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Starting point and access: Saint-Maur - Créteil station.
- RER - Line A, on the section between Paris and Boissy-Saint-Léger.
Take exit 1 Rue Leroux (on the left after the turnstiles).
Red and white markings (crossed out at the very beginning)
There are also intermittent yellow markings: stick to the red and white markings.
(S) When you leave the station, turn right. At the traffic lights, cross Rue du Pont de Créteil and take Avenue Noël opposite, slightly to the left. At the end of the street, contrary to the arrow you saw earlier, turn left onto Boulevard du Général Ferrié (central pedestrian lane) and find theGR®2andGR®14. At the next intersection, turn right, go up the stairs, take the footbridge over the Marne and, at the end, go down to the quay via the ramp on the left.
(1) Follow the quay south, staying as close to the river as possible. Ignore a yellow arrow indicating a footbridge on the left and, at the traffic lights, continue straight ahead into Rue du Port. Go around the roundabout immediately ahead on the left. At the traffic lights, cross the wide Avenue de Verdun and follow it to the left. Before the bridge over a branch of the Marne, go down the steps on the right to reach the Chemin de Halage. Keep the river on your left until you reach Rue de la Prairie (former watering place, information sign). Then turn left into the street.
(2) Shortly afterwards, turn left onto the GR®14 to take a footbridge over the river. Follow the Allée des Coucous and cross a smaller river (the Guyère). At the T-junction, turn right and walk alongside the Piscine Sainte-Catherine. Wind your way through a residential area and cross the Guyère again (information sign). At the crossroads, ignore the yellow arrow indicating a left turn and continue straight ahead along Avenue de la Ferme. At the next crossroads, turn right and take a footbridge to cross the Marne again.
(3) At the end of the footbridge, turn left at an acute angle and go down the steps to Chemin du Bras du Chapitre. Follow this road to the right, with the river on your left. Further on, go under a bridge and note the level of the 1910 flood (!) on one of the pillars at the exit.
Then turn right immediately and climb a wide staircase. At the top, turn right again and cross the bridge. At the crossroads at the end of the street, continue straight ahead to take the Passerelle de la Pie and cross the Marne. At the end, go down the stairs on the right to reach the Quai de la Pie.
(4) The route then becomes straightforward as, almost until the end of the walk, you simply follow the Marne on your right. However, there are two parallel routes (very close to each other) to choose from:
- Stay on the pavement or the path alongside the quay (a relatively busy road) on the river side.
- Go down slightly and take the towpath reserved for pedestrians (bikes not allowed).
The signposts and information boards found at various points are located at quayside level. However, unless the Marne is in flood, it is recommended that you follow the towpath (a small cement path).
When you come out of the Passerelle de la Pie, follow the towpath to the right and walk alongside a water sports centre. This is followed by a long stretch with the Port de Bonneuil facilities (numerous containers) on the opposite bank. As you approach the Bonneuil Bridge, go up to the left and, when you reach the quay (marker), go down a sort of ramp to pass under the bridge.
(5) Go back up to the quay, immediately go down again and continue along the towpath. Further on, pass under the railway bridge. The quay is lined (on the town side) with houses of various architectural styles, while the opposite bank is wooded. After passing below the terrace of a restaurant, the opposite bank becomes residential. As you approach the Pont de Chennevières, as at the previous road bridge, go up to the quay.
Yellow markings (only on the quay)
(6) Leave theGR® trail to cross the bridge and, before the traffic lights, go down to the right to pass under the bridge (ignore the crosses). Follow a stabilised path (map) and when it joins the quay, at No. 25, go down to the right on a staircase to join the towpath.
On the right, you can see the wooded banks of the Ile Casenave stretching out along the river. Next comes the small Ile d'Amour: ruins of an old guinguette on the island and, on the quay on the left, a statuette with verses by Charles Trénet. A little further on, at No. 91, is the former home of Charles Trénet (now known as the Villa Médicis).
Continue along the towpath, passing a few more islands (nature reserves) and, on the opposite bank, the first groups of buildings. At the Pont de Champigny bridge, take the steps on the left to return to the quay. Turn immediately right to go down and pass under the bridge (ignore the yellow cross).
(7) Continue along the towpath. Pass under a second railway bridge and note the next road bridge in the distance, the Pont du Petit Parc. As you approach this bridge, climb the steps to the quay. Turn immediately right onto a small road that passes under the bridge. Be careful! The road is narrow and open to traffic: it is best to keep to the left side of the road.
(8) Once you have passed under the bridge, join Quai Beaubourg. Here, there is no longer a towpath below, so stay on a stable path alongside the quay. Pass the Joinville dam on the Marne (small waterfall).
No signposts
(9) At the next crossroads, ignore the yellow signposting to the left into Rue de l'Abbaye and continue straight ahead on the quay. Pass the sign for Joinville-le-Pont and you will find the towpath below on your right. Further on, the path curves to the left and joins the quay. Go around a fenced-off building belonging to the water department and turn right to pass over the upstream entrance to the Canal de Saint-Maur.
(10) Continue to Quai Pierre Brossolette and follow it on the right-hand pavement, on the river side. At the traffic lights at the Pont de Joinville, cross to the opposite side. Then turn left, cross the road (again at traffic lights) and go up Rue Jean Mermoz, keeping the brick buildings on your right and the road tunnel on your left. At the top of the hill, cross Avenue Jean Jaurès at the traffic lights and you will immediately arrive at the underpass leading to Joinville-le-Pont station (E).
To return home:
- RER - Line A, towards Paris or Boissy Saint-Léger.
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