Château-Gaillard via Val Saint-Martin and the GR®2

TheGR®2winds along the cliffs overlooking the Seine, descends into Les Andelys and climbs back up towards Château-Gaillard.

Details

115061
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 10.73 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 4h 00 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 332 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 330 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 155 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 9 m

Photos

Description of the walk

Start at Rue de Penthièvre, in Les Andelys, on the banks of the Seine.

(S/E) Walk along the Hôpital Saint-Jacques and follow the towpath to the marina (blue signposts). After about 1.5 km, turn right to join the D313.

(1) Take the Route de Muids on the right, then the second left, Chemin de la Fontaine.
The red and whiteGR® markings are clearly visible.

(2) After the houses, theGR® climbs up a path on the right. You are now in for 4.5 km of sometimes tough climbs and steep descents. You will need to use your hands from time to time to help you climb or descend.

(3) In places, the path reaches the edge of the cliff. Be careful, danger! After the wooded section, you will come to an open area with a beautiful view of the valley. The path then descends towards the town. You will arrive at a car park.

(4) Turn right, then immediately left towards the Promenade des Prés.

(5) Follow the stream through the town. Continue to the beautiful church of Les Andelys via Place Nicolas Poussin and Avenue du Général De Gaulle. This church is worth a visit for its stained glass windows.

(6) Turn right onto Rue Pasteur, then left onto Rue de l'Égalité and finally right towards the funeral home.

(7). The road climbs, runs alongside a cemetery and becomes a path that climbs up to the plateau. Turn right and continue past the sports park.

(8) At the edge of the woods, turn left. The signs put up by the owner do not really encourage you to go through the gate. Walk along the cultivated field to find the path at the end.
Turn right and follow the path to arrive above the Castle of William the Conqueror. Near the castle, the path is paved.

(9) At the bottom, take the path opposite that descends into the woods and leads to Petit Andelys. Cross at the traffic lights and take thefirst street on the left.

(10) Follow the Seine to the starting point (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 13 m - Rue de Penthièvre - Seine [la]
  2. 1 : km 1.73 - alt. 14 m - D313
  3. 2 : km 2.25 - alt. 30 m - Path on the right
  4. 3 : km 3.34 - alt. 86 m - Passage near the cliff
  5. 4 : km 4.5 - alt. 17 m - Parking
  6. 5 : km 4.64 - alt. 13 m - Promenade des Prés
  7. 6 : km 6.43 - alt. 23 m - Rue Pasteur
  8. 7 : km 6.73 - alt. 39 m - Funeral parlour
  9. 8 : km 8.62 - alt. 154 m - Edge of the woods
  10. 9 : km 9.35 - alt. 80 m - Path towards the woods - Château-Gaillard ((Les_Andelys)
  11. 10 : km 9.97 - alt. 15 m - Banks of the Seine
  12. S/E : km 10.73 - alt. 12 m - Rue de Penthièvre - Seine [la]

Notes

Avoid on rainy days, as theGR® trail can be very slippery in places.

Worth a visit

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

4.5 / 5
Based on 37 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.6 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.3 / 5
Route interest
4.7 / 5
derunte
derunte

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 04, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Very nice hike. If I had to do it again, the first part is clearly the most interesting with a hiking-type path and magnificent views! The second part, leaving the village, is less interesting (road), but the castle is worth seeing, especially at the end of the day with the sunset light. It is therefore possible to cut straight to the castle when coming down from the first circular hike. It is an accessible and easy hike. I did it alone in dry weather, weighed down by my dog and my big rucksack.

Machine-translated

benoitquevillon
benoitquevillon

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 01, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

This hike is very beautiful with breathtaking views of the River Seine.
The path between points 2 and 4 is dangerous and certainly impassable in rainy weather. People wishing to do this hike must be well equipped and accustomed to difficult cliffside paths. As mentioned, you will need to use your hands, sometimes slide down, and not be afraid of heights.
Good luck to those who want to do this superb hike!

Machine-translated

User 20574874

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 29, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A beautiful hike that is a must in dry weather.
Some sections can be very slippery.
Magnificent views of the Seine and a walk past the Château Gaillard.

