Starting point and access: Courcelle-sur-Yvette station.
- RER - Line B, on the section between Paris and Saint-Rémy-Lès-Chevreuse.
Take exit 2 Rue Fernand Léger, on the platform in the direction of Saint-Rémy-les-Chevreuse to Paris (if arriving in the opposite direction, take the underground passage).
Yellow markings
(S) When you leave the station, follow Rue Fernand Léger towards the town centre. Cross Allée du Manoir on the left and you will come to a wider road, which is still Rue Fernand Léger. Follow this road to the left and ignore the road on the right.
(1) Cross the Yvette and continue straight ahead. At the end, cross the main street (Rue de Paris on the left, Avenue du Général Leclerc on the right) and take the Ruelle d'Aigrefoin (dead end) opposite, set back on the right. At the end of the tarmac road, go through a forest gate and enter the Forêt Communale d'Aigrefoin. At the fork immediately ahead, climb the steps on the right. Continue along a winding path until you reach a crossroads (bench).
Directional markers for the paths in Gif-sur-Yvette
(2) Take the first path on the right, towards Les Quinconces. Pass under the power lines and continue through the forest. Go straight ahead and ignore two successive paths on the left and then one descending to the right.
(3) Then turn left towards Les Quinconces. Ignore a bridle path on the right (not shown on the map) and continue to a crossroads (elevation 149). Then turn right towards Les Quinconces and descend slightly.
Blue + yellow markings + directional markers for the paths of Gif-sur-Yvette
(4) At the crossroads, turn left towards Magny-les-Hameaux.
Blue +directional markers for the paths of Gif-sur-Yvette
At the intersection that appears shortly afterwards, continue straight on towards Marais Bonnard.
(5) At a fork, take the right-hand path and continue downhill. At the bottom, at a T-junction, turn left. Further on, at a fork, turn left, cross a stream and you will come to a crossroads.
Blue markings
(6) Turn right towards Marais Bonnard and descend. Pass through a forest gate and cross a small car park. Cross the D95 carefully and follow the path opposite, slightly to the right, between a horse pasture on the left and a hedge on the right.
(7) Cross a branch of the Mérantaise river on the first footbridge. Ignore a second footbridge on the right and walk along another branch of the Mérantaise river on your right. Cross the river on a third footbridge, then a tributary on a fourth. Now walk along the Mérantaise river on your left. You will come to a small road; follow it to the right.
Blue + red and yellow markings
(8) At a signpost, continue along the road towards Villiers-le-Bâcle. At the fork that appears immediately, turn left and climb Rue du Fond Guérin. Note the Château de la Grande Barrerie on the left, through the branches.
No markings
(9) At a white house covered in vegetation, stay on the street (the marked path on the left is closed until further notice).
Blue + red and yellow markings
At the T-junction, follow Allée du Canal to the right. Pass a forest barrier, ignore a path on the left and continue uphill. At the top, pass a second forest barrier, turn left and you will reach the entrance to the Saint-Aubin forest cemetery. Continue for a few metres until you reach a small bridge.
(10) Turn left onto a stabilised path (do not cross the bridge) and follow a ditch on your right. Ignore two successive footbridges on the right. Further on, at the entrance to Saint-Aubin, follow a small road on the left for about 100 metres.
Red and yellow markings
(11) Turn right towards Saclay and take a footbridge. On the other side, follow a road to the left for a few dozen metres. Then turn right to carefully cross the road and take a field path opposite (blue sign with two sides).
(12) At the end, cross the D36 with caution (on both sides, construction site for the future metro line 18). Continue straight ahead, north-northeast.
Red and yellow + yellowmarkings
(13) At the crossroads, turn left onto a small road. Pass in front of the beautiful Orsigny farmhouse and continue along a track. Shortly afterwards, at the foot of a telephone pole, take a grassy path on the right. The path gives way to a trail, first along a field on the right-hand side, then between two fenced meadows.
Red and yellow markings
(14) At the next crossroads, follow a track to the left and go downhill. Walk along the wall of a property on your right and stay on the track. Note some beautiful houses on the right-hand side. At a three-way junction, follow a shaded path to the left.
