So I continue on my efforts to show you something different of my belle France other than that other country Paris. Oh yes city you know what I mean…. Come on over to the mouvable feast that is France provinces or regions and see the gorgeous architecture and history that it embodies. I have mentioned before on the streets, church and castle of Maisons-Laffitte but it needs a bit more. I like to tell you more on this is Maisons Laffitte !!! Hope you enjoy the post as I.
The town of Maisons Laffitte we used to come often while living in nearby Versailles. Oh yes it is in the Yvelines dept 78 of the Ïle de France region. Now it has been a bit long in between, last was 2017. It is a wonderful town ,first, because it has a wonderful castle, then the hippodrome, and finally the nice shops along main street avenue de Longueil ,especially the epicérie de Longueil. You best get here by car, from Paris take the A13 direction Rouen, enter at exit/sortie 7 direction Poissy go thru Poissy centre ville around roundabout facing Peugeot factory /office take second street alongside the offices on road D308 direction Maisons Laffitte, and will hit dead center of it. Or take the A15 out from Paris on porte st Ouen, direction Gennevilliers, stay on the same road as N315 (A15) direction Rouen to exit 7 Conflans Sainte Honorine take here the N184 direction Saint Germain en Laye to rue de poissy or the D308 see signs on your left for Maisons Laffitte. About 10 km from Saint Germain en Laye and 18 km from Paris. Of course on public transports too on the RER A trains from different locations in Paris.
How to get around and public transports with a map from the tourist office of Maisons Laffitte here: Maisons Laffitte tourist office on getting around
Well, while visiting the Church of St Nicolas (see post) notice a quant old water tower across the street. This is the Château d’Eau or water tower is located on 36bis rue de la Muette, it dates from the second half of the 19C. There still sits without the canopy and now living quarters below it. Also, the former machine des eaux or water machine and the aqueduct, are the vestiges of the old establishment of the water of Maisons-Laffitte, The water machine and the aqueduct date from the 17C. It is now State property,located by 15 rue de Paris. A nice architecture building to look while walking in glorious Maisons Laffitte.
And if architecture is not for you, then Maisons Laffite has plenty of cultural activities and a wonderful cultural complex. The Festival has been postponned this year due to the virus covid 19 but schedule for May 2021 , more info will be shown here: Festival de Maisons Laffitte
At 39, avenue Longueil, you have a wonderful cultural center, library, tourist office etc. The setting of course is wonderful. Hours, contact tel and email can be had here for future events: City of Maisons Laffitte on cultural events
And of course, the wonderful pretty Bibliothéque or municipal library of Maisons Laffitte has it all for your leisure time after sightseeing the town. Created in 1965, the Maisons-Laffitte municipal library is located close to shops and public transport. Covering an area of approximately 600m², it has an adult and youth space, each with armchairs and work spaces. You can find there: books, magazines, audio books, comics, attend conferences, meet authors, surf the internet, etc . Also, find out about all the cultureal activities of the city. It is centrally located at 39, avenue Longueil, right next to the tourist office and across the street from the Hôtel de Ville or city hall and diagonally across from the RER A train station. You entered the library by place du Maréchal Juin behind the building.
More on the municipal library in French here: Municipal library of Maisons Laffitte
And do walk and see the famous thinkers of our times that have come or stayed in Maisons Laffitte a wonderul town by the Seine river too. Some of these were Guy de Maupassant ;Henri Marie Baur ; Idel Ianchelevici ; Jean Cocteau ; Joseph Czapski ;Luigi Castiglioni ;Pierre Larquey ; and Roger Martin du Gard. But here is the Maisons Laffitte tourist office with more info on each of them in English: Maisons Laffitte on the land of artists
Other things to see in Maisons-Laffitte!
Inaugurated in 1878, the Hippodrome de Maisons-Laffitte (horse racecourse) is part of the series of racing fields built during the second half of the 19C in the region of ïle de France in addition to the Grands racecourses of Paris (Auteuil, Longchamp, Saint-Cloud and Vincennes) and alongside those of the Marche in Marnes-La-Coquette (1851), Enghien (1879), Saint-Ouen (1881) and Colombes (1883). A runway of 4 680 meters in grass, located on the edge of the Seine. The straight line of more than 2 000 meters is the longest in Europe with the Rowley Mile Course in Newmarket (Suffolk, England). The Hippodrome de Maisons-Laffitte has the peculiarity of being the only course of flat runs in Île-de-France where horses can run rope left and rope right in the same meeting of races. Different track configurations are possible, with a total of 35 different departures: A right-hand rope track (1 600 meters to 3 200 meters), a left-hand rope track (1 400 meters to 2 400 meters), and a straight line (2 000 meters).
