Malmaison - how to get there from Paris

Old Oct 15th, 2010, 12:55 AM
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Malmaison - how to get there from Paris

We'd like to go to Malmaison while in Paris. There seems to be conflicting info about how best to reach it by public transportation. Has anyone gone recently who could give us some advice? Thanks
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Old Oct 15th, 2010, 01:42 AM
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Go to La Défense Grande Arche (metro or RER) and take bus 258 from there.
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Old Oct 15th, 2010, 04:30 AM
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Hi snow,

From my trip report:
Malmaison – be aware that Malmaison is outside Zone 1. You can get there with your Metro ticket, but you have to pay extra to get out. For the return you can buy tickets to Paris from the automatic machines, but you need bills smaller than a 20E.

We found Malmaison to be an interesting 1/2 day excursion.

Enjoy your visit.

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Old Oct 15th, 2010, 05:20 AM
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Bus 258 stops right outside the driveway to Malmaison. I did have trouble locating the bus depot once I exited the metro and as it was a Sunday morning there were few people to ask.
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Old Oct 15th, 2010, 07:03 AM
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We took a bus to La Defense then Bus 258.

You can find the exact locations of the bus stops at La Defense if you use the itinerary function on www.ratp.fr
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Old Oct 15th, 2010, 07:27 AM
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You could also take the RER line A to the stop Rueil-Malmaison. Once you arrive I think (I'm not sure) there is a shuttle bus that goes to the château. If you wanted to walk it is probably not more than a 15-20 minute walk from the train station to the château. Upon exiting the train station walk down Avenue Albert 1st to the end and take a right onto Avenue Paul Doumer, which will turn into Avenue Napoléon Bonaparte. Keep looking on your left for Avenue du Château de Malmaison and once you find it take a left and the château is just a couple of blocks ahead on your right.

I would suggest that either before or after your visit you spend a little time strolling through the lovely old downtown. You can walk from the château to the old downtown in about 10-15 minutes and on your way you will pass a lovely park called Parc de Bois Préau. There is a museum in the park (Musée du Bois de Préau) which has items from Naploéon's final exile on Saint Helena. The museum has been closed for renovations recently so I don't know when it will re-open but perhaps maybe it will be open during your visit. Here is a link to the museum website.

http://www.musees-nationaux-napoleon...25127_u1l2.htm
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Old Oct 15th, 2010, 09:20 AM
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I've done it both ways. I was there a couple years ago, and there was no shuttle bus from the RER stop. I took a taxi there, it only cost about five euro and was very convenient. It's about 2 km, that is longer than a 15 minute walk for most people, more like 30 minutes. Then I took the 258 bus back to La Defense instead of returning via RER.
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Old Oct 15th, 2010, 10:19 AM
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Thanks so much for the advice. I saw Malmaison about 30 years ago and thought it was very interesting. Am looking forward to seeing it again and my husband for the first time. Will plan to try and see the nearby town as well.
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Old Jul 9th, 2012, 11:05 AM
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I know, two years later, but in case anyone was researching how to get to Malmaison and found this thread... I just wanted to add a couple of details. Use 1 metro ticket to get to La Defense Grande Arch stop. When you exit the metro station look for the "Bus Depot" or some similar sign. You take an escalator up and follow the signs. You have to look for the signs that include #258. You will come to a large underground area with numbered signs for each of the buses. Under each sign is an opening where you walk through to board the bus. There are two #258 bus signs, make sure to go to the one whose terminus is St. Germain-en-Laye, not the other (which I think has terminus La Jonchere, but not totally sure.) Board the bus and use a second metro ticket, which you insert into the stamping machine to the left of the driver. You do not need any special zone tickets or anything, just the regular t+ tickets that you buy in a pack of 10 carnet. Get off at Le Chateau stop as mentioned, cross the street, go back the way the bus came from for 1/2 block, and turn right onto the Avenue de Chateau Malmaison. It is about 4 short to medium blocks to the Chateau which will be on the right. Well worth the effort, Malmaison is gorgeous, uncrowded and peaceful. As stated before you can also visit the town church where Josephine and her daughter Hortense are buried, although it was closed when I walked there from the chateau, I'm assuming because it was noontime. At a fast pace it took me about 12 minutes to walk. There was also a "tourist train" type thing that was actually waiting to take tourists away from Malmaison when I left, but I was unsure where it was going. Turned out it went right to the church just like me. I don't know if it cost money but it looked like it might be free. Anyway, if you do decide to go to the church, you can then walk back to Avenue Paul Doumer from the church and catch the #258 at a stop very nearby, which takes you all the way back to La Defense Grande Arch as its last stop.
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Old Jul 9th, 2012, 11:08 AM
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p.s. the buses were crowded and very warm despite it not being a particularly hot day. But they were speedy and this seems much more convenient than taking RER to the Malmaison stop as it is not particularly close to the chateau or the church.
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Old Jul 9th, 2012, 01:40 PM
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You can read about our Rueil-Malmaison visit last fall here:

http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...-malmaison.cfm

We enjoyed our visit to the chateau, and also the little train ride through the town and along the Seine. Here's a link to information about the 1-1/4 hour free mini train tour:

http://www.rueil-tourisme.com/FR/pag...l-_704875.html

I think it is probably easiest to take the bus from La Defense which stops very close to the chateau. We rode the train around a complete circuit from the chateau and took the bus back to La Defense.
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Old Apr 18th, 2014, 08:47 PM
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Really great information. I will put it to the test in June.
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Old Apr 19th, 2014, 05:47 PM
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I thought you had to buy a special RER ticket to use these trains to get to La Defense?
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Old Apr 19th, 2014, 06:18 PM
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It's not a special ticket, just a ticket to La Defense. Since it's outside the Peripherique the ticket costs more than those for zones 1 & 2 in central Paris. Buy it from the machine at the RER or metro station.
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Old Apr 20th, 2014, 10:14 AM
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Both the RER and the Metro (Line 1) have service from central Paris to La Defense Grande Arche. My understanding is that a T+ Metro ticket (or Navigo pass for Zones 1-2) is valid for the Metro line only. Since La Defense is in Zone 3, the RER is not an option for the T+ ticket or the Zone 1-2 pass.

The 73 bus also runs out to La Defense. Is the situation the same with RATP buses?

Another frequent tourist destination is Saint-Denis where the RER station is in Zone 3, but travel to stations on the Metro is covered by the T+ ticket or Zone 1-2 pass.

If this is not correct, hope someone will jump in here with better information.
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Old Apr 20th, 2014, 11:24 AM
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YOu can use a metro ticket to get anywhere there is a metro stop, bottom line, no matter what zone. I think there are only a couple metro stops in zone 3. But you can't use them for the RER in zone 2 and beyond.

You can definitely use a T+ metro ticket on the RER, you just can't use it on the RER beyond zone 1, that's all. Same for the Navigo Pass, of course you can use it on the RER in zone 1.

I'm not clear on using a t+ ticket for buses outside zone 1 as the only time I've done it, a special ticket was definitely needed it was so far out -- like the bus from Malmaison to La Defense. But I think it's the same as the metro, if the bus starts in zone 1, you can use that ticket. Buses really don't have the control like the RER anyway, as all you have to do is get off. With the RER, you have to use your ticket in the turnstile.
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Old Apr 20th, 2014, 04:05 PM
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We did the bus from La Defense and had no trouble. Check the opening times because they often close for an hour or two for lunch. Lovely place.
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Old Apr 20th, 2014, 05:39 PM
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Bookmarking. Sounds like a lovely option for my May Paris trip.
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