Country:
District:
Starting point and access: Boutigny station.
- RER - Line D, on the section between Paris and Malesherbes.
Take the Centre-ville exit on the side of track 1 (direction Paris to Malesherbes). If arriving in the opposite direction, track 2, take the underground passage.
Red and white + blue markings
(S) Cross the square at the station exit and, at the corner of the post office, turn left onto Rue des Cordeliers. Pass in front of Boutitgny Church. At the end of the street, turn left and cross the railway line at the level crossing. Pass a dead-end street on the right and continue straight ahead on Rue du Château de Belesbat, preferably on the right-hand pavement (which is wider).
(1) Cross the Essonne river and, just after the sign marking the entrance to Vayres, leave the road and turn right onto a path that is not shown on the map. Further on, you will come to a street; follow it to the right. Stay on this main street, which winds through the village, and ignore all the paths and alleys on either side. Note the wash house at No. 84.
(2) At the fork where the war memorial is located, turn right onto Rue du Sourdet. Further on, turn left onto this street. At the traffic lights, cross the road perpendicular to the pedestrian crossing and follow it to the right onto a tarmac path separated by a small hedge.
Red and white markings
(3) At the next traffic lights, at the corner of the school, turn left onto Chemin d'Orvaux, towards the stadium. After about 100 metres, turn right towards the cemetery, still on Chemin d'Orvaux. After the cemetery, the tarmac gives way to a gravel path that enters the forest. Ignore a path on the left, pass a forest barrier and continue under the pine trees on a sandy path. Ignore a path on the right and, at the fork shortly afterwards, take the left path which climbs slightly.
Red and white + blue markings
(4) Turn left at the junction with the blue-marked path and continue climbing through birch trees, ferns and a few small scattered sandstone rocks. At a crossroads, go straight ahead (there are signs on either side discouraging you from turning). At the next crossroads, continue straight ahead (west) and descend.
(5) You will come to the fence of a hydrocarbon storage area. Walk along this fence on your right for about 900 metres. At a T-junction, follow theGR®1to the right (leaving theGR®111to the left). Continue along the fence on your right for another 500 metres or so.
No markings
(6) Shortly before a reservoir near the fence, take a path on the left (not shown on the map) between a wasteland on the left and a wood on the right. Follow this path straight ahead (see alternative route in the practical information section). You will come to a farm track; follow it to the left. At a junction directly below a high-voltage power line (elevation 67), turn right onto a track that quickly becomes tarmac. Go through a metal barrier.
(7) Before the stop sign, turn right onto a track (not shown on the 1:25,000 map) which is closed to traffic "except for residents and agricultural vehicles". After going around a house and its garden on the right, rejoin the D145 road and follow it to the right for about 50 metres. Just after the "Cycle path" sign, turn left and cross the cycle path and the D145 (take care). On the other side, go through a metal gate and take a grassy path that starts with a hedge on the left. Then climb gently along the edge of the woods on your right, enter the woods and climb more steeply. Pass a fenced-in hut, ignore a path on the right and continue climbing on a stony path.
Red and white markings
(8) At the top (transmitter), rejoin theGR®1and continue straight ahead, heading due west, on a wide gravel path. Just after passing a forest barrier, turn right onto a discreet path that enters the woods. At the exit, turn right and stay on the edge of the woods. At the corner of the woods, head due north between the fields, ignoring a path on the left. Continue along the edge of the woods on your right and enter the woods.
(9) At the bottom of a steep slope, turn sharply right. Then turn left with the path. At a fork, take the left path and wind your way through a landscape of flat land with heather and exposed rocks. Leave a first pond some distance to your left and reach the edge of a second pond.
N.B. On the next two sections, the path twists and turns a lot and the route is only approximate. Follow the markings carefully and do not hesitate to turn back if you lose them.
(10) Walk along the pond on your left and continue winding your way across the plateau. When you reach a pine tree with two arrows, one pointing to the right and the other to the left, turn right and pass under the leaning trunk of a pine tree (the arrow on the left is for hikers coming in the opposite direction). Turn left immediately (marker on the ground), note a partial viewpoint on the right and, when you reach a pine tree that appears to be in the middle of the path, veer right to reach a viewpoint (rock blocks).
