In the process of making overseas trip arrangements? A trip to Maisons-Laffitte, France, is something you should absolutely do. For the best travel experience in Maisons-Laffitte, France, check out our curated list of things to do in Maisons-Laffitte, France, and the best places to visit in Maisons-Laffitte, France, below. Wondrous Drifter is a Web 3.0 startup in the tourism industry that aims to disrupt the industry as a whole by utilizing Web 3.0 technologies.
Table Of Content
- Château de Maisons
- Parc de Maisons-Laffitte
- Forêt de Saint-Germain-en-Laye
- Hippodrome de Maisons-Laffitte
- Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye
- Chapelle Saint-Louis
- Grande Terrasse de Saint-German-en-laye
- Villa Savoye
- Château de Malmaison
- Versailles
- La Défense
- Saint-Germain forest
- Pavillon de la Muette
- Eglise Saint Nicolas
- Fontaine Wallace
- Champagne Mater & Filii
- Villas Remarquables
- Golf De Saint-Germain
- Explore Europe
Château de Maisons
The Chateau de Maisons-Laffitte is a spectacular embodiment of French baroque architecture situated in a groomed garden in the northwestern suburb of Paris.
In addition to being among the most magnificent specimens of the French Baroque style, this structure is also essential in the history of European architecture.
Le Parc, a former hunting ground of the castle, today houses well-spaced residential sections surrounded by open spaces and trees, making it a calm and tranquil place to live.
Once finished in 1651, this palace was the first of its kind to be seen by the general public in France.
When René de Longueil was discharged as the Superintendent of Finances for giving a lavish party at the Palace of Versailles, he acquired this picture to remember it.
The Comte d’Artois, who refurbished the interiors around the 1700s, incorporated the Baroque style of Mansart into the prevalent Classicism.
In addition, there is a museum within that chronicles the château’s connection to horse racing and the Maisons-Laffitte Hippodrome.
Address: 2 Av. Carnot, 78600 Maisons-Laffitte, France
Parc de Maisons-Laffitte
If you’re planning a trip to or vacationing in the area of Maisons-Laffitte, make sure to check out the Park of Maisons-Laffitte. Visitors to the site flock to see this landmark!
René de Longueuil was responsible for the design of the château and the park surrounding it.
The Parc was created in 1830 by Jacques Laffitte, the director of the Banque de France, and is separated into pieces of land so that some vacation houses might be built. Architect Duval’s villas will be home to many artists and authors, thanks to some brilliant advertising.
After purchasing the property, Jacques Laffitte divided the 300-acre grounds evenly. Once the grounds of Versailles and Chantilly’s stables, he sold the land for luxurious house complexes.
But only in front of the château did the American-style landscaping remain.
There are two long and tree-lined lanes that connect at right angles in fronting the château, making it a quiet spot to stroll or ride.
Address: Maisons-Laffitte, 78600, Paris
Forêt de Saint-Germain-en-Laye
The Saint-Germain-en-Laye national forest is only a half-hour drive from Paris. It is open to hikers of all skill levels and tourists on bicycles and horses for nature hikes. There are also some intriguing cultural discoveries to be found in this book.
The town is nestled in the easternmost reaches of a massive forest covering 3,500 hectares.
While this area was formerly a hunting place for royalty, it has now fallen into disrepair.
This year’s Fête des Loges is held on the eight-hectare Promenade des Loges from June through August.
You can expect to find everything from classic fairground games to high-speed rollercoasters during this six-week extravaganza.
Throughout the festival, you may find regional delicacies from Bavaria to Brazil to Spain to Switzerland to India on the Allée des Cuisines.
Walking through its sessile oak, beech, hornwood, and other pine forests with loved ones or friends is a joy, thanks to the abundance of hiking trails. For the more experienced hiker, there are 18-kilometer trails and others just 2 kilometers long.
Visitors who are more fit can use the workout equipment on the Sylvestre trail. By bike or horseback in the Saint-Germain-en-Laye forest.
Hippodrome de Maisons-Laffitte
With a total surface area of more than half a mile, Maisons-Laffitte is the largest racetrack in the Paris region. In the same manner, as Saint-Cloud belonged to France Galop, the 70-hectare property does.
Mansart created opulent stables that no longer existed when the castle was completed.
When the Comte d’Artois purchased Maisons, he had the stables renovated, a track built out along the Seine’s banks, and an “English-style stable” constructed (80 horses). To Maisons-Laffitte, “the city of horses,” he introduced English-bred horses to France.
