Vilpert Cross – Vaux de Cernay – St James’ Cross – Rambouillet Forest

In winter, the Rambouillet Forest lies dormant; the trees are bare, there is little birdsong, and calm reigns. A pheasant takes flight, a buzzard keeps watch from the top of a post, and swans and great egrets rest on the calm waters of the Corbet and Pourras ponds, sheltered amongst the reeds.

Details

n°28310562
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
  • Touring/Gravel
    Activity: Touring/Gravel
  • ↔
    Distance: 26.15 mi
  • ◔
    Duration according to the author: 2 hrs 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Difficult

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 292 ft
  • ↘
    Descent: - 312 ft

  • ▲
    Highest point: 594 ft
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 331 ft
  • ⚐ Country: France
  • ⚐
  • ⚐ City: Les Bréviaires (78610)
  • ⚑
    Start/End: N 48.708164° / E 1.786363°
  • ❏
    IGN map(s): Ref. 2215OT, 2215OTR, M2215OT

  • ◶
    Type of surface:
  •  
     
     
    ■ 33% Road ■ 34% Byway ■ 33% Path
  • Hour-by-hour weather

Photos

Description of the route

Head to Les Bréviaires, next to the Étangs de Hollande. In the village of Les Bréviaires, take the D61, Route du Matz, then the Route de Vilpert, which continues from there. Pass through the village of Le Matz, staying on the D61. About 400 m after Le Matz, turn left onto the Route Forestière de la Billette and continue to the Croix de Vilpert, where the car park is located.

(S/E) From the Croix de Vilpert car park, follow the Route Forestière de la Billette eastwards until you reach the junction with the D61. Turn right onto the Route de Vilpert (D61), pass through Le Matz without leaving the road, then continue along the same road through Les Bréviaires on the Route du Matz. At the T-junction, turn left onto the Route des Haras (D60).

(1) At the Y-junction, take the right-hand track, Chemin du Moulin, and at the next junction, turn left onto Chemin de la Canarderie, which runs between Étang de Corbet and Étang de Pourras.

(2) Carry on straight ahead, cross the Route Forestière de Corbet and, at Le Corbet, turn right to reach the D191. At the junction, turn left onto Route de Mantes (D191), pass a forest track then a small road on your left, and reach a crossroads with a car park.

(3) Turn right at a sharp angle onto Route Goron and continue straight on. Pass the junctions at Poteau des Cuisines, Trou au Loup and Tournant, keeping straight on all the way, until you reach the Carrefour des Essarts.

(4) Turn right onto Route Royale de Versailles and, at the next junction, turn left onto Route de la Haie aux Vaches, which curves to the left. Immediately afterwards, turn right onto Rue de la Forêt, pass through the village of Saint-Hubert, staying on the same road until you reach the D191.

(5) Turn left onto the Route de Mantes (D191), taking care with the traffic. Cross the bridge over the N10.

(6) Immediately after, at the roundabout, turn right onto Rue de l’Artoire. Cross the bridge over the railway line, then turn left towards Les Essarts-le-Roi and continue straight on.

(7) At the second junction, before entering Les Essarts-le-Roi, turn right onto the cycle path, Route Forestières des Cinq Cents Arpents. The path is initially straight and runs along the edge of fields and woods.

(8) Enter the woodland and follow the cycle path as it veers to the right. The path winds its way whilst remaining more or less at a distance from the forest road. Carry on straight ahead without leaving the path until you reach the Carrefour de Cambude.

(9) Carry on along the cycle path, which veers slightly to the left.

(10) At the Carrefour la Petite Houssière junction with a car park, leave the Route des Franchisés on your right and turn right onto the D202, Route des Essarts, until you reach the junction with the D91.

(11) Turn right onto Rue de Dampierre (D91), heading towards Cernay / Les Vaux-de-Cernay. Continue along this road without leaving it – Route des Cascades, D91 – until you reach the Petit Moulin.

(12) Take the opportunity to make a detour to the right and visit the Moulin des Roches, the waterfalls and the rocks at Les Vaux-de-Cernay.
Then carry on and head up to the Calvaire des Pucelles with its picnic area. Watch out for traffic on the D91, as the road is narrow and winding.

(13) At the junction with the D906, turn right and take the cycle path that runs alongside the D906. Pass the Maison Forestière de la Dallonnerie, set back on the right, then the D61 on the left towards La Celle-Les-Bordes.

(14) At the next junction, turn right onto the D61 towards Saint-Benoît.

(15) At the entrance to the village, turn left onto Rue de la Croix Picard, then right onto Rue du Chemin Vert, and left onto Rue de Vieille Église, towards Les Brulins.

(16) Pass the Carrefour la Haie aux Prêtres, then the hamlet of Les Brûlins, and reach a four-way junction approximately 150 metres before the cemetery at Vieille-Église-en-Yvelines.

(17) Turn left onto Route d’Auffargis and drive through the village of Vieille-Église-en-Yvelines without leaving the road.

(18) At the T-junction, turn left onto Route de l’Étang de la Tour, then right onto Route de Rambouillet. Continue straight on along Rue de la Grange Colombe, which is a continuation of the road, and after the hamlet of La Guitonnerie, take the cycle path on the right and continue straight on. About 100 m after the end of the cycle path, turn right just after No. 73.

