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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The Table, known as "de Montgrésin", is a monument to the south of the forest of Chantilly, on the border of the communal territory and of Avilly-Saint-Léonard. It is in the centre of a roundabout on the road from La Chapelle-en-Serval to Chantilly. Also called "table de Montgrésin" or "table du roi", this stone structure dates from the arrangements of the forest aisles made in 1669-1670 according to the plans of André Le Nôtre, famous landscape architect.

This place was a high place of veneration, serving as a traditional meeting point for the departure of the crews of the princes of Condé and their successors. It was also the place of the cure, when hunting dogs were rewarded after hunting. In 1671, the Grand Condé welcomed Louis XIV, marking his importance as a reception place for distinguished guests at the entrance to the princely estate.

The Table is listed as historical monuments by order of 28 April 1970. It symbolizes the importance of hunting in the life of the princes of Condé and their close connection with the forest of Chantilly, a natural and historical area of the region. This monument remains a testimony of the organization of aristocratic leisure in the 17th century and of the landscaping orchestrated by Le Nôtre.

The Chantilly Forest, in which the Table is located, is now a classified site and a natural area of ecological, faunistic and floral interest (ZNIEFF). It is managed by the National Forestry Office (NFB) and belongs to the Institut de France, heir to the domain of the Condé. The Table, as a heritage element, recalls the forest and cynegetic history of this region, intimately linked to the French nobility.

The monument is located in a wooded environment, close to other historic sites such as Chantilly Castle and its outbuildings. It attracts walkers and history enthusiasts, offering a perspective on the aristocratic past of the region. The Table de Montgrésin is thus a tangible vestige of the practices of hunting and sociability of elites under the Ancien Régime.

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