From the Empress to the Impressionists from Rueil-Malmaison to Nanterre

In the footsteps of Josephine and the Impressionist painters

From Rueil-Malmaison, this 13 km bike ride with no particular difficulty will take you from the banks of the Seine, which served as a backdrop for the Impressionist painters, to the National Museum of the Malmaison and Bois-Préau Castles. Discover two important aspects of the history of Rueil-Malmaison: the remains of the Empire period, which was fundamental to the town's founding, and the natural setting of the Seine, which inspired many Impressionist painters inthe 19th century. The route ends along the Parc des Impressionnistes, which evokes Claude Monet's gardens in Giverny.

Technical sheet

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  • Touring/Gravel
    Activity: Touring/Gravel
  • ↔
    Distance: 12.71 km
  • ◔
    Duration according to author: 1.5 hrs 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Easy

  • ⚐
    Return to departure point: Yes
  • ↗
    Vertical gain: + 10 m
  • ↘
    Vertical drop: - 10 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 37 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 24 m
  • ⚐ Country: France
  • ⚐ District: Rueil-Malmaison (92500)
  • ⚑
    Start/End: N 48.887296° / E 2.17039°
  • ❏
    IGN map(s): Ref. 2214ET, 2314OT

  • ◶
    Path proportions:
  •  
     
     70% Road  30% Byway
  • Hour-by-hour weather

Description of the route

This 14.9 km loop starts at the Rueil-Malmaison RER station. You can reach the starting point of this bike route by public transport (RER A towards Saint Germain en Laye - Rueil-Malmaison stop) or by car with your bike, parking near the station. There are also many paid car parks available. Alternatively, you can park in Chatou on the Île des Impressionnistes, where free parking is available.

Departure from Rueil-Malmaison station. Accessible via the RER A towards Saint-Germain-en-Laye or various buses.

(S/E) From the RER A station, you can reach Île de Chatou (see practical information). Alternatively, continue along the railway line, crossing Avenue de Colmar and turning right onto Avenue de Seine, which you follow until you reach the river.

(1) Continue left along Boulevard Bellerive until you reach Parc des Bords de Seine, following the river. Find a path on the left after the golf course.

(2) Turn left to follow the Parc des Bords de Seine multisport ground, then right to reach the Plaine des Closeaux. Next, take the second left towards the Maison de l'Europe and take the Vallon des Gallicourts footbridge. At the end of the footpath, turn right, then left towards Avenue Napoléon Bonaparte to reach Château de la Petite Malmaison.

(3) Go back, continue straight ahead to Place Osiris, then turn right and right again to take Avenue du Château de Malmaison until you reach the junction with Rue du Prince Eugène.

(4) Turn right and you will arrive at Avenue de l'Impératrice Joséphine. Turn right and then straight ahead to reach Parc de Bois-Préau on your right.

(5) Go back, turn right onto Rue du Prince Eugène and continue until you reach a small roundabout.

(6) Be careful, this intersection is dangerous. Follow Avenue de l'Impératrice Joséphine on the right, using the dedicated cycle lane, and continue straight ahead to reach Parc de Bois Préaux on your right.

(7) Be careful, the intersection is dangerous. Continue straight ahead, take the dedicated cycle path, then turn opposite onto Rue Jean le Coz to reach the Church of Saint-Pierre-Saint-Paul.

(8) You can get close to it, otherwise continue straight ahead on Rue Paul Vaillant Couturier to reach the Local History Museum. This Second Empire building will be on your left.

(9) Turn right and left, then continue straight ahead until the end of Rue du Gué.

(10) Turn left onto the boulevard andcontinue straight ahead until you reach the intersection with Rue Pierre Brossolette after crossing Avenue Paul Doumer.

(11) Take Rue Pierre Brossolette and join Boulevard National at the end.

(12) Continue straight ahead on Rue du Bois until you reach the roundabout.

(13) Cross the avenue and Place du Marché, then keep right onto Place du Maréchal Foch and continue along Rue du Castel Marly. Follow this street, cross Rue Henri Barbuse, then turn left onto Rue de l'Église. Continue until you reach the church.

(14) Turn around and continue on the second street on the left to reach Rue des Venêts and Place Jean Baptiste Plainchamp at the end.

(15) Turn left, then follow Rue de Stalingrad until the second intersection after the railway line.

(16) Keep going straight on Avenue Jules Quentin. At the end of the street, take a path on the left that leads to the Passerelle de la Darse.

(17) Take this path on the left, cross the Passerelle de la Darse and walk along the banks of the Seine towards the west to reach Rueil-Malmaison and the Parc des Impressionnistes.

