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Voykit pocket guide · France
Maintenon
Half a day is enough: see the château and its aqueduct, then move on to Chartres or Tours. Not a base.
Maintenon is a small town 50 min southwest of Paris by train, best known for the Château de Maintenon — the home of Louis XIV's second wife, Madame de Maintenon. The château is compact, with a fine portrait gallery and gardens that lead to a ruined aqueduct built to supply Versailles. There's no tourist industry around it, so you can visit the château, have lunch and be on your way in half a day.
- Country
- France
- Best months
- Apr–Oct
- Avoid
- Nov–Feb (château may have reduced hours)
- Stay
- 0 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- EUR
- Money
- Currency is the euro (EUR, €). Contactless cards work in most shops, cafés and restaurants.
- Daily spend
- Budget €30–50 excl. bed · Mid €50–80 excl. bed · High €80+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Orange, SFR, Bouygues Télécom and Free sell prepaid SIMs in their shops and at tabacs; ID is required to register.
- Emergency
- Police 17 · Fire and ambulance 18 · EU emergency number 112
- Plugs
- Types C, E · 230 V · 50 Hz · Round two-pin plugs; type E sockets have an earth pin sticking out, so Schuko (type F) plugs need a C/E hybrid or an adapter.
- Tipping
- Café or bar: Leave small change, €0.20–1.; Restaurant: Service is included; leave 5–10% in cash for good service.; Taxi: Round up to the next euro or two.; Hotel porter or housekeeping: €1–2 per bag or per night.; Tour guide: €5–10 per person for a half day, more for private guides.
- Water
- Tap water is safe everywhere unless signed otherwise. Restaurants must serve a free carafe of tap water on request.
- Toilets
- Paris has free automatic public toilets (sanisettes); elsewhere use cafés (buy a coffee), museums and stations, where some charge €0.50–1.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee in a café | €2–3.50 |
| Lunch menu (entrée + plat or plat + dessert) | €15–22 |
| Beer (demi / pression) | €4–6 |
| Château de Maintenon entry | €9–12 (check) |
| Train Paris Montparnasse → Maintenon, one way | €12–16 (check) |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- CDG · Charles de Gaulle Airport
- About 1.5 h by RER B + train via Paris Montparnasse
- ORY · Orly Airport
- About 1.5 h by Orlyval + RER B + train via Paris Montparnasse
Typical fares
- Paris Montparnasse → Maintenon, train
- about €12–16, about 50 min (check)
- Maintenon station → château, walk
- 15 min, free
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
Walkable: the château is a 15-min walk from the station. Occasional local buses run between the station and town centre.
See and do
Known for
- Château de Maintenon
- Madame de Maintenon
- Aqueduct of Maintenon
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Chartres | Train from Maintenon station, about 15 min | About 30 min |
| Tours | Train via Chartres or Paris, about 1.5 h | About 2 h |
| Nogent-le-Rotrou | Car or bus, about 30 min | About 40 min |
| Orléans | Train via Paris or Chartres, about 1 h 15 min | About 1.5 h |
Sleep
- Town centre
- A few hotels and B&Bs near the château; limited choice.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello / Good day | Bonjourbohn-zhoor |
| Thank you | Mercimair-see |
| How much is it? | Combien ça coûte ?kom-byen sa koot |
| Where is the château? | Où est le château ?oo ay luh shah-toh |
| The bill, please | L'addition, s'il vous plaîtla-dee-syon, seel voo pleh |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Say 'bonjour madame/monsieur' on entering any shop, bus or office; avoid: Asking a question before saying bonjour — it is read as rude
- Cheek kisses (la bise): Follow the other person's lead; one to four kisses depending on region; avoid: Initiating la bise with strangers or in business
- Addressing people: Use 'vous' and titles until invited otherwise; avoid: First names and 'tu' with older people or staff
- Restaurants: Wait to be seated in restaurants; call the waiter 'monsieur' or 'madame'; avoid: 'Garçon', snapping fingers, asking for the bill before you are finished
- Conversation: Debate is a pleasure; food, politics and philosophy are fair game; avoid: Asking about salary or religion; loud voices on trains
- Dinner at a home: Bring flowers (not chrysanthemums), chocolates or a good bottle; arrive 10–15 minutes late; avoid: Cutting the tip off a cheese wedge or asking for ketchup
- Dress: Smart-casual in cities; covered shoulders in churches; avoid: Beachwear in town centres
Scams and watch-outs
- The château has limited opening hours in winter: check the official site before you go.
- No tourist office or large luggage storage in town.
- Last train to Paris is around 22:00; check the timetable.
Maintenon is a quiet, safe small town. Standard precautions apply; watch for pickpockets only on the Paris train.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Maintenon yet. Suggested stay: 0 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Château de Maintenon
- Madame de Maintenon
- Aqueduct of Maintenon
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Wikivoyage: Maintenon, revision 3494450 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=3494450
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Printed from Voykit (/maintenon). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.