Maisons-Laffitte, Historic commune in Yvelines, France.
Maisons-Laffitte is a commune in Yvelines, located roughly 11 miles (18 kilometers) northwest of Paris on the right bank of the Seine. The layout shows wide avenues lined with villas and maintained green spaces arranged around a central palace with its surrounding parkland.
A palace built in the mid-1600s became the starting point for development as a favored residence for Parisian nobility. The railway connection opened in the mid-19th century brought wealthy Paris families who shaped the current townscape with numerous manor houses.
Riding trails run through several parts of the town, giving daily life a particular character you can see when horses pass through residential streets. Local families often gather near training tracks in the morning, continuing a tradition rooted in the lifestyle that grew around the original estate.
Reaching the commune takes about 20 minutes by RER A from central Paris. Walking or cycling works well for exploring, as the avenues are wide and many paths run through green areas.
The radial streets were laid out to create sightlines toward the Seine and visually incorporate the river into the town plan. This deliberate connection to the river landscape appears in few other French towns.
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