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(S/E) From the car park at the Bas Bréau crossroads (at the end of Allée des Vaches), take theGR®1towards Barbizon (theGR® runs along Allée des Vaches on the left). Turn left quickly (Route des Ventes Alexandre) and climb a little. At the bottom of the descent that follows, you will cross the Route des Gorges d'Apremont, which you take to the right (leaving theGR® straight ahead). On the climb that follows, the original path is very steep. You can follow it without straying too far (avoid veering too far to the right along very marked paths) until you reach a flat area. The path reappears on the other side and is quite steep. At the next crossroads, turn left and then, at the bottom of the descent, join the Denecourt N°6 path.
(1) Follow this Denecourt No. 6 trail (a little further on, you will need to turn around to see the rock known as "l'Eléphant" [the elephant]), climb up to the southern ridge of the Gorges d'Apremont: picturesque rocks and various viewpoints along the way. The ridge gradually becomes narrower. You will then cross theGR®1again: two red and white markers suddenly appear. The path you need to take on the right is opposite the GR® arrival point.
Take this path on the right (again the Route des Ventes Alexandre), which descends towards the Route de la Gorge aux Néfliers. Go straight up after crossing this road and then, at the next crossroads, take the Route du Berger on the right, which continues as the Route de l'Emouchet. At the next crossroads, you will cross the Route des Monts Girard, which you take on the right. It descends rapidly to the Ventes Alexandre crossroads. Immediately climb back up to the left via the Route de la Perspective. The next crossroads leads to the right to the beautiful viewpoint of Camp d'Arbonne (bench). Leave the viewpoint via the path behind the bench on the right (Route Tournante des Ventes Alexandre). After about 300 m, the path begins to curve slightly.
(2) Then take the clearly visible path on the right. This is the Route du Crochet (formerly used by the TMF). The path descends steeply at first. Then take the Route des Mathurins (2nd on the right) at a right angle. Cross the D11 road and continue to the Route des Buttes de Fontainebleau, which you take on the left. After crossing the D409 road, you will arrive at the Carrefour des Trois Frères.
(3) Turn left onto the Route des Trois Frères, which climbs gradually. After the junction with the Route de Bel-Air, turn right onto the Route des Buttes de Franchard, which climbs up these hills and then descends steeply to the next crossroads, where you turn left onto the Route du Carnage, which leads to the Route de l'Ermitage. Opposite, take the wooden steps that climb up to the northern ridge of Franchard. At the top, you will cross the Sentier Denecourt-Colinet n°7 (blue markings).
(4) Take this marked trail on the left, which leads directly to Franchard (the blue markings are mainly on the trees and are not always very visible). There are beautiful views of the Franchard Gorges along the way. After crossing the path that leads to La Roche qui Pleure, continue along the blue trail through the rocks and then across the beautiful lawn of the Ermitage de Franchard. Leave theGR® on your right and head towards the car park. At the edge of the car park, you will come to a diagonal road (Route du Monastère) where you take theGR®1Eon the right. Follow it as it crosses the D301.
(5) At the next crossroads, leave theGR® and turn left onto Route Mazarin, which leads straight to the Cèdre crossroads (bench). At the cedar tree, turn diagonally left onto Route de la Fosse à Râteau until you reach the D409. Cross the road. Then turn left onto Route du Grand Duc, cross the D301, and continue along Route du Faucon until you reach the Carrefour du Fauconnier.
(6) Turn right onto Route de la Roche-qui-pleure, which leads to Route de la Plaine de Macherin: turn right and continue up to the Carrefour de la Gorge aux Néfliers.
(7) Cross the road and, at the three-way junction, take the middle path (not shown on the IGN map) called Route du Hobereau (signposted). This road then becomes the Route de Clair Bois (also follow the blue markers for the Denecourt-Colinet trail no. 6). At the next crossroads (former car park along the D301), look for the blue markers for trail No. 6 and follow them to the left. The trail winds its way through the rocks on the ridge. A little further on, there is a fork in a steep slope and a blue-marked trail begins on the right (No. 6-6).
(8) Take the marked trail that descends steeply and climbs up opposite to the beautiful Mare aux Sangliers. Continue along the trail.
Option - At the western end of the pond, a path straight ahead leads to a beautiful viewpoint. You can see the old blue markers that lead there; this was the old route of trail 6-6. Retrace your steps without veering too far to the right (there are many ponds).
Continuation of trail 6-6: trail 6-6 has recently been modified and no longer corresponds to the map (my route is taken from a GPS track recorded when I walked it: it seems to me that the blue markings use different paths, not all of which are marked on the map; but you can't get lost). It leads through old quarries and, via numerous twists and turns, to a stele ("the stones used to build the Château de Fontainebleau were quarried here") and a superb viewpoint.
(9) Continue roughly level until you reach a crossroads where the path turns left (east) and then descends from the plateau, crosses a path (continue straight ahead) and reaches the Route de Clair Bois (bench).
(10) Take the Route de Clair Bois on the right. You will then reach a large crossroads and take the Route de Barbizon à Fontainebleau on the left, which will take you back to the car park (S/E).
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Visorando member
Moderate 
Easy 
