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Access : Fontainebleau-Avon station on the Transilien R line.
Initially, the route follows an unmarked path through the town of Avon, the grounds of Fontainebleau Castle, and then the town of Fontainebleau. It then joins the forest on the other side of the town, followed by the GR® marked in red and white from the Coq en (7) crossroads.
No markings
(S) At Avon station, take the east exit (platform served by trains from Paris), go down the stairs from the bus station and join Rue des Yebles. Turn right and walk along the tracks until you reach the imposing Changis railway viaduct.
(1) Pass under the viaduct at its northern end and continue straight ahead to the left into Rue du Montceau. Continue straight ahead until you reach the gates of the Château de Fontainebleau park.
(2) Enter the park and continue straight ahead along the shaded path between the Grande Prairie on your left and the wooded areas on your right. This will bring you to Avenue des Cascades, just before the château itself.
(3) If the gate in front of you is open, go through it to enter the castle gardens. Pass to the left of the castle wing in front of you, then turn right to pass between the Cour Henri IV on your right and the Cour Ovale on your left. Continue straight ahead through the Jardin de Diane and exit the park through the gate opposite, which leads to Place Napoléon Bonaparte.
(3) If the gate is closed, take Rue Paul Seramy on the right, then turn left to reach Place d'Armes. Take Rue de la Chancellerie opposite, leading to Place Napoléon.
(4) Take Rue Denécourt on the left, which runs alongside the park. At the roundabout, don't hesitate to walk to the main gates of the château to admire its façade and horseshoe staircase.
(5) Retrace your steps and take Rue Royale on the right, which leads away from the château. Keep left at the three-way junction in front of the sub-prefecture and join Rue Paul Tavernier in front of the ring road.
(6) Turn left and walk along the ring road for about 150 metres. Cross it via the underpass and continue on the other side along Route de l'Ermitage. Follow it straight ahead to the Maison Forestière de la Faisanderie and the Carrefour du Coq just behind it.
GR® trail markers in red and white
(7) Take Route de l'Ermitage, slightly diagonally to the left, and follow it to Carrefour du Mont Fessas.
(8) Continue on Route de l'Ermitage, slightly to the right (do not take the path that goes up to Mont Aigu directly ahead) and which passes at the foot of Mont Aigu on the left. Pass two well-marked crossroads and continue to the third.
(9) Leave Route de l'Ermitage, taking the path on the left that climbs up to the rocks and plateaus of the Gorges du Houx, then descends on the other side.
(10) In the Gorges du Houx valley, take the Mont Aigu path on the right. Walk along the rocks on your right and you will reach the Carrefour du Houx, at the end of the rock chain.
(11) Head left. After about 300 m, cross the D301 carefully and continue straight ahead. Turn right at the three-way junction and continue straight ahead until you reach a T-junction. Take the path on the right towards the Franchard car park. Continue left towards the ruins of the hermitage. Go around them on the left to reach the Œil des Nations: a circular commemorative plaque on the ground.
(12) Turn left at an acute angle onto Route de l'Ermitage. Pass an antenna on your right and continue, veering to the left. Stay on Route de l'Ermitage, heading west, until you reach Carrefour du Renardeau after about 1,500 metres.
(13) Turn left onto Route du Renardeau, pass Route des Buttes de Fontainebleau. Then veer left and make the first turn right then left onto Route de l'Isatis to take Route Mendel on the left, heading south. 200 m further on, pass Route des Gorges de Franchard and climb up opposite. At the top, take the path on the right and head towards the Hautes Plaines viewpoint. When you reach the fork, take the path opposite that leads there.
(14) Go back and take the path on the right. Then turn right at a 90° angle with the GR® to stay on the northern edge of the plateau. Continue along the ridge until you descend to a pass in a small perpendicular valley and cross a path.
(15) Continue straight ahead and begin the ascent of the Rochers des Sablons. Be careful, the path can be difficult to follow here: the markings are more random and very difficult to find if you lose them, so a GPS can be a great help. In addition, the paths between the sandstone blocks follow a very rugged terrain, reserved for experienced hikers with the appropriate equipment. Once at the top, continue in the same direction, following the ridge as it descends. You will come to a flat path; follow it to the right for a few dozen metres until you reach another crossroads.
(16) Take the Chemin de Milly à Fontainebleau on the left and continue straight ahead. Pass the Chemin de la Basse Plaine and reach the Chemin des Mariniers, which is perpendicular, at the first houses of Arbonne-la-Forêt.
(17) Turn right and join the D409 in Arbonne after 600 metres. Follow the road to the right for 100 metres.
(18) Keep left at the three-way junction (temporarily off the GR®) and continue to the church.
(19) Turn left onto Route de Courances and leave the village.
(20) Take the first path on the left to return to the woods: you are now entering the Forêt des Trois Pignons. Follow the bend to the right and continue along the path that returns to the road. After 100 m on the road, take the path on the left that branches off and arrive at a crossroads in the woods.
(21) Turn right as you approach the A6 motorway. Walk along the fence of the Arbonne rest area and continue straight ahead until you return to the same road at the foot of a bridge.
(22) Turn left to cross the bridge over the motorway. As soon as you reach the other side, take the path on the left, then another path on the left a hundred metres further on, until you reach another crossroads next to the motorway.
(23) Take the track on the right to move away from it, then left at the three-way junction. At the end of the wide track, continue straight ahead southwards on a narrower path that crosses a hill:be careful, as the path is difficult and the signposting is unreliable here too. You will come out on the Chemin de Milly in Arbonne after the descent on the path.
(24) Turn right, then after about 500 m, turn right again onto Chemin de la Passée aux Moutons. Climb a small hill to a pass.
(25) Take the path on the left to continue climbing the ridge. Follow the ridge and pass by the Mare aux Joncs.
(26) Turn right to descend northwards and reach the Carrefour du Petit Montrouget, at the bottom of the hill.
(27) Turn left onto Chemin de la Roche-qui-tourne and follow it westwards as you enter the Essonne department.
(28) First turn right then left onto Chemin des Côtes de Courances after 1 km, and continue for another kilometre until you reach the arches of the Vanne and Loing aqueducts.
(29) Take a path on the left, first climbing the arches, then following a steep slope up the hill. Once at the top, take the first path on the right, then the next one on the left. You will arrive at the Ferme de Coquibus after about 500 m in a straight line.
(30) Go around the farm on your right, then take the path on the left that leads to Milly. Descend a small valley on a sandy path, next to a horse riding track. You will come to a road.
(31) Take the road to the left: be careful as the road is quite narrow and steep, and watch out for cars. Leave the woods and head towards Milly-la-Forêt, whose bell tower you can see straight ahead. You will arrive at the D837, the Milly ring road.
(32) Cross it carefully and continue straight ahead. Take the path on the left at a three-way junction after 200 metres and continue straight ahead. You will reach Boulevard du Maréchal Foch, then Avenue du Général Leclerc 50 metres further on.
(33) Turn right to reach the Halle de Milly (E).
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Moderate 
Easy 
