Around Thoiry

This hike is recommended when the paths are too muddy.
This route goes around Thoiry Wildlife Park. It mainly follows quiet, small tarmac roads, for seasons when the paths are almost impassable.

Details

52236
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 10.23 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 3h 05 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Easy

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 70 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 67 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 172 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 119 m

Photos

Description of the walk

Park your car in the cemetery car park, just at the entrance to Thoiry, coming from Maule or Andelu.

(S/E) Turn left onto the D119 towards Marcq, until you reach the village. Continue to Rue d'Autouillet

(1). Take this street on the right and go up to the forest. Cross the D11.

(2) Continue to Autouillet. From the D11, join theGR®11, which is marked in red and white. In Autouillet, turn right towards the church, then right again at the church.
Follow the red and whiteGR® markings, which will take you down a path on the right.

(3) Soon, you will see a kind of raised path. This is the Avre Aqueduct, whose pipes are buried underground.
Follow the aqueduct to the road leading to Boulaincourt. Cross this road. Continue to follow the aqueduct until you can no longer do so because a fence prevents you from going any further.

(4) Then take the road on the right, then turn right again at the next crossroads. Cross Villiers le Mahieu towards Thoiry. Follow the D45 to the entrance to Thoiry.

(5) Then turn left onto a small street that leads to the D11. Cross it, heading towards Villarceaux.

(6) At the T-junction, turn left onto a street that winds downhill. Turn right onto Sente aux Loups. At the bottom, take the street on the right. Continue to the D119.

(7) After crossing a crossroads, the D119 takes you back towards Thoiry to the car park where you started (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 131 m - Cemetery car park
  2. 1 : km 1.59 - alt. 139 m - Intersection with Rue d'Autouillet.
  3. 2 : km 2.22 - alt. 171 m - D11 intersection
  4. 3 : km 3.78 - alt. 121 m - Aqueduct
  5. 4 : km 5.94 - alt. 121 m - Wire fence. Turn right.
  6. 5 : km 7.88 - alt. 166 m - Intersection of the road leading back to the D11.
  7. 6 : km 8.37 - alt. 166 m - T-junction after the D11.
  8. 7 : km 9.3 - alt. 135 m - Intersection with the D119.
  9. S/E : km 10.23 - alt. 131 m - Cemetery car park

Notes

Shortly after departure, you can admire the Château de Thoiry at the end of a double tree-lined driveway.

Worth a visit

The Thoiry animal park is also worth a visit. However, given the price and the time it takes to visit, you will have to choose between the park and the hike.
In Maule, you can discover Babette de Rozières' Caribbean restaurant, awarded two toques by Gault & Millau. Reservations are essential.
Also in Maule, a detour to the Colas chocolate factory (aptly named) is always a treat for the nose, eyes and taste buds.
We can also recommend the Auberge de Montainville (in Montainville), a charming restaurant where the owner greets the ladies with a kiss on the cheek. Payment by cheque or cash only.

Always be cautious and plan ahead when you're outdoors. Visorando and the author of this route cannot be held responsible for any accidents occurring on this route.

The GR® and PR® markings are the intellectual property of the Fédération Française de Randonnée Pédestre.

Reviews and comments

4.2 / 5
Based on 12 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.5 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.6 / 5
Route interest
3.4 / 5
Demest
Demest

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 14, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

Ideal route in winter. Yesterday morning, it was -2 degrees, the trees and countryside were frozen, it was magnificent. We made a small change to the route on the way back, taking the path and PR rather than the busy D45.

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Steph 78
Steph 78

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 27, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

My first hike! No particular difficulty. Very enjoyable! Would do it again 😊

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gmevel
gmevel

Hello,
I am the author of this hike. As indicated in the description and as you point out, it was designed to be done when the paths are muddy.
Like you, I obviously prefer paths, but in winter they are often much less passable, and this type of hike still allows you to stretch your legs and clear your mind.
Thank you for your opinion.

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Louv78
Louv78

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 02, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

Beautiful route around Thoiry. The route mainly follows tarmac roads, some of which are quite busy with no hard shoulders. Best done when the paths are muddy. A lovely route, but personally we prefer walks along paths or small roads with very little traffic.

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gmevel
gmevel

Hello,
There are many routes because, as indicated in the first sentence of the summary: "Hike to be done when the paths are too muddy".

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nat78
nat78

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 28, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

It's a long drive, but the part through the forest is pleasant.

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villennois
villennois

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 07, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A lovely walk to do with the family

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Michel.52
Michel.52

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 30, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

3/4 of the route is on roads with traffic

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Hereforyou9
Hereforyou9

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 24, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing

A route that alternates between meadows and roads on the leeward side, woods and forests. Apart from a small chapel (closed) dedicated to Saint Sanctin and a small historical sign (A4 size), a few metres of fencing between two collapsed walls running alongside the animal park, which allowed us to catch a glimpse of an ostrich, there is little of interest in terms of heritage.

However, this route will undoubtedly be very pleasant in late spring. After the daffodils, wild hyacinths are spreading through the undergrowth. Muscari also seems to be waiting patiently. For cooking, you will find garden garlic, medicinal primroses (also called cuckoo flowers) and violets (all to be consumed in moderation).

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dominique.mangiavellano
dominique.mangiavellano

Unfortunately, we didn't go on the hike because it was too hot and we would have had to walk in direct sunlight.
We visited Thoiry and the surrounding area, so no regrets.

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cancoun
cancoun

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 24, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

Please note: when you arrive in Autouillet, follow the main road until you see the church.

The rest of the directions are very clear.

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Dom7862
Dom7862

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 20, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

Easy hike, a bit too much road for my taste. My favourite part is between points 3 and 4. Thank you for your work.
Next, I'm going to do the circular between Beynes and Saulx-Marchais.

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gmevel
gmevel

Hello HAMEL-MARIE,

Thank you for your feedback.
The summary of the route says: "Hike to be done when the paths are too muddy". That is why there is indeed a road.
Your comment about the possibility of skipping part of the D45 is relevant, even if it potentially adds a little mud to the route.

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HAMEL-MARIE
HAMEL-MARIE

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : May 07, 2017
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average

Too many roads for our liking, and not as quiet as advertised, especially since some of them do not have kerbs for walking safely (particularly the D45 after Villiers le Mahieu). From Villiers le Mahieu (town hall), we would suggest taking the yellow-marked route between points 5 and 6, which is quieter (small streets and pleasant paths). The section along the Avre aqueduct between 3 and 4 is the most interesting and makes this walk more enjoyable. Thank you for this walk.

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bibi
bibi ★

Hello, I don't see which intersection you are referring to. In the description, there is no passage that resembles "exit the forest and turn right..." Could you be more specific so that I can locate this part of the route?
Kind regards

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