Given the town’s history, it makes sense that a racetrack would be built there.
This place was built-in 1878, which is unique because it is the longest flat track in France at 4.68 kilometers.
Moreover, the major straights at Silverstone and Newmarket in Suffolk are the longest in Europe, each measuring over two kilometers.
If you’re a horse racing fan, mark your calendar for the following three major events: All three prizes are awarded in July: the Prix Robert Papin, the Prix Eugène Adam, and the Critérium de Maisons-Laffitte.
Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye
Are you looking for something to do outside of the capital of France? The picturesque town of Saint-Germain-en-Laye, which is located to the west of Paris, is an ideal location for a relaxing getaway because of the enticing combination of nature, arts, and culture that can be found there.
The pentagon-shaped castle of Saint-Germain-en-Laye was erected on the foundations of a medieval stronghold that had been in place for centuries. It has a strong connection to France’s past.
The National Gallery of Archaeology is housed in the castle’s enormous round towers, which are surrounded by dry moats. You’ve never seen ancient art like this before. If you’re exploring Paris’ western suburbs, don’t miss this must-see landmark!
A trip to Saint-Germain-en-Laye might double as an educational tour if you want to go in that direction. Claude Debussy, a French composer, and Maurice Denis, a French painter, both called this town home at one point in their careers. Today, the town maintains strong ties to the artistic community.
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Chapelle Saint-Louis
This magnificent Gothic chapel, commissioned by Louis IX and completed in 1238, is located not far from the Château. Pierre de Montreuil created both the Saint-Chapelle and the Eiffel Tower, and if you’re familiar with Paris, you’ll notice a striking resemblance between the two buildings.
This chapel is a true work of art in the gothic style. An extraordinary effort, the Sainte Chapelle was built in under seven years to store valuable Christian artifacts, including the crown of thorns that Saint Louis had purchased for the chapel.
With these precious artifacts in his possession, the already strong ruler was elevated to the leader of western Christianity.
The stained glass panels represent 1,113 images from the Old and New Testaments depicting the history of the globe up until the arrival of the relics in Paris are arranged over 15 windows, each 15 meters high.
Once a revolutionary tribunal and jail where Marie-Antoinette was imprisoned, the Conciergerie is a remarkable historical landmark near the Sainte-Chapelle in the Palais de la Cité.
The museum’s highlight is the lapidary exhibitions. It contains carved plaques said to depict Louis IX and his family members, making them the first known picture of a French monarch.
Address: 1 Rue Louis Renard, 86000 Poitiers, France
Grande Terrasse de Saint-German-en-laye
What a massive space is the Great Terrace! Until the eye can see no farther, the road continues indefinitely. It takes about a half-hour to walk from the beginning to the end.
Saint-Germain-en-Le Laye’s Nôtre restaurant has a spectacular rooftop patio with sweeping views of the Seine and the city’s western suburbs.
There is a massive terrace that is 30 meters wide and 2,400 meters long that was built between 1668 and 1675 among the two castles (Château-Vieux and Château-New). In addition to its stunning vistas and excellent perspective, it is one of the tourists’ most popular walking destinations.
This consideration is evident in the landscape paintings of André Le Nôtre. Indeed, the terrace exemplifies André Le Nôtre’s skill with perspective as a painter. Using an offset viewpoint, the 2.4 km-long patio appears considerably longer than it is.
Since its construction, the grand terrace has provided visitors with breathtaking views of Paris’ western suburbs.
Villa Savoye
This magnificent structure, located in Poissy, a little town outside of Paris, is one of the most important contributions to contemporary architecture made during the twentieth century.
Built in 1929, Le Corbusier’s masterwork is a contemporary interpretation of a French country home that embraces and reacts to the advent of the modern industrial age.
Villa Savoye is a Modernist masterpiece designed by Swiss architect Le Corbusier that was completed in the early 1930s.
The rich guests of the Villa Savoye had the opportunity to get away from the hustle and bustle of Paris thanks to its location close outside the city.
Le Corbusier enjoyed complete freedom of expression while designing it since it was situated on a big, unconstrained plot.
The tiny floating cube that he built is both a livable home and a work of modernist art, deftly fusing the two concepts of form and function.
Moreover, its interiors was well-kept and as simple as possible to allow you to enjoy the fantastic expanses of the home, which are drenched in light thanks to the glass walls.
