Châteaux and La Défense West of Paris

Head west from Paris for a day that spans four centuries of French ambition — from a château that inspired Versailles to Napoleon's private retreat and a forest of glass towers crowned by public art. The morning begins at the Château de Maisons-Laffitte, François Mansart's 17th-century masterpiece of classical symmetry, where gilded vestibules and a spiralling staircase reveal the blueprint that captivated the young Louis XIV. After lunch in Rueil-Malmaison, the Château de Malmaison opens the door to Napoleon and Joséphine's domestic life: the tent-shaped Council Chamber, Redouté flower paintings in the Empress's bedroom, and a death mask cast on Saint Helena. Nearby, the marble tombs of Joséphine and Queen Hortense rest in a 16th-century parish church. The day closes at La Défense, where Europe's largest pedestrian esplanade stretches beneath the Grande Arche and more than 69 monumental sculptures by Calder, Miró, and others line the route. Both châteaux are closed on Tuesdays; comfortable walking shoes are essential for the art trail at La Défense.