From Boulogne to Versailles through woods, basins and ponds

Starting point and access: Rond-Point Rhin et Danube.
- Metro - Line 10, Boulogne-Pont de Saint-Cloud station (terminus). Take exit 4 Avenue du Maréchal de Lattre de Tassigny odd numbers, at the front of the train, then the stairs on the right.
- Bus - Lines 52, 72, 126, 160, 175, 260, 467.
For access by tram (line T2) or Transilien (lines L and U), see the options in the practical information section.

No markings
On this section, in some places, you will cross or briefly follow marked paths. In the description, the markings are only mentioned when necessary.

(S) Follow Avenue du Maréchal de Lattre de Tassigny as it continues from the steps, i.e. away from the roundabout. At the traffic lights, cross Quai Alphonse Le Gallo in several stages. Take the Pont de Saint-Cloud bridge to cross the Seine. On the other side, turn left and, at the next traffic lights, cross to the right (construction work in progress, adapt to the layout of the area and follow the instructions). Then go down the stairs on the left and take the tunnel that leads to Parc de Saint-Cloud.

(1) Go through the gate and enter Parc de Saint-Cloud. Continue straight ahead along a wide gravel path. When you reach the Grande Cascade, turn right and walk along the lower basin on your left. When you reach the middle level, turn left. Then walk along the Grand Jet basin on your right. At the corner, turn right and walk gently up a paved path. Turn sharply left, continue climbing and ignore the shortcuts on the right. You will come to a tarmac road; follow it to the right.

(2) At the crossroads shortly after (sloping lawn of the Fer à Cheval on the left), go straight ahead, pass through a gate and follow a stabilised path (red and white marker). Go around a lawn with a basin in the middle and continue on the other side along a shaded path. At the end, go around a small pond on the left and climb a flight of steps. Climb a staircase to reach the edge of the Bassin des 24 Jets.

(3) Go around the pond on the left, either on the tarmac path lined with statues of characters from Greco-Roman mythology or on the gravel path along the edge of the pond. At the foot of the statue of Jupiter (holding a staff aloft), turn left, go through a forest gate and walk up a tarmac path alongside a lawn on your right. You will come to the Bassin de la Grande Gerbe. Walk around it on the left and pass a restaurant.

(4) Shortly afterwards, take the second path on the left (forest barrier) and walk along a lawn on your left. Continue straight ahead, ignoring all the side paths, pass a bench and then an old stone marker. Pass a forest barrier, cross a tarmac road, pass a second forest barrier and immediately turn right onto a path running parallel to the tarmac road. Continue straight ahead until you reach a large crossroads, the Rond de Chasse.

(5) Then turn left towards the Maison des Jardies. Before the exit gate, turn right onto a path marked in yellow.

(6) At the end of the path, turn left and exit the park through a large gate. Go around a small car park on the left and cross the road at the pedestrian crossing. On the other side, step over a chain, follow a path and go through a gate (yellow marker) to re-enter the Parc de Saint-Cloud. Ignore a path on the left and walk along the lawn. At the stone base of a basin (which used to be there but has now been removed), turn left and go up into the undergrowth.

(7) At the top, at a T-junction, turn left. Follow the main path, which alternates between stones and traces of tarmac, and ignore all paths branching off to the sides.

(8) At a three-way junction, turn left and descend. At a crossroads, turn left (red and white marker), go through a gate and leave the Parc de Saint-Cloud. Go down Rue de la Porte Blanche and arrive at Place de la Mairie (sculpture in honour of Louis Pasteur on the right).

(9) Turn left to cross a road (D407). On the other side, take an alley between the church on the left and the town hall on the right. You will soon come to a street; follow it to the left. At the end, turn right into Rue Jean Minaud. Enter Ville-d'Avray and, shortly afterwards, take the first left, Rue Neuve Thierry. Turn right onto this street. At the end, cross another street and take Chemin Jean Jullien diagonally to the left (beautiful houses on the right-hand side).

(10) Come out onto an avenue and follow it to the right and uphill. At the next crossroads, turn right into Rue Thierry. Go through a forest gate, continue along the path and ignore a path on the left immediately after. Further on, ignore a path on the right and, after about 75 m, take the first path on the left. At the intersection shortly after, continue straight ahead (horseshoe and yellow marker). Continue straight ahead until you reach a large crossroads.

(11) Take the second path on the left (yellow markings) and immediately look for a path branching off to the left (be careful). There are two options here:
- For a "comfortable" descent, continue straight ahead on the marked path and descend steadily to a small car park. Turn left to cross the car park and rejoin the main route at (12).
- For a more "wild" route, as shown on the map, take the path on the left, which is marked on OSM but not on IGN. Stay on this shaded path and ignore the vague tracks on the left. When you reach the buildings, turn right onto the path and descend steeply to a small car park.

(12) Immediately turn left and take a stabilised path. Go down a staircase and, at the bottom, cross the street at the pedestrian crossing. On the other side, first turn right then left to take a dead-end street (Rue du Lac). Turn right onto this road, pass a memorial to the painter Corot on your right and walk along a pond on your right. At the corner of the pond, turn right onto a stabilised path close to the pond.