Contemporaries of the château, several pavilions also of François Mansart: Two at the entrance of the Parc de Maisons-Laffitte, framing the two gates of Maisons-Laffitte, once closed by a grid. Two others a little further, very revamped, in the extension of Avenue Albine. A fifth in the northern cellars, Eglé Avenue, at another end of the park. An old church of the 11C and 16C, disaffected in 1896, today Exhibition Center. The Fountain of Maisons-Laffitte, in the village, next door, dating from the 18C. A Benedictine priory that the tradition brought back to the 15C, which survives the exterior structure with two pepper towers at the end of the street of the same name, very reshuffle before and after long served as a school of the village. You have the nice Church of Saint Nicolas, (see post) at 13 rue de la muette. The Church is built between 1867-1872 in a neo Roman style on the land of an old cemetery given by the city.
Several mansions such as the one at 30 avenue Pascal. The Doulton Pavilion made by the British pottery company Royal Doulton for the Universal Exhibition of 1878. After the exhibition, the façade was reassembled in the Parc de Maisons-Laffitte and a house was built in the back. At 35 Avenue Belleforière, Villa sur jardin of 1923 , it is now divided into apartments and the garden Loti is occupied by several buildings. At 2 Avenue du General-Leclerc, call the Florentine Villa built in 1905 . Also, several other building of great architecture interest such as the Juillard Property, Guard Pavilion, 72 rue de Paris , mansion at 2 rue de la mute, mansion at 24 Avenue Eglé, mansion at 21bis Avenue Eglé , mansion at 39 Avenue Albine, the Hotel Royal of Maisons-Laffitte, a building at 36bis rue de la mute.
I like to tell you here that we have eaten out and shopped at Maisons Laffitte as well and is sublime. Some open still and some close here for the memories.
One of my all time favorite places to eat, drink and be seen just by the theater and other side of RER/train station and right on the chic 46 avenue de Longueil, is L’Avenue, that is right, the avenue; we have burgers, pizzas, salads, specials of the day like steaks, fish, with a good selection of wines and beers. For Lunch bill came to about 12 euros per person. Unfortunately no longer there there is the Le 46 now. Therefore, here just for the memories of always. Another one, I come is Caffe et Cucina, 36 avenue de Longueil, classic italian, with a nice terrace ,and even better prices. webpage: http://www.pizzeria-restaurant-cucina.fr/fr/
For those special occassions, we had visited Le Tastevin,9 Avenue Eglé right after the archdoors into the gardens and near the castle. Great traditional French food exquisively done. Webpage: https://www.letastevin-restaurant.fr/
The best bakery pastry store around, boulangerie/patisserie Ledoux, 26, Avenue Longueil, real bread old traditional way nothing added, and great pastries such as the almond and chocolate croissants. Unfortunately no longer there, therefore here just for the memories. The ultimate upscale grocery store, and a tradition at Maisons Laffitte, my buys here were even for that special olive oil crackers from Seville, Spain. As well as the cheeses and wines. The Epicerie de Longueil, 28, avenue de Longueil , and there since 1880. Webpage: https://www.epiceriedelongueil.com/
First mention of Maisons-Laffitte is around 1060, and the town is finally shape as still is around 1602 when Jean VIII de Longueil buys all the parts of the town. He was succeeded by his son René that was President of the Paris parliament and superintendent of finances in 1650-51 ; the castle was done on his request to François Mansart, uncle of Jules Hardouin Mansart who built Versailles a few years later. The castle is big to welcome the King on his hunting days in the forest of Saint Germain, and for this reason the entrance is on the back of the Seine river in front of a grand avenue coming from the forest, construction begins around 1642 and finished in 1650. There are many attempts to sell the castle , king Louis XIV stayed here in 1671 during the funeral of the Duke of Anjou, but only finally the castle is sold in 1777 to the Count of Artois brother of king Louis XVI and future Charles X that finished the decorations. After many attempts to embellished the castle and due to short cash and the subsequent French revolution makes the Count of Artois exiled in England and finally the castle is taken in 1792 during the French revolution, again sold in 1797 and again in 1804 to Marshal Lannes. The Castle is brought to the attention of Napoléon I, and the Marshal does more renovations including the gardens. After his death in 1809 in the battle of Essling, his wife Duchess de Montebello received the emperor and he ordered in 1810 the construction of the first bridge between Sartrouville and Maisons; by 1813 the emperatrice Marie-Louise also visits the castle and finally in 1818 the castle is sold to Jacques Laffitte.
Jacques Laffitte comes from modest background , carpenter, but quickly rises up. Governor of the Bank of France in 1814, opposing Charles X, he welcomes to the castle many adversaries and has great influence on the Revolution of 1830 (that ended monarchy in France with Charles X) The same year he is named President of the Chamber of Deputies and once in throne king Louis Philippe I king of the French (but notice not of France) he is named President of the Council and minister of finances for the king. He goes thru a period of real estate development to create a new town, selling lots and building houses. Jacques Laffitte died on May 26 1844 not before building a town that now bears his name. The domain past to his daughter Albine that continues the sale of lots and finally sells the domain including the castle in 1850.
There you go folks, a very classy, quant town on the borders of the Seine river , close to Paris in another world of countryside and cachet! Again, hope you enjoy the post on this is Maisons Laffitte !!! as I.
And remember, happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all !!!
Paris1972-Versailles2003 