🏰 Château de Maintenon: A 1-Hour Escape from Paris 🚂

Take a TER train from Montparnasse for an hour to Maintenon, or if you live in the western suburbs of Paris, you can directly go to Versailles Chantiers to catch the TER, which will get you to Maintenon in about half an hour, with cheaper tickets. From the station, it's about a 10-minute walk to the castle. 🌞 If the weather is nice, having a picnic in the castle's jardin is very pleasant. You can bask in the sun or find plenty of shaded spots. 🎫 You can buy tickets just for the jardin, or you can buy a ticket that includes entry to the castle for 8.5 euros. Children under 7 enter for free. If you're interested in the history of Madame de Maintenon, it's worth going inside. There's also a portrait hall of the De Noailles family (the inheriting family of the Château de Maintenon), which is quite beautiful. If you're just visiting out of curiosity, the interior is similar to other castles. There are also several restaurants right by the castle entrance, making dining very convenient. Not far from Maintenon is the small town of Chartres. I once did a day trip to both places years ago and remember it being quite tiring. Chartres was pretty average; there are many more interesting and worthwhile small towns in France to visit specifically. I think a leisurely half-day trip to just Maintenon is much more comfortable. #France #Castles #ParisSurroundingCastles #ChateauDeMaintenon