The Chantilly racecourse sits directly beside the château grounds and is one of the most scenic in France — the horses race with the château and its moat visible across the infield. Racing has been held here since 1834, and the course hosts two of France's five Classic races: the Prix du Jockey Club (the French Derby) and the Prix de Diane, both run on successive Sundays in early June.
The Chantilly training grounds around the racecourse are the base for a large share of French flat-racing operations, with over 3,000 horses trained in the town. On any morning outside race days you can watch strings of thoroughbreds heading out to the training tracks through the forest.