Château de Malmaison
To get to the Château de Malmaison, travel the Seine to the south and continue the river’s bend.
One might practically hear the fluttering of the Empress’s robe in the alleyways since the palace’s garden is so permeated with the aura of the Empress.
Josephine, who was interested in botany and collected valuable roses, also grew exotic plants in addition to her collection.
Your excursion to the imperial residence comes to a satisfying close with the revelation of the garden and its collection of over 150 different kinds of blooms; this is a genuine adventure for the sense of smell!
The inside is a wonderful museum that contains the couple’s valuables as well as lovely rooms that have been maintained precisely as they had been when Joséphine resided here.
Visitors may stroll through the park, which Berthault has completely changed. Josephine designed and built a rose garden in the park and a summer pavilion restored to its original 1814 form.
Versailles
In addition to being a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a “Monument Historique,” the Château de Versailles is one of the world’s most prominent structures.
This is a must-see French landmark and is one of the best examples of 17th-century French art and architecture. The Grand Palace, originally the seat of French royal authority and the official residence of the French Monarchy, lies just 40 minutes outside of Paris in the city of Versailles. It is now a museum dedicated to France’s history.
It served as a model for royal residences around Europe for more than a century as it was embellished by successive generations of architects, sculptors, decorators, and landscape architects.
The Hall of Mirrors, the War Room, and the King and Queen’s great apartments are all included in your Versailles tickets. Take a stroll through the beautiful Gardens of Versailles and see the magnificent artworks housed in the palace.
Whether it’s the glistening Hall of Mirrors or the vivid paintings that cover the walls and ceilings of the State Apartments, the Palace transports visitors back in time. Versailles is a tribute to five centuries of French history, with over 60,000 works of art on display.
La Défense
This is a commercial area in the city’s west, is one of Europe’s most important business districts, like London’s The City.
La Défense is a Metropolis-like cityscape as you make your way toward Paris.
It wasn’t until the mid-20th century that this developing business district started to take shape, and it hasn’t stopped expanding since then.
The Arc de Triomphe and the Grande Arche de La Défense lie on a direct axis in the forest of skyscrapers.
Les Quatre Temps, the mammoth shopping center, has more to offer than just futuristic architecture and street art.
This mall is the most popular in the region, and it features 230 stores from every major luxury brands.
In the La Défense area, travelers may see Paris from a new perspective. Quatre Temps, a shopping mall filled with futuristic buildings, houses a range of eateries and retail and electrical establishments. First opened in 1980, this department store was Europe’s largest in the 1980s.
Over 60 modern works of art are displayed at an open-air exhibition in the neighborhood, with squares, fountains, hanging gardens, and high-rise glass and cement structures.
Saint-Germain forest
Adventure into the 3,500 hectares of greenery of the Saint-Germain-en-Laye forest, just like the French kings who have come before you!
Saint-Germain-en-forest Laye’s is the second-largest in the Yvelines, less than half an hour from Paris. Walkers and bikers of all ages may use the area’s many well-maintained pathways and bike tracks.
Thanks to its oak trees, interesting royal relics, and beautiful ponds, you’ll uncover a plethora of riches along the path!
The Sandaya campground is just a short distance from there, and it’s ready to welcome you all summer long on the banks of the Seine!
Your campground in Île-de-France has a unique natural environment, whether you’re staying in a treehouse, a fully-equipped mobile home, or on a camping pitch.
Relax in the water park’s swimming pools, take a break in the beautiful outdoors, or get out and see Paris during your vacation. You’ll have enough to do!
You’re just a short walk, bike ride, or RER ride away from your Sandaya camping in Paris. You may start your exploration of this large green oasis right away, thanks to its convenient location!
Pavillon de la Muette
A one-of-a-kind experience reviving history in this edifice!
Architect Ange Jacques Gabriel erected the Pavillon de la Muette, a magnificent hunting lodge, on the site of a former fortress built by Francois Ier of France for Louis XV of France.
While not as grand as Petit Trianon, it has many of the same architectural cues, including the same “rechauffon'” kitchens, as that structure.
Similar to the pavilion du Butard, a hunting lodge erected by Gabriel in the same location but with bigger dimensions.
At the end of Louis XV’s reign, a huge octagon form was erected to the north of it and finished by Louis XVI. To keep tabs on the hunting parties, a belvedere terrace was built on top of it.
Only a few remnants of Francois Ier’s former castle survive, including a cave and an underground tunnel in the pavilion’s northwest corner, beneath the western terrace.