(19) Pass the car park on your right and take the cycle path on the left which leads into the woodland. Cross the Route du Patis and, at the next junction, turn left onto the Route de la Patte-d’Oie. Go under the railway bridge and continue for approximately 200 m.

(20) Turn right onto the cycle path and continue straight on until you reach the Croix Saint-Jacques, where the cycle path ends.

(21) Turn left onto Rue de Chartres, a two-way street ; take care of the traffic, cross the bridge over the N10 and, immediately afterwards, turn right , taking care of vehicles coming from the N10 exit on your right
At the Y-junction, turn left onto Route de la Croix Saint-Jacques and carry on straight ahead without leaving the lane. Pass the Carrefour de la Touche and, after the Carrefour de la Renardière, continue for about 150 metres and rejoin the cycle path on your right.

(22) At the Carrefour de Maintenon, turn right and continue along the cycle path. This runs parallel to the Route de Rambouillet on your left. Pass the Carrefours de la Bosse, du Chêne Henri and des Six Pieds, and you will reach the Croix de Vilpert (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : mi 0 - alt. 577 ft - Croix de Vilpert
  2. 1 : mi 1.92 - alt. 584 ft - Chemin du Moulin
  3. 2 : mi 2.8 - alt. 571 ft - Corbet Pond and Pourras Pond
  4. 3 : mi 3.89 - alt. 594 ft - Goron Road
  5. 4 : mi 5.15 - alt. 584 ft - Essarts junction
  6. 5 : mi 5.9 - alt. 584 ft - Route de Mantes – D191
  7. 6 : mi 6.62 - alt. 577 ft - Roundabout, Rue de l’Artoire
  8. 7 : mi 7.23 - alt. 571 ft - Route Forestières des Cinq Cents Arpents - Gare des-Essarts-le-Roi
  9. 8 : mi 8.71 - alt. 577 ft - Cycle path on the right
  10. 9 : mi 11.36 - alt. 564 ft - Cambude junction
  11. 10 : mi 12.05 - alt. 554 ft - La Petite Houssière junction
  12. 11 : mi 12.85 - alt. 361 ft - Rue de Dampierre, D91
  13. 12 : mi 14 - alt. 377 ft - Petit Moulin
  14. 13 : mi 14.83 - alt. 558 ft - D906 - La Calvaire des Pucelles
  15. 14 : mi 16.16 - alt. 545 ft - D61, towards Saint-Benoît
  16. 15 : mi 17.18 - alt. 574 ft - Rue de la Croix Picard. Near the source of the - Drouette (rivière)
  17. 16 : mi 18.01 - alt. 568 ft - Haie aux Prêtres
  18. 17 : mi 18.72 - alt. 561 ft - Auffargis Road
  19. 18 : mi 19.29 - alt. 558 ft - Route de l’Étang de la Tour
  20. 19 : mi 20.33 - alt. 577 ft - Car park, cycle path on the left
  21. 20 : mi 21.18 - alt. 558 ft - Cycle path on the right after the - Guéville (rivière) - Affluent de la Drouette
  22. 21 : mi 22.31 - alt. 581 ft - Croix Saint-Jacques, Rue de Chartres
  23. 22 : mi 24.4 - alt. 577 ft - Maintenon junction - Étang de Coupe-Gorge
  24. S/E : mi 26.15 - alt. 577 ft - Croix de Vilpert

Notes

Completed on 24/01/2023.

Points to note:

In some places, tree roots have cracked and pitted the surface of the cycle path.

There are no drinking water points along the route. Look for them in the villages you pass through.

No special equipment required other than that needed for cycling.

Shelters along the route outside the villages passed through:

La Croix de Vilpert: (S/E) - At La Petite Houssière between (9) and (10) - After the Moulin des Roches on the right-hand side (12) - Bus shelter after Les Brûlins between (17) and (18) - On leaving Vieille-Église-en-Yvelines between (18) and (19) - Under the railway bridge between (19) and (22).

Picnic areas:

Before the Cambude junction – at the Cambude junction – at La Petite Houssière between and (13) – Waterfalls and Roches des Vaux de Cernay between (13) and (17) – Calvaire des Pucelles (17)

La Petite Houssière crossroads between (9) and (10) – Croix Vilpert (S/E).

Worth a visit

The woodland environment.

The Corbet and Pourras ponds (2).

The Moulin des Roches and the Waterfalls and Rocks of the Vaux de Cernay (12).

Calvaire des Pucelles (13)

The Étang de la Tour near (18).

Reviews and comments

4.7 / 5
Based on 1 review

Reliability of the description
5 / 5
Ease of following the route
4 / 5
Route interest
5 / 5
pascal D 92
pascal D 92
• Edited:

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 13, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A lovely hybrid bike ride.
However, the estimated journey time isn’t quite right. For someone unfamiliar with the route and cycling at a moderate pace, you should allow twice as long. That’s 4 hours without a break! So do bear in mind your return journey time.
Apart from the hill near Cernay, there are no difficulties – except, of course, its length.

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