From Courcelle-sur-Yvette to Versailles via the Étangs de Montbron

A south-north crossing for a very diverse route. Forest passages alternate with passages between fields. Water is abundant, with several rivers, the Yvette, the Marette and the Bièvre, and the Étangs de Montbrond in their green setting.

Details

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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 18.18 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 6h 00 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Difficult

  • ⚐
    Back to start: No
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 269 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 204 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 175 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 67 m

Photos

Description of the walk

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.

Waypoints

  1. S : km 0 - alt. 78 m - Gare de Courcelle-sur-Yvette
  2. 1 : km 0.26 - alt. 67 m - Bridge over the - Yvette (l')
  3. 2 : km 1.03 - alt. 152 m - Crossroads
  4. 3 : km 1.81 - alt. 149 m - Fork in the road
  5. 4 : km 1.99 - alt. 142 m - Crossroads
  6. 5 : km 2.36 - alt. 139 m - Fork
  7. 6 : km 2.89 - alt. 107 m - Crossroads
  8. 7 : km 3.43 - alt. 84 m - Footbridge over the - Mérantaise (ruissseau) - Affluent de l'Yvette
  9. 8 : km 3.87 - alt. 87 m - Signpost - Billehou
  10. 9 : km 4.19 - alt. 101 m - Intersection - House
  11. 10 : km 4.65 - alt. 153 m - Small bridge - Cimetière forestier de Saint-Aubin
  12. 11 : km 5.76 - alt. 151 m - Fork in the road - Footbridge
  13. 12 : km 6.27 - alt. 158 m - Crossing the D36
  14. 13 : km 7.44 - alt. 156 m - Crossroads - Signpost
  15. 14 : km 8.57 - alt. 148 m - Crossroads
  16. 15 : km 9.72 - alt. 148 m - Start of the trail
  17. 16 : km 10.15 - alt. 121 m - Etangs des côtes de Montbron
  18. 17 : km 10.91 - alt. 130 m - Right-hand hairpin bend
  19. 18 : km 11.47 - alt. 147 m - Crossroads at the edge of a field
  20. 19 : km 12.38 - alt. 153 m - T-junction
  21. 20 : km 12.81 - alt. 146 m - Crossroads - Église Saint-Eustache (Les Loges-en-Josas)
  22. 21 : km 13.47 - alt. 98 m - Bridge over the - Bièvre (affluent de la Seine)
  23. 22 : km 13.88 - alt. 101 m - Crossroads
  24. 23 : km 14.31 - alt. 153 m - Crossroads
  25. 24 : km 14.76 - alt. 156 m - Crossroads
  26. 25 : km 15.31 - alt. 171 m - Trail start
  27. 26 : km 16.3 - alt. 153 m - Crossing the D938
  28. 27 : km 17.17 - alt. 170 m - Crossroads - Stairs
  29. 28 : km 17.69 - alt. 144 m - Passage des Étangs Gobert
  30. E : km 18.18 - alt. 135 m - Gare de Versailles-Chantiers

Notes

Train timetables: consult the Transilien website.

For motorists:
Arrange to have at least two vehicles, one in the car park of each of the two stations. If you only have one vehicle, you will need to change at Massy-Palaiseau.

Hiking boots are required.

Water source inside the Saint-Aubin forest cemetery (10), on the left shortly after the gate. Drinks and snacks available at Versailles-Chantiers station (E).

Detailed map useful (at least the one accompanying this description).

Hike completed by the author on 29 May 2025

Worth a visit

- Pleasant forest paths between (1) and (6), (9) and (10), (15) and (18) and (22) and (26).
- Pleasant walk along the Marette, between (7) and (8).
- Saint-Aubin forest cemetery (10).
- Orsigny farm, between (13) and (14).
- Montbrond ponds, on either side of (16).
- Saint-Eustache Church (20).
- Jardin des Étangs Gobert (28).

Reviews and comments

4.5 / 5
Based on 8 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.5 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.6 / 5
Route interest
4.4 / 5
jogue
jogue

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 21, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Lovely walk

Thank you.

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LaLDD
LaLDD
• Edited:

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 15, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A pleasant, varied 5-star hike. Really great to be so close to Paris!

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shapiro
shapiro

Note to site administrators: the IGN base map has several "gaps" around Loges-en-Josas, on the south-east side, which have been filled in with tiles from OSM.

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shapiro
shapiro

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 04, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Hike done in beautiful winter weather, very cold (–8°C in the early morning on the Saclay Plateau). A pleasant and varied hike, with (disappointingly!) not much elevation gain in the end.

Crossing the Saclay Plateau is certainly monotonous (and undoubtedly unpleasant on a summer's day) but it passes fairly quickly. The frosty plain under a magnificent sky was rather beautiful.

Note that at point (20) (Loges-en-Josas church) there is a pleasant picnic area with benches in the sun and a drinking fountain at no. 1 on the square.

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maximelevrain
maximelevrain

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Dec 20, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very pleasant walk to do in autumn. Very varied landscapes (undergrowth, meadows, fields, beautiful villages). Thank you for sharing.

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User 26884382
• Edited:

Overall rating : 2.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 31, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★☆☆☆☆ Very disappointing
Very busy route : No

A sublime hike, I particularly enjoyed the empty, dry plains of the Yvelines. I was irradiated at the Saclay Atomic Energy Research Centre before arriving at the marvel of technology that is the EDF transformers. Unfortunately, I had to pass through a horrible forest before and after this more than sublime landscape

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User 22622588

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 19, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very beautiful hike, especially in the first half.
A wonderful discovery. Thank you!

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JPScherer
JPScherer

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 07, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very beautiful hike with diverse landscapes. The woodland section was very pleasant in the heat. The route is very well explained and easy, with no major difficulties. I would do it again.

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Sylvie88
Sylvie88

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 09, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Thank you for this beautiful hike.
It's always so pleasant to walk in the Chevreuse Valley. The landscapes are varied, with pleasant woodland paths to enjoy in hot weather. There is little tarmac.
No difficulties.
When we visited, the Saint-Aubin forest cemetery was closed (Sunday?). > Bring enough water.
There is a nice picnic spot (but unfortunately already occupied) near the ponds.
To be repeated in other seasons.

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