Departure from Saint-Rémy-lès-Chevreuse station (one of the terminus stations on RER line B). Take the only exit on the right, towards Rue Ditte.
(S/E) Follow Rue Ditte to the left (west), cross the D938 and head towards Chevreuse, taking the cycle path. Continue straight ahead, ignore a road on the left and follow the wall of the Château de Coubertin on your left.
(1) At the crossroads (Ferme de Coubertin on your left), continue straight ahead on the track. After about 150 m, take thefirst path on the right. At the end, continue on the tarmac, ignore a road on your left and join a branch of the Yvette river. At the crossroads, go straight ahead and, after about 50 metres, take a footpath on the right. Cross the river and you will come to a bridge over the second branch of the Yvette.
(2) Follow the promenade with the small bridges on your left and walk along the river on your right (an old diversion canal that used to feed a mill downstream). The first building on the right, on the opposite bank, is a skin drying shed.
(3) After about 300 m (superb wash house), continue along the river. After about 50 metres, cross the river via a small bridge and then take a pedestrian passage. You will arrive at Rue de Rambouillet (D906) and follow it to the right. At the next crossroads, turn left into Rue de Dampierre (D58).
Shortly afterwards, turn right into Parc Jean Moulin. Ignore thefirst turning on the left, then turn left onto a small bridge dating from the time when there was a lake here. Then turn right onto Sente de Courqueux.
At the end, cross Rue de Versailles and take the Sentier des Remparts opposite, which climbs towards the castle. Follow this path until you reach a fork with an old ice house (a half-buried millstone construction).
(4) Take the left-hand path and leave the ice house on your right. You will come to another path. Follow it to the right and you will soon reach the castle viewpoint (drinking water available in the castle car park).
(5) Enter the castle on the left (construction began in the 11th century) for a self-guided tour: ramparts, cellars, etc. (see opening hours in the practical information section).
(6) Retrace your steps.
(5) At the castle exit, turn left. Follow the winding Chemin Jean Racine. You will rejoin the tarmac road at the first houses. Continue along Ruelle des Larris. This will take you to Rue de Versailles, which you should follow to the right. After about 20 metres, take thefirst small path on the left and go around the church on the right.
(7) At the corner, turn left onto Rue de l'Église (the church entrance is on the side, which you can visit). At the end, turn right onto Rue Lalande (a former cabaret frequented by the poet Jean Racine). At the end, follow Rue de la Division Leclerc to the right and, after about 30 metres, turn left into Ruelle du Mandar. At the end, take the bridge over the Yvette river (a superb wash house seen earlier).
(3) Follow the Promenade des Petits Ponts on the left.
(2) At the intersection you took on the way there, turn right. Follow the river on your left and cross two alleys. Continue along the canal. Go through a chicane. Please note that from this point onwards, the walkway crosses a private residence with a right of way (a sign will indicate "Private Property, No Picnics"). Some co-owners would appreciate it if you keep as quiet as possible).
In a bend to the right, note the location of the old mill that was fed by this branch of the river. Shortly afterwards, you will arrive at Rue de l'Yvette.
(8) Follow the street to the left and cross the river. At the end of the bridge, turn right and follow the river on your right. At the end of the road (chicanes, end of private property, caution: dangerous passage for pushchairs), turn right onto Rue du Moulin.
(1) At the junction you took on the way there, follow the cycle path to the left. Continue straight ahead. At the end, cross the D938, continue opposite, into Rue Ditte and you will immediately find the Saint-Rémy-lès-Chevreuse station on your right (S/E).
MAGICAL! However, the start and end of the hike (St Rémy des Chevreuses) are a bit boring when following the departmental road.