(13) At the end, turn right and take the dyke between the two ponds. Just before a chicane, turn left (red and yellow marker) and walk along the western pond on your left. Turn left with the path and cross a stream on a small footbridge without a railing. Ignore the first path on the left, climb a very short steep slope and arrive at a T-junction. Then go right with the red and yellow markings.

(14) At the next junction, continue straight ahead (ignore the red and yellow arrow indicating a left turn). Continue straight ahead on the main path, where stones alternate with gravel, and ignore all side paths. At a crossroads, go straight ahead until the next crossroads.

Red and yellow markings

(15) Continue straight ahead on a dirt track. At the next junction, turn right and climb gently. At the crossroads shortly afterwards, take the second track on the right, roughly in line with the road. Descend and, at a junction, go straight ahead. Then ignore a track on the left and continue on a path in a more open area. Pass through a forest barrier and arrive at the edge of the D985.

(16) Cross the road at the pedestrian crossing on the right. On the other side, first turn left then right to pass through a forest barrier and continue along a forest path. At the first junction, go straight ahead. At the second junction, go straight ahead again and climb uphill. You will reach a large crossroads at the entrance to Versailles.

(17) Cross the D182 at the pedestrian crossing on the left. On the other side, turn right and cross Avenue de Villeneuve l'Étang and Boulevard de la Porte Verte (not signposted here). Take the path opposite and enter the forest again. Walk north and ignore a path coming from the left. At the next junction, turn left and continue to the next junction.

No markings

(18) Then turn left (leaving the marked GRP® trail on your right). Walk south on a path and follow the garden fences or palisades on your right. Pass through a forest gate, come out onto Boulevard de la Porte Verte and follow it to the right. At the stop sign, continue straight ahead. At the next stop sign, turn left onto Avenue Fourcault de Pavant. Continue straight ahead until the end of this avenue. Then turn right onto Avenue Villeneuve l'Étang.

(19) At the crossroads shortly after (chapel on the right), continue straight ahead. At the next crossroads, take the second left, Rue Magenta. Cross Rue Montebello on the right. At the next crossroads, turn right into Rue Remilly.

(20) Take the first left, Rue Jules Raulin, pass in front of the Church of Sainte Jeanne d'Arc and continue straight ahead.

(21) At the crossroads, turn right onto Rue Albert Joly and pass in front of the Synagogue de Versailles. At the next crossroads, turn left. Just after a bus stop, turn left and you will immediately reach the Versailles-Rive Droite station (E).

To return home:
- Transilien - Line L, towards La Défense and Paris Saint-Lazare.
- Bus - Line 6204 towards Versailles-Chantiers station (RER C; Transilien N, U and V; TER).

Train timetables: consult the Transilien website.

Hiking boots recommended.

Water points in Saint-Cloud Park: between the entrance (1) and the Grande Cascade; near the Bassin de la Grande Gerbe (4).
Bars and restaurants: Rhin et Danube roundabout (S); in Saint-Cloud Park, at Carrefour du Fer à Cheval (2) and Bassin de la Grande Gerbe (4); in Marnes-la-Coquette (9); near Versailles-Rive Droite station (E).

Saint-Cloud Park opening hours:
- Opening: 7:30 a.m.
- Closing times: November-February, 8:00 p.m.; March-April and September-October, 9:00 p.m.; May-August, 10:00 p.m.
N.B. Between 10 August and 5 September, access is limited due to preparations for and the running of the "Rock en Seine" music festival.

Alternative starting points:
- From the Parc de Saint-Cloud tram station (line T2) - Take the exit towards the bus station (on the platform in the direction of Porte de Versailles-Pont de Bezons). Turn right along the bus station and pass under the A13 motorway bridge. Turn left to cross Quai Carnot. Before reaching the Pont de Saint-Cloud, turn right and use the successive pedestrian crossings (area under construction, adapt to the layout of the site and follow instructions). Then turn right to reach the tunnel that leads to the Parc de Saint-Cloud and rejoin the main route at (1).
- From Saint-Cloud station (Transilien lines L and U) - Take the Rue Dailly/Hôpital exit. At the bottom of the escalator, take the underground passage. Then cross Rue Dailly at the pedestrian crossing and go down Rue Charles Lauer opposite, between the two hospital buildings. At the first crossroads, continue straight ahead and downhill. At the next intersection, turn right towards the town hall. Take the first left and then go down a flight of steps. Cross Rue Dailly at the traffic lights, go down a flight of steps and continue along the street. Cross a perpendicular street and take the bridge over the tram line. On the other side, go down the steps on the right and you will reach the tram and bus stations. Then follow the route described in the previous paragraph.

A detailed map is required (at least the one accompanying this description). To follow the route using the Visorando app, download both the IGN and OSM maps.

Hike completed by the author on 6 September 2025.

- Numerous ponds and sculptures in the Parc de Saint-Cloud, between (1) and (6).
- Beautiful houses in Marnes-la-Coquette, Ville d'Avray and Versailles.
- Religious buildings in Marnes-la-Coquette (9) and Versailles between (19) and (E).
- Ponds in Ville-d'Avray, between (12) and (14).