With two enormous halls, a stairway to the south, and a huge octagonal chamber in the north, the pavilion has everything you need for an entertaining night!
Large chimneys and the original stone floor of the underground kitchens remain preserved. The first floor and the attics have been severely damaged.
Eglise Saint Nicolas
Saint-Nicolas-des-Champs is a name that many people have never heard of. An association in downtown Paris claims that the church is “little recognized by Parisians and visitors.”
Still, renovations are currently ongoing in the hopes of giving it back its long-lost appeal.
The initial building of this Gothic church in Paris took two centuries, as is the case with many of the city’s Gothic structures.
In those twenty decades, the church’s design evolved, increased in size, and became more ornate in response to changing preferences and population growth in the region.
Since the 12th century, only the square tower of the church has been standing. One of Coulombs abbey’s churches was largely damaged during the Hundred Years War.
It was reconstructed in the fourteenth century. After it was decommissioned to make way for the new church, it served as a fire station for a while. It was rebuilt in 1988 and now functions as a community center.
Fontaine Wallace
Check out walking tours for a chance to see the fountains in Paris! Find all 107 of Paris’ Wallace Fountains to learn about the city’s history. Maisons-Laffitte is home to one of these magnificent water features.
In Paris, the Wallace fountains are part of the city’s architectural history.
Small drinking fountains like this can be seen all throughout Paris and were put in to help the city’s residents stay hydrated.
They now provide a pleasant chance for thirst-quenching to locals and visitors alike.
The largest of the four models is the fountain with four carved female figures, which is perhaps the most well-known (caryatids).
It was initially dark green, but several of the Wallace fountains were later repainted bright red or pink.
The fountain is made of cast iron and painted green.
The four sea monster sculptures atop the scale-encrusted dome emitted four rivers of wavelets from their open jaws, representing the four major rivers of the world.
Four antique-draped caryatids stand astride it. Breakfront scrolls and shells on a big octagonal pedestal with newts alternating around Poseidon’s trident form the sculpture’s base.
Champagne Mater & Filii
Wines from the Mater & Filii vineyards are made from predominantly Meunier grapes grown on the soils of Troisy and Dormans in the Valley of the Marne.
The oldest vineyard is 48 years old, while the newest is just 9 years old.
The Valley of the Marne, a wine-producing region in the north, with a climate described as “oceanic deteriorated” because of the effect of the Marne and the western oceanic influences (between 550 and 700 mm a year).
In the Marne Valley, several well-known farming and winemaking families have been active in their own fields and vineyards for several generations.
These families have played an important role in their home region’s history and future growth, the Champagne region.
It’s a white chalk layer that covers sands, clays, and resistant rock piles based on the Cretaceous geological formations.
This ensures good drainage, adequate humidity, and the ability to store the sun’s heat during the day to restore it at night, allowing for better grape maturation.
Villas Remarquables
You should take some time to explore the various intersecting avenues designed in the ancient Parc de Maisons-Laffitte from the late nineteenth century onward since they are rather beautiful.
Stunning homes, the majority of which are designated as French historical monuments, trace the river’s course.
There are several, including the Maison Doulton, which was designed by the Royal Doulton pottery firm in England for the 1878 Exposition Universelle in Paris and relocated here when the fair ended.
If you are interested in ornamental architecture, you may either download a list of mansions or visit the tourist information center for a more extensive list of options.
Golf De Saint-Germain
The Golf de Saint Germain is a public golf course located in the forest of St Germain, to the west of Paris.
The club was initially established in 1902, and its course was located on the banks of the Seine.
However, in 1920, they relocated to their current location when members became dissatisfied that the river frequently flooded their 18-hole layout.
A stunning English-style clubhouse was erected with two golf courses at Port-Marly.
It was transported to Saint-Germain-en-Laye in 1921 after being disassembled at considerable expense.
Snacks are available at the bar at all hours of the day and night throughout the summer.
The rustic 1931 pro-shop has been transformed into a lovely boutique selling clothing and accessories. It has access to the PMR network.
There is also a restaurant overlooking the green of hole 9 with more than 1000 m2 of space. The most populous in France.
With its beautiful parkland setting and flowing avenues of gigantic trees, St Germain is a golfer’s course where one must plan their route around the property, avoid the carefully placed bunkers, and stay clear of the trees that border every fairway and provide cover for every green.
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Address: Golf in Saint-Germain-en-Laye, France
