Château de Courson walks

A walk from station to station in the Orge Valley, exploring two large ponds home to numerous birds. A picturesque route in the first half, which then sees the proportion of urban sections increase. Heritage sites along the way: a well-restored old mill, a few churches, a small menhir, a wash house...

Thirty-second and penultimate stage of the Grand Tour of Île-de-France via the GR®11. It starts in Saint-Chéron in the Orge Valley and ends in Saint-Rémy-lès-Chevreuse in the Yvette Valley, thus completing the crossing of the Essonne via its main valleys. After starting off towards the west, the route heads due north across the Hurepoix plateaus.

The main aim of this walk is to reach La Roche Turpin from a station (RER C). La Roche Turpin is a magnificent natural area consisting of a sandstone plateau and its slopes, covered by a beautiful forest mainly populated by oaks (including some superb specimens), chestnut trees and Scots pines.At the start, you can enjoy the path around the Bassin de Trévoix (Retenue de l'Orge). You then make a pleasant walk through the village of Bruyères-le-Châtel via a dense network of well-maintained footpaths. Next comes the beautiful forest of Bruyères-le-Châtel (although there are long straight stretches due to fences enclosing large areas).

A hike from station to station, along the Orge and its tributary, the Rémarde, as well as the Bassin de Trêvois. A small menhir and a Louis XIII-style castle add a nice touch of heritage.

A hike from station to station, mostly following the Orge river or its secondary branch, the Grande Boële, and along a few large reservoirs. There is a rich heritage to discover, in Arpajon at the start of the hike and, as a highlight, at the Basilica of Longpont.

An alternative route to the first section of the Chemin Charles Péguy. It bypasses Limours and instead showcases the Hurepoix region. Discover the beautiful village of Forges-les-Bains and a route through stunning countryside.

This route is the second of four sections of the Charles Péguy Trail: Lozère (Palaiseau) - Chartres via Dourdan. It follows in the footsteps of the poet Charles Péguy, who celebrated his two pilgrimages (made in 1912 and 1913, each lasting four days there and back) in a poem that remains famous to this day. This is the transition stage: from the valleys and rolling hills of Hurepoix to the Beauce plateau.

This hike starts in Gif-sur-Yvette and takes you to the heights of the Saint-Aubin and Vallée Bonnard channels, following the Yvette river and returning via La Mérantaise, passing through the Bois d'Aigrefoin, the Saint-Aubin communal forest and the Coupières basin.

A hike from station to station, yo-yoing between the Yvette valley and the Saclay plateau, with a few fairly steep hills. After a mostly wooded route with some elevation, you cross Gif-sur-Yvette and then walk along a wetland area framed by two rivers. You climb back up onto the plateau, near the Paris-Saclay University campus. After visiting the old Troche quarry and walking along the edge of the plateau, you descend back into the valley.

A south-north crossing offering a very varied route. Sections through the forest alternate with stretches across fields. Water features are plentiful, with several rivers—the Yvette, the Marette and the Bièvre—and the Étangs de Montbrond set in their lush green surroundings. (Warning) The route is cut off at the point (12) due to works on Metro Line 18 (as of March 2026). A diversion is under consideration. Please refrain from undertaking this hike until further notice.