More Prix de Diane Longines at Chantilly

 

More from the fabulous Prix de Diane LONGINES.

Race at Chantilly on Sunday.

I had a bit of Irish luck 🍀 on the shuttle bus. A French man sat next to me…on my jacket in fact. But I asked him, as an ice 🧊 breaker, “Pas de chapeau”? 

It’s true mostly the women are wearing hats 👒 at the Prix de Diane. 

But joking is my specialty with total strangers. He was telling me about the ‘chapeau melon’ French men used to wear to the races 

As we drew near, he offered me a ticket 🎟️ 

I said I already had one. He indicated his was better. 

At the entry, Gerard handed me a printed ticket 🎟️ He said it had ‘Access Balance’. I thought this was the clubhouse. We parted ways never to meet again in the maddening crowd.

In fact ‘ACCESS BALANCES’ gave me coveted entré into the inner circle, where the horses 🏇 are paraded before and after each race! 

All the creme de la creme, horse owners, people of note were milling around in this exclusive arena. 

Photo by Galorama

Plus they give out all the trophies here 🏆

My little green entry badge held the keys 🔑 to the kingdom.

BIG MERCI Gerard, where ever you are ❤️

It was hard to leave and go outside the enclosure. So much excitement. So many hats!

I noticed a woman of distinction nearby, being interviewed for French TV. I took a quick picture. Later I discovered it was Princess Zahra Aga Kahn, daughter of the late Aga Kahn, one of the most important horse breeders in France 🇫🇷 Their horses win 🏆 all the time.

They gave out the prize for the best hat - a Longines watch + a Ladurée lunch box to a lovely young woman with a giant horse 🐎 galloping on her head.

I thought my hat might have received an honorable mention since it was ‘horsy’ in spirit, if not a twirling, feathery extravaganza. 

A French woman behind me, complimented me on my hat! 

She recognized every horse pin! We chatted. Her late husband was a trainer and a relative was a famous rider/painter in the renown Le Cadet noir de Saumur. *SAUMUR is on my must-visit horse list.

Later all the prime jockeys and horses paraded around the circle.

Every horse 🐎 and jockey running at the Prix has previous wins at other races. It’s quite the prestigious event. It was lovely to be at the center of action ❤️ 

And to think I almost didn’t come!? 

France 🇫🇷 really is very good at fêtes 🎈and celebrations 🎉 

The French know how to have a good time 🍾 in a pleasant way that does not go off the deep-end crazy.

All Hats on Etsy now.