Anyone been to Maisons Laffitte?
 

We're think of taking the train from Paris to Maisons Laffitte to view the chatteau in this small rural town outside of the city. Has anyone been there and is it worth seeing? We are going in March. Thanks.

We were there in October 2009. Our destination was the horseracing at Maisons Lafitte racecourse. We took the train and walked through the town to the course and back through neighborhoods past the chateau. We walked through the grounds, but did not go into the chateau. It was a very nice day. The town itself seemed to be very bustling more on the upscale side. The houses that we walked past to get to the racecourse were also upscale and it was as would be expected a "horsey" community. I would go for a half day visit.

I've never been there but I would in no way use rural to describe Maisons-Lafitte. Isolated feeling might be a better description since it is bounded on one side by the Seine and on the others by a large forest but no place that close to Paris is rural.

Is there a particular reason you chose Maisons-Lafitte? If you could describe what type of place or what type of atmosphere you are seeking to find outside of Paris I could help you since I know the countryside around Paris quite well. If you are seeking to visit a spectacular château in a quaint and charming village then perhaps the Château of Pierrefonds might be what you are looking for.

http://pierrefonds.monuments-nationaux.fr/en/

http://pierrefonds-tourisme.net/ot/Bienvenue.html

http://www.oisetourism.co.uk/CULTURE...de-Pierrefonds

Thanks opaldog.

FrenchMystique: Someone told my friend that we simply HAD to see M-L because it's so beautiful, etc. So I was just following up to see if it's a worthwhile venture. We wanted one day or half-day side trip and Monet's Gardens are not open until May. We are going to Versailles and will see Marie Antoinette's home so perhaps doing another chateau is not really necessary. Thanks so much for the links, but it appears that Pierrefonds also does not open until May. Am grateful for your advice.

Good luck whatever you do and if you need a list of day trips from Paris let me know and I'll have plenty of suggestions.

Actually, this thread has a list of the most popular day trips from Paris but there are dozens of others I could mention:

http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...s-431343-2.cfm

I wouldn't bother with Maisons-Laffitte myself. There's very little that's French about it as it's such an expat enclave. St-Germain-en-Laye is also nice, easy to access, and has a beautiful castle and gardens (as well as better shopping than Maisons-Laffitte!) but again still an expat enclave and less French than other places you could go to (I'd prefer to visit Reims or Fontainebleau myself).