Maisons-Laffitte
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| Maisons-Laffitte | ||
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| Coordinates: 48°56′49″N 2°08′44″E / 48.9469°N 2.1456°ECoordinates: 48°56′49″N 2°08′44″E / 48.9469°N 2.1456°E | ||
| Country | France | |
| Region | Île-de-France | |
| Department | Yvelines | |
| Arrondissement | Saint-Germain-en-Laye | |
| Canton | Maisons-Laffitte | |
| Government | ||
| • Mayor (2008–2014) | Jacques Myard | |
| Area | ||
| • Land1 | 6.75 km2 (2.61 sq mi) | |
| Population (2006) | ||
| • Population2 | 23,014 | |
| • Population2 Density | 3,400/km2 (8,800/sq mi) | |
| INSEE/Postal code | 78358 / 78600 | |
| Elevation |
22–57 m (72–187 ft) (avg. 38 m or 125 ft) | |
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1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km² (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries. 2 Population without double counting: residents of multiple communes (e.g., students and military personnel) only counted once. | ||
Maisons-Laffitte is a commune in the Yvelines department in the Île-de-France region in north-central France. It is located in the north-western suburbs of Paris 18.2 km (11.3 mi) from the center.
Maisons-Laffitte is famous for the Château de Maisons-Laffitte, built by architect François Mansart in the 17th century. Maisons-Laffitte is also known for its horse racing track, the Maisons-Laffitte Racecourse, which is why the town is known as the "cité du cheval" and is compared with Newmarket in the United Kingdom.
History
Originally called Maisons-sur-Seine (meaning "Maisons upon Seine"), the commune was officially renamed Maisons-Laffitte in 1882 in honor of banker Jacques Laffitte who financed the housing developments on the estate of the Château de Maisons-Laffitte.
The Château de Maisons-Laffitte has a secret passage to what once used to be part of the Château de Maisons-Laffitte but which is now a school - Collège de l'Ermitage.
Transport
Maisons-Laffitte is served by Maisons-Laffitte station on Paris RER line A and on the Transilien Paris – Saint-Lazare suburban rail line.
Notable residents
- Pape-Philippe Amagou, basketball player
- Grégory Baugé, cyclist
- Jerzy Giedroyc, founder and editor of a leading Polish-émigré literary-political journal, Kultura
- Randy de Puniet, motorcycle racer
- Odd Nerdrum, painter
- Philippe Jaroussky, opera singer
- Jean Cocteau, writer, filmmaker, and artist
- James Winkfield, jockey, horse trainer
See also
References
External links
- Local website (in English)
- Official website (in French)
- Pictures and history of Maisons-Laffitte ( French)
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