The Petits Appartements are accessed via the Escalier d'Honneur (Staircase of Honour)

Iron banisters by the Moreau brothers.
Atlantes in bronze by Chapu

The ceiling "l'Espérance" (The Expectation) is by Diogène Maillard (1892).




The Petits Appartements, the private rooms of the Duc and Duchesse d'Aumale, are situated on the ground floor of the Petit Château and look out over the large balcony that stands above the moat. The Duc d'Aumale had them decorated in 1845 - 1846 by the Romantic painter and decorator Eugène Lami, shortly after his marriage to the Princesse de Salerne.
The Petits Appartements comprise 9 rooms.


• The Salon de Guise, or the Duchesse's Antichamber, houses family portraits including the portrait of the Duc d'Aumale at the age of nine by Robert Fleury and his two sons, Le Prince de Condé (who died in 1866 at the age of twenty one) and the Duc de Guise (who died in 1872 at the age of eighteen) by Jalabert. An orverdoor depicts different sites in the Chantilly estate throughout history.

• Chambre de la duchesse (the Duchesse's bedroom)

This room is typical of the decorative style in fashion under the July Monarchy.
There is a large canopied bed, and delightful padded furniture (Louis XV style chairs), a ceiling by N. Diaz (1845) representing birds, a garland of roses and the monogram of the Duchesse (C.A), a Neogothic prayer stool and marquetry by the cabinet maker Grohé.

• The Duchesse's boudoir is covered in violet satin brocaded with silver, and this is reproduced on the partition screen and the furniture. The inlaid marquetry furniture and piano are by the Grohé brothers, cabinet makers to King Louis Philippe.

• Petite Singerie

Situated on the ground floor of the Petit Château, the Petite Singerie (Little Monkey Room) stands between the apartments of the Duc and Duchesse de Bourbon.

• The Duc d'Aumale's bathroom, provided with hot and cold water. The Petits Appartements were centrally heated and lit by gas after 1886.

• Chambre du duc d'Aumale (the Duc d'Aumale's bedroom)

The Chambre du Duc d'Aumale contains an austere, very military style bed but a touching detail is that the Prince kept above his bed a portrait of his mother, Queen Maria Amélie, by the Baron Gérard, when she was still Duchesse d'Orléans and the Duc d'Aumale still only a young child. The magnificent roll top desk by the cabinet maker Grohé, which is also displayed in the room, was a present from King Louis Philippe to his son in 1845.

• The Salon de Condé

The Salon de Condé has a Renaissance style chimney with a bust of the Duc de Bourbon (1756 - 1830). There are 42 medallions by J. M. Ribou (late 18th century) depicting the kings and queens of France and the princes and princess of Condé.

• Salle de marbre

The Salle de Marbre (Marble room), with marble paving, is decorated in Renaissance style: the coffered ceiling, chimney and furniture have been inspired by the 16th century. The Souvenir des Orléans is a death bust of the Duc d'Orléans (1810 - 1842), the elder brother of the Duc d'Aumale.