Pierrefitte - our twin town
Location
Pierrefitte, our twin town is situated 5 miles north from the centre of Paris. It lies either side of the main N1 road which goes from Calais to Paris. It is also only 2 stations from the Gare du Nord and the Eurostar passes through its station - although unfortunately of course it does not stop there. It is also very close to both Charles de Gaulle and Le Bourget airports, though here again there are now no longer direct flights from Stansted to either of these airports.
How to get there
Therefore the best ways to go to Pierrefitte are:
- by Eurostar from either Waterloo or Ashford to the Gare du Nord and then the suburban train back to Pierrefitte or;
- by car taking either the ferry from Dove, or the Shuttle from Folkestone. The distance from Calais is about 180 miles.
About Pierrefitte
Pierrefitte is an urban suburb of Paris with many high rise blocks of flats but there are also many green areas and beautiful open countryside is only a few miles away to the north. They have a very good sports stadium with accommodation facilities and a music school in a old small chateau with beautiful gardens.
Pierrefitte has its own very active Town Twinning Association, and the people of Pierrefitte always offer a warm welcome. Exchange visits are organised with the aim that you stay with a “host” family. You don’t need to be able to speak French! Most of our fellow twinners put us to shame by speaking such good English, but often if there are gaps in understanding, sign language is invaluable and amusing!! However trips are usually organised with plenty of time when everyone is together so this helps if there are any communication problems. Return visits to Braintree are the same, and in this way both sides see how the other side live in their normal daily lives - something you can’t get on a package holiday or staying in a hotel.
Local attractions
Of course a visit to Paris is always a must as it is so near and easy and cheap to reach. However, there are many other places of interest close by. Before reaching Paris, one passes through St Denis. Here is the Basilica in which can be found all the tombs of the kings of France, the Stad de France, where the World Cup was held and a huge market held every Wednesday and Friday.
Going north from Pierrefitte, one enters the national park of the valley of the River Oise which runs west to join the Vexin at Rouen. This is a lovely area of rolling countryside with small towns and villages. Just a few miles from Pierrefitte is the Chateau of Ecuoen. This is a magnificent building both inside and out, which houses a museum of many interesting objects including rare ceramic tiles. and is set in beautiful gardens and parkland.
Main Street, Pierrefitte
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Garden and lake of Cnservatoire Musique
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Conservatoire de Musique
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Chateau d'Ecuoen
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Hotel de Ville
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Parc de Nelson Mandella
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