There are so many towns around Paris that if you want a break from the city to do <insert any activity> you will be spoilt for choice.
That is my promise to you. Really “cross my heart and swear to drink”.
Recently all we really, really wanted was to relax and take it easy. “Us” included me, D and our 7-month old, noisy, wiggly baby. Our agenda was to swim, stroll, and stretch! Also, we had to be close to home since our little kitty is not so little and needs to be fed her medicine daily. Did you know that cats can also suffer from thyroidism? You get the idea, we had to be close by and still wanted to do a ton of things.
The place that met all these crazy criteria was Maffliers.
Maffliers: MAHF-leeyeh, oh yeh!
At 30 kms north of Paris, this green and refreshing town has a grand total of 1800 residents. I’m certain during the weekend there are just as many Parisians with their whole shebang – think kids, cycles, dogs, tents. Located in the Valley of the river Oise, by the edge of the forests of L’isle Adam, it is getaway I quite recommend.
Novotel Maffliers
Proximity apart, there is a ton to do here: horse riding, cycling in the woods, spa-ing or just getting a dip in the water. And no I’m not talking about the town of Maffliers, I am only telling you what is possible at the Novotel in Maffliers.
Yes, and, wait for it… there is an entire Chateau (of Maffliers) on the property.
And no, this post is not sponsored!!!
The menu
Well, the only downside was the food at the restaurant. The croque monsieur had bits of frozen something inside. A classic like that needs to be made from scratch – and all you really have to do is layer some cheese, ham, eggs and bread in the right proportion. Anyway, food that we room serviced wasn’t tasty either. Though it was an interesting concept – it came in little jars of glass. We got the risotto.. in a glass jar, and the chicken in a jar, desserts in a jar… you get the drift..!
Quasi Jazz and the gang
The gorgeous property made us forget our food experience. Lush green meadow, lined with horse stables and a chateau amidst it all, leading all the way into the woods. There might have been at least 50 horses and a handful of ponies. With names as adorable as Stroumphette, Oasis Rosy, Luna, Quasi Jazz, I soon fell in love. I’m definitely going back to say hello to these beauties.
The chateau is home to a restaurant, conference rooms, and a heated pool. Nearby are the ping-pong tables and a badminton area, in a thick of green and grass. It was so much fun trying everything out!
Around Maffliers
- There are quite a few things to do around Maffleirs as well. Ofcourse there’s Paris… ha!
- There is Ile d’Adam and the very adorable Jardin de curiosities in Montmorency.
- And ofcourse Auvers sur Oise – where Van Gogh spent the last few days of his life. You can read about that here.
See you later, alligator.
xox
trippinbox.wordpress.com 