Machine-translated

Clovis5793
Clovis5793

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 28, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A beautiful hike, very interesting with beautiful views from the top of the cliffs and at Château-Gaillard. Be sure to wear good walking shoes as there are a few difficult sections where the path passes along the cliffs, especially on the way down.

The signposting halfway through the hike, when crossing Les Andelys, is a little unclear and needs to be reviewed. However, with a map, it's still possible to find your way

Machine-translated

Manuella76
Manuella76

Overall rating : 3.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 15, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Perhaps this is an old hiking trail, but it is not very well explained (from the start between 1 and 2, and in the town to climb up to the castle). Otherwise, hiking in this area is magnificent, with beautiful views of the cliffs and the castle.

Machine-translated

tgillouard
tgillouard
• Edited:

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 14, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very beautiful hike in glorious sunshine. Luckily, because the path between points 2 and 4 must be dangerous in wet weather. Wear shoes with good grip and bring a walking stick if possible.
Without pushing yourself, 3 hours and 15 minutes is enough to complete the route.

Machine-translated

Sandrineb
Sandrineb

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 13, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A very beautiful hike with magnificent views of the Seine and the valley, especially during the first part. You do need to be in good shape, though, as it's quite steep in places.

Machine-translated

Laulau27
Laulau27

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 09, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Great hike, I loved it, even though I'm just a beginner.
The climb was tough, but I like pushing myself.
I'd definitely do it again. Superb view from the top of the cliffs
I highly recommend this route ++

Machine-translated

PasMai
PasMai

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 23, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

When leaving the village, the first road climbing up into the Simon Valley is quite poorly maintained for the first third of the way and there is a tyre dump at the top.
Then, at point 3, when you leave the road to take a wide grassy path, there is a barrier indicating private property and no trespassing... which we ignored without incident...
Otherwise, it's a beautiful route where you can also enjoy the ruins of Château Gaillard and the village of Les Andelys.

Machine-translated

kelylamil
kelylamil

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : May 18, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A superb hike with splendid views. There is some elevation gain, but it's not difficult in dry weather. I was expecting much worse.
The start along the banks of the Seine allows you to warm up while admiring the pretty houses before starting the climb up these beautiful cliffs. Then you discover Les Andelys with its impressive architectural heritage and the Château Gaillard, which continue to delight us.
I can confirm the error in the route and description at point 4. You need to cross the bridge and then find the Promenade Des Prés on the left.
At point 8, it was impossible to walk along the field, which was uncultivated and overgrown with vegetation. No problem, I continued along the road to reach the castle.
A wonderful time throughout this walk!!! Thank you to the author.

Machine-translated

blecacheux
blecacheux

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 10, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Very slippery sections! You need walking sticks if the ground is a little damp

Machine-translated

EmilieR
EmilieR

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 14, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

An eclectic hike that allows you to discover several aspects of Les Andelys: a path along the Seine, cliffs, a town with small, very green footpaths, and Château Gaillard.
The cliff section includes some very steep parts. We do not recommend this hike for inexperienced walkers. However, there are no vertiginous sections.
two points to note: at point 4, there is an error in the route; the walk is a little further on towards the church. Section 7 isn't great, but the rest is worth it, with an overhanging finish offering a beautiful view of the castle.
In short, we had an excellent day with some beautiful images in our minds! Thank you!!

Machine-translated

ccaz
ccaz

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 21, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Beautiful route. Fortunately, there are branches to help you climb up and down because the path is rough, but the view over the cliffs is superb. I also came across some caves that must have been used in ancient times.

Machine-translated

Eva.
Eva.

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 21, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

we set off from Petit Andely to do the loop along the Seine, which we really enjoyed, with beautiful properties along the riverbank, then a more challenging return trip along the cliffs. We then went straight to Chateau Gaillard. There were lots of people out on this spring weekend, but unfortunately the hike was marred by the constant noise of motocross bikes near Chateau Gaillard in the background

Machine-translated

Magali et sa famille
Magali et sa famille

Overall rating : 5 / 5

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

A lovely family hike, with clear maps and explanations. Despite the overcast weather, the scenery was very pleasant. The ground was slippery in damp conditions, and a few falls were inevitable, but my teenagers enjoyed sliding around...

Machine-translated

Other walks in the area

For more walks, use our search engine .

The GPS track and description are the property of this route's author. Please do not copy them without permission.