Domaine de Chamarande et son centre d'art

Time Out has a bit of a crush on the Domaine de Chamarande. There you go, we've said it - but we're not ashamed. This castle in Essonne, with its beautiful park nestled on the edge of some woods and a chocolate-box village nearby, is the perfect place to take in some culture - and have a picnic while you're at it, too. A never-ending expanse of lawn and contemporary art exhibitions outside mean that here, culture goes hand-in-hand with l'art de vivre. Take your time, flit from one installation to another, stroll through the exhibitions and float along in the lake, in one of the little boats you can hire for free.