Courchamps walks

Along the way, you will pass through the charming villages of the Clignon Valley, the Moulin de Brisé in Monthiers, the wash house in Licy Clignon, the fountain in Torcy en Vallois, the American and German military cemeteries in Belleau, and the Bois de Belleau.

At the gateway to Champagne, Montreuil-aux-Lions invites you to take a walk among well-tended vineyards and bubbling streams. In addition to its imposing town hall and listed Saint-Martin church, there are numerous footpaths where you can appreciate the preserved local heritage. Montreuil-aux-Lions is full of hidden gems, some of which have been forgotten, waiting to be rediscovered.

Near the Ourcq Valley, on a hillock in the middle of fields, stands a monument commissioned to celebrate the victory of the Second Battle of the Marne but which, instead of glorifying the victors, pays tribute to those who died or went missing in the Great War. This work by sculptor Paul Landowski is the main destination of this memorial hike. Three beautiful churches, dating from the 12th and 13th centuries, complete the picture.

A hike through the woods to discover bluebells, the village of Villeneuve-sur-Fère where Paul Claudel lived, and a visit to the Hottée du Diable (a unique rock erosion site).

This hike takes place largely under the tall trees of the Retz Forest. It also passes through the village of Oigny-en-Valois, nestled in a vast clearing with its rich monumental heritage: the castle, the church and the Charpentier Mausoleum, in particular.

Fifteenth stage of the Grand Tour of Île-de-France via the GR®11, between La Ferté-Milon station in Aisne and Crouy-sur-Ourcq station in Seine-et-Marne. A relatively easy stage that follows the towpath of the canalised Ourcq River to Mareuil-sur-Ourcq, then the Ourcq Canal, which separates from the river at that point.A short detour is suggested at the start of the stage to the Château de La Ferté-Milon on the heights of the town, offering a magnificent view of the surrounding area. Similarly, at the end, the GR® offers a short detour through the woods to the oratory and then the Chapelle Notre-Dame du Chêne before reaching Crouy-sur-Ourcq station.

This hike is the first stage of a project to walk the entire length of the Canal de l'Ourcq.Departure from La Ferté-Milon station. The first part can be done as a circular route with return to the same station (9.4km, easy).A pleasant trail through the hills overlooking the valley. Beautiful views followed by the canal with its pretty winding and shaded sections.

Take a stroll through La Fontaine country, passing by the First World War memorial and ending up between the sky and the Champagne vineyards.

Historical walk from Jean de La Fontaine to the memorial commemorating the first engagements of the American army in 1918, passing through the Champagne vineyards.

Discover the south-facing hillsides on the right bank of the Marne, covered with Champagne vineyards, then those on the north-facing left bank with their deciduous woods and the Dhuys Aqueduct. The journey is enhanced by passing through several pretty wine-growing villages.

The three only communes in Île-de-France located in the Champagne appellation area are nestled in a circular loop of the Marne. This is a very pretty route through the vineyards and along the Dhuis Aqueduct, punctuated by beautiful views and places to stop for a break on the banks of the Marne.

A hike from station to station (easily accessible by train), shaded between balconies overlooking the Marne, meadows and fields along the river, alternating between woods and vineyards. The route follows a relatively wild and quiet circular loop of the Marne. Ideal in dry and sunny weather. (!) Be aware of hunting days. Check with the town hall for hunting days (every other Sunday).

A route that allows us to enjoy views of the first Champagne vineyards, walk along the Dhuis Aqueduct and pass by a deer farm.

A bucolic walk between the Marne and the vineyards around Nogent-l'Artaud, visiting a few wash houses, some of which evoke La Fontaine's Fables.

The route begins under the majestic beech trees of the Retz National Forest. It then passes through typical villages with a rich architectural heritage. The path overlooks the valleys of the Ourcq and its tributaries. You will discover the beginning of the Ourcq Canal. The Donjon du Houssoy welcomes you at the end of the route in Crouy-sur-Ourcq.

Fourteenth stage, entirely in the Aisne department, of the Grand Tour of Île-de-France via the GR®11, between the stations of Villers-Cotterêts and La Ferté-Milon. During this stage, we switch to the eastern side of Île-de-France, leaving the Oise basin to reach the Ourcq valley and the Marne basin.As the stage is short, a small (optional) circular in Villers-Cotterêts is suggested at the start, to discover the magnificent park of its equally magnificent château. It can be done after the previous stage completed the day before, with an overnight stay in Villers-Cotterêts.