the gardens of the Château de Chantilly on horseback, past carefully clipped hedges and mirror-still canals. Loop around the Hippodrome, where exercise riders run their morning workouts. For those who prefer to stay off the saddle, take to the water instead. Rent a rowboat and have a lovely spin around the château’s moat.

Lunch

Stop for a bite at La Capitainerie, tucked into the château’s former kitchens. Featuring white-stone vaulted ceilings, a brick fireplace and copper pots hanging from iron racks, this restaurant serves surprisingly affordable prix fixe menus. The dishes may not be at the forefront of culinary innovation, but the Richelieu pâté en croûte starter and rotisserie farmhouse chicken are both faultless. Classics are classics for a reason.

Walk to the Great Stables next. Embellished by domes and intricate gold-leaf ornamentation, the stables rival the château itself in grandeur. They were built for horses as palaces were built for kings. If the timing is right, book a ticket for a graceful equestrian show. If not, it’s still a pleasure to watch the arena’s horsemanship demonstrations, tour the Living Museum of the Horse and just walk through the stables to admire the residents.

Afternoon

Before your goûter (afternoon tea), visit the Musée Condé inside the castle. The Château de Chantilly belonged to the Montmorency and Condé families from the 15th century to the 19th, and the estate still displays the magnificent antiquities and art the families spent centuries accumulating. The museum is home to a premier selection of old masters paintings hung frame against frame, arranged just as the Duke of Aumale left them after inheriting the estate from his godfather, Louis Henri Joseph de Bourbon, the last Prince de Condé.

You’ve certainly earned a stop at the château’s garden café, Le Hameau, for a taste of crème Chantilly made the traditional way. Order a coupe de crème Chantilly, either deliciously plain or with a scoop of sorbet. In any case, pair the treat with a refreshing glass of sparkling rhubarb water. You could even enroll in a crème Chantilly workshop led by La Confrérie des Chevaliers Fouetteurs in the Great Stables, where you’ll learn the distinct wrist action employed to whip the cream into soft, billowing peaks.

Spend the rest of the day exploring the grounds on foot or by bike. The estate encompasses a formal 17th-century French garden designed by famed landscape architect André Le Nôtre, as well as English and Anglo-Chinese gardens. Families might devote this part of the afternoon to Le Potager des Princes, a petting zoo with an unpredictable charm: Hen races and rabbit agility demonstrations sometimes turn up on the schedule with no warning.

Evening

Return to Auberge du Jeu de Paume and prop up your feet. Maybe head to the Valmont spa or take a glass of Champagne at the bar before enjoying into French classics at Le Jardin d’Hiver, the hotel’s restaurant. If you prefer to go where the locals go, dine instead at Le Cob in town.