Butry – Valmondois – Parmain circular loop

Park in front of the station in the car park running alongside the street.

(S/E) From the car park, head left onto Avenue de la Gare, then turn immediately left into Rue des Violaines, until you reach Rue de la Division-Leclerc.

(1) Turn left onto this street and continue until you reach a grassy triangle.

(2) Take the path on the right, which follows the old railway line and leads to Valmondois. Cross a road, then, further on, the Grande Rue, and continue straight on along the Chemin de la Corderie.

(3) 100 m further on, take the path branching off to the right, heading north-east, which joins another path at a T-junction.

(4) Turn left onto this path, which soon becomes a small street, Chemin des Vallées. Follow it for a good while. It crosses the hills above Valmondois. You’ll see some very pretty houses there. Pass through a wooded area and cross a street that climbs uphill: Rue Dorée.

(5) Turn right onto this street, which quickly curves to the left and becomes a path that you follow. Walk for a short while through a section shaded by trees. Follow this path for a good while; it then crosses Rue de Parmain and continues straight on, becoming wider.

(6) Cross the D64 with care, passing through an agricultural area where the path is very wide. Note, in the fields, the remains of the chimneys from the old mushroom farms. After walking for a good while through this stretch lined with fields, the track joins the GR®11.

(7) Turn right at the hairpin bend and follow the GR®. The path becomes a street, Chemin de la Justice, and joins Rue du Maréchal Foch, which you follow straight on for 500 m. Take the time to admire the beautiful houses lining this street, particularly a veritable little palace at No. 52, which is quite impressive. A little further on, at No. 54, you’ll find the house of the painter Louis Lemaire.

(8) Turn right onto Sente au Beurre, which climbs quite steeply, then curves to the left to join Chemin de Montarène.

(9) Walk straight down, due south, for 200 m, to reach Rue de Nesles.

(10) Follow this street to the right. This street is very busy and we unfortunately have to walk along it for 300 m, staying on the left-hand pavement. It’s a slightly unpleasant stretch, as it’s heavily used by cars heading for Nesle-la-Vallée.

(11) Continue left along Rue du Lieutenant Guilbert. Admire the panoramic view on the left that opens up between the houses. This street turns into a path after passing a large modern building on the right. The path continues between two hedges, then climbs into a wooded area.

(12) Ignore the path coming in from the right and head towards the open area. The path enters the woods once more.

(13) A few metres past the first trees, take the yellow-marked path on the left, which descends to join a slightly wider track; follow this to the left until you reach another path.

(14) Take the path branching off to the right. This very pleasant path passes through the forest and leads back towards Butry. It ends at another path.

(15) Follow this path to the right, which descends for 400 m and ends at a small road, the Chemin des Sablons, coming from the opposite direction.

(16) Turn left at the hairpin bend and follow this road. When you reach Boulevard de la Gare, turn left, go under an arch, cross Route de la Glacière, and continue. The boulevard becomes Avenue de la Gare; follow this to the station, where you can park (S/E).

Sturdy footwear is recommended. There are no water points along the route.

Don’t miss the pretty houses in the upper part of Parmain, on Rue du Maréchal Foch.