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 18.2km 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.HistoryOriginally called Maisons-sur-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.TransportMaisons-Laffitte is served by Maisons-Laffitte station on Paris RER line A and on the Transilien Paris – Saint-Lazare suburban rail line.