(15) At the edge of the field, turn right, go through a metal gate, enter a wood and descend. At the bottom, pass to the left of a fence and walk along a first pond on your left. At a fork, turn left to stay as close as possible to the pond.
(16) At the end, turn left and pass between two ponds (path overgrown with vegetation in May 2025). At the T-junction, turn right and walk along the second pond on your right. At the next intersection, continue straight ahead and walk along a third pond on your right. Cross a stream on a footbridge without a railing and turn left onto a path along the stream.
(17) At the end, turn right at the hairpin bend. Continue straight ahead and ignore a few tracks on the left. After about 400 m, turn sharply left and climb gently. Further on, turn right, pass a chicane and come out onto a path at the edge of a field.
(18) Follow the path to the right and immediately ignore a path branching off to the right. Walk between a field on your left and woods on your right, then along the woods on your left.
No markings
Go through a forest gate, continue straight ahead along a street and pass a riding centre on your right.
(19) At the end of the street, turn right. At the corner of No. 6, turn left onto a path between two fences. Then cross a small car park, turn right and go under a porch. Come out onto a street and follow it to the left. Go straight ahead and ignore the side streets and paths.
(20) At the crossroads (church on the right), continue straight ahead on the D120 towards Petit Jouy and go downhill (preferably on the right-hand pavement). At the stop sign, go straight ahead, still on the right-hand pavement, and walk along a fenced-in field on your right.
Red and yellow markings
At the forest house, continue straight ahead.
(21) At the bridge over the Bièvre, turn left to cross the road at the pedestrian crossing. Take the paved path opposite towards Buc and walk along the river on your left.
No markings
At the end of the path, turn right. Carefully cross the road at the pedestrian crossing on the left. On the other side, go through a forest gate and you will immediately come to a crossroads.
Red and white markings
(22) Take the path on the left (ignore the sign inviting you to continue straight on along the Route des Noyers). Shortly afterwards, turn right onto a stony path and climb uphill. At a crossroads (elevation 147), continue straight ahead.
(23) At the next junction, take a path immediately to the left (do not follow the more obvious paved path). Wind your way through the undergrowth. At a junction, go straight ahead and continue winding your way through the undergrowth. Ignore a path leading down to the left. At the junction that appears shortly afterwards, turn right and you will quickly come to another junction.
(24) Follow the Route du Sud to the left towards Versailles-Chantiers station. Turn right onto the path and walk north-east for about 400 metres.
(25) Then take the first path on the left (be careful to spot this start). Descend slightly and, at the bottom, turn right and walk along the left-hand side of a wall and buildings beyond. At a three-way junction at the corner of the wall, turn right. At the next three-way junction, turn left. You will come to a road; follow it to the left.
(26) At the traffic lights, cross the D938 at the pedestrian crossing and follow it to the right. Pass under the motorway bridge and, on the other side, turn left onto a gravel path (forest barrier). At the first crossroads, go straight ahead. At the second crossroads, turn left. At the next intersection, turn left.
(27) At a crossroads, go down the steps on the right. At the bottom, follow a street to the left and downhill. At the end, cross a cobbled street and climb a flight of steps. Then turn right and cross the railway tracks. Continue along Rue Édouard Charton. Take the first right, a dead-end street, Passage des Étangs Gobert. Go through a gate and turn left to climb two successive staircases.
(28) At the top, continue straight ahead along a gravel path. Cross a street and walk along the Jardin des Étangs Gobert on your left. Shortly afterwards, turn right at a sharp angle towards the station and go downhill. At the bottom, first turn right then left to take Passage des Jardins. At the end, turn right to find the escalators leading to Versailles-Chantiers station (E).
To return home:
- RER - Line C, towards Paris (then Dourdan or Étampes) or Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines.
- Transilien -
. Line N, towards Paris-Montparnasse, Rambouillet, Dreux or Mantes-la-Jolie.
. Line U, towards La Défense or La Verrière.
. Line V, towards Massy-Palaiseau.