(11) Then turn left and descend the switchbacks, crossing a large step in the rock. At a T-junction, descend to the right along a sunken path. At a fork, turn right and continue descending under the pine trees.
(12) At the bottom, follow a small road to the left with theGR®11(ignore theGR®1on the right). At an intersection, turn right. At the crossroads (bar on the right), continue straight ahead, slightly to the left, along Rue Margaille. Pass the war memorial on your left, cross Rue Sainte-Barbe on the right-hand side and turn left along the street.
(13) After No. 5, turn right onto a path that enters the woods (be careful to spot this start). Climb a steep slope under pine trees and between some rocks. Turn left and climb less steeply. Then, wind along roughly flat ground, first through a landscape of flat land with heathland and then through undergrowth. At a fork, take either the left (signposted) or right path, as both paths rejoin further on. Leave the woods and continue along the edge for about 100 metres.
(14) Ignore the start of a path into the woods on the left (marker) and continue along the edge (theGR® makes a small detour here that is of no interest). You will soon rejoin theGR®, walk along a field on your right and re-enter the woods. At the exit, turn right (west) onto a field path (red marker on the left). You will come out onto a small road and follow it to the right until you reach the junction with the D148.
Red and white + blue markings
N.B. On the following section, theGR®11route has been modified from the purple line on the IGN map and the route requires vigilance and a good sense of direction.
(15) Cross the D148 and go down the steps behind the safety barrier. Continue along the path. At the fork that appears shortly afterwards, leave the path and turn right. You will come to the foot of a sandy slope; turn left. Stay on the edge of the woods on your left. Walk across the sand, keeping west-northwest. Pass the first tree marked with trail markers on your right, then a second on your left, and head towards a path that enters the woods.
(16) Follow this good path through the woods. Walk west-northwest, alternating between shaded and open passages, and pass a few fenced-in huts.
Red and white + blue + yellow + orange markings
(17) At a crossroads (signpost), continue straight ahead towards the equestrian centre. Walk through the undergrowth to the north-west and you will come to a small road. Cross the road, ignore the markings that invite you to follow the road to the left, and go straight ahead between a wood on your left and a wasteland on your right (see an alternative route in the practical information). At the T-junction, turn right and rejoin the markings a little further on. Alternate between paths along the edge of the woods and along the edge of horse pastures. At a fork, take the left path and you will soon reach a crossroads.
Blue + Yellow + Orange markings
(18) At the crossroads, go straight ahead towards the equestrian centre. When you leave the woods, continue between the fields and meadows. After the equestrian centre buildings, the path gives way to tarmac.
Yellow markings
Cross a small road and take the farm track opposite. Further on, you will rejoin the tarmac road.
Blue markings
(19) At the junction with a dead end on the left, continue straight ahead. At the end of the street, turn left.
Blue + red and white markings
At the roundabout, follow the D148 to the right towards Étréchy. Then take thefirst left, Chemin de Vaux. Walk past an old factory, turn right with the street and cross the Juine on an old stone bridge.
(20) Turn left at the end of the bridge, walk along the river on your left, then turn away from it. Return to the D148 and follow it to the left. Go around the large roundabout on the right, continue straight ahead towards Domaine de Chamarande and pass under the N20 bridge. At the next roundabout, turn right onto the D146 towards Lardy and pass under the railway bridge. Then follow Avenue d'Orléans along a tarmac path that runs parallel to it on the right-hand side. Follow this main road, ignoring any side roads.
Blue markings
(21) At a fork (right lane towards Paris), cross the avenue and follow it to the right towards the town centre. Continue straight up Grande Rue.
No markings
At the corner of No. 21, turn right onto Rue Caroline Berchère. At the end, turn right, walk along a car park and you will find Étréchy station on your right (E).
To return home:
- RER - Line C, towards Paris (direct access) or Étampes (take the underground passage).
Many thanks and well done to Netra
Association / Club / Walk leader
Moderate 
Visorando member
Easy 