(18) Continue straight ahead until you reach the pumping station and turn left to pass between it and the primary school. At Quai Adolphe Giquel, turn left and continue until you reach Rue Louis Bleriot. Continue straight ahead until you reach a Y-junction.

(19) Turn right, cross Place de l'Europe and exit on the opposite corner onto Avenue Édouard Belin. Then continue to the Rueil-Malmaison RER station (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 27 m - Gare de Rueil-Malmaison
  2. 1 : km 0.64 - alt. 25 m - Seine [la]
  3. 2 : km 1.87 - alt. 26 m - Parc des Bords-de-Seine
  4. 3 : km 3.17 - alt. 33 m - Château de la Petite Malmaison
  5. 4 : km 4.44 - alt. 27 m - Rue du Prince Eugène
  6. 5 : km 4.82 - alt. 33 m - Malmaison Castle - Château de Malmaison
  7. 6 : km 5.15 - alt. 29 m - Fork
  8. 7 : km 5.55 - alt. 32 m - Bois-Préau Park
  9. 8 : km 6.1 - alt. 34 m - Église Saint-Pierre et Saint-Paul (Rueil-Malmaison)
  10. 9 : km 6.29 - alt. 33 m - Rues de Maurepas and de la Libération
  11. 10 : km 6.65 - alt. 37 m - Boulevard de l'Hôpital Stell
  12. 11 : km 6.92 - alt. 31 m - Rue Pierre Brossolette
  13. 12 : km 7.51 - alt. 30 m - Boulevard National
  14. 13 : km 7.92 - alt. 32 m - Roundabout
  15. 14 : km 8.38 - alt. 33 m - Cathédrale Sainte Geneviève
  16. 15 : km 8.72 - alt. 37 m - Rue des Venêts and square
  17. 16 : km 9.5 - alt. 29 m - Second intersection after the railway line
  18. 17 : km 10.53 - alt. 27 m - Path to the footbridge
  19. 18 : km 11.91 - alt. 27 m - The Parc des Impressionnistes
  20. 19 : km 12.33 - alt. 31 m - Y-junction
  21. S/E : km 12.71 - alt. 27 m - Gare de Rueil-Malmaison

Practical information

Along the route, there will be bike racks, a picnic area, water fountains and repair stations.

Towns crossed during the route: Chatou, Rueil-Malmaison and Nanterre.

It is possible to visit the Île de Chatou. The Maison Fournaise is a former guinguette (open-air café) and hotel. Today it houses a restaurant. In 1880, Renoir wrote, "It is the prettiest place in the Paris area." Renoir painted around thirty paintings in Chatou. The most famous is Le Déjeuner des Canotiers (Luncheon of the Boating Party), which was painted from the restaurant balcony. Next door, the Musée Fournaise houses collections on the history of the site and boating, one of the first modern water sports.

The museum's usual opening hours are Wednesday, Thursday and Friday from 10 a.m. to 12.30 p.m. and from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Saturday, Sunday and public holidays: 10.30am to 1.30pm, then 2pm to 6pm.

A detour is possible to reach Île du Chatou. To leave the island and find your way back, at the Pont de Chatou, turn around, then turn right to go down Rue des Martinets. Then turn left, then left again onto Quai du Halage to arrive at (1) by continuing straight ahead.

In the nearby area

From the RER A station, you can also reach Île de Chatou near your starting point.

1 - Parc des Bords de Seine

Located on the banks of the Seine, next to the golf course, this new 6-hectare park is the former ESSO stadium, a private site. Acquired by the town of Rueil, this green space and leisure area is a real playground with pétanque, tennis, a picnic area and more. It also provides a new pedestrian route linking the banks of the Seine to the Plaine des Closeaux and then to the Malmaison National Forest.

Practical information: picnic area.

2 - Château de la Petite Malmaison

Built in 1805 by the architect Berthault, the Petite Malmaison property housed the large greenhouse where Josephine acclimatised the rarest plants. The Empress devoted herself wholeheartedly to embellishing and decorating this place, calling on renowned artists such as the marble mason Gilet, the cabinetmaker Jacob Desmalter and her botanist and watercolourist P.J. Redouté. The park and small salons retain the charm and appeal of a private home. Today, the Petite Malmaison remains a private residence, open for certain events.

Practical information: the Château de la Petite Malmaison is open once a month on Sundays until May, then every Sunday from mid-June to mid-September. Concerts and guided tours of the salons are available – Tel: +33 (0)1 47 49 48 15

3 - National Museum of the Château de Malmaison

From 1799 to 1809, Malmaison was the private residence of Napoleon and Josephine. Acquired in 1799, the imperial couple called upon the architects Percier and Fontaine to transform this residence into a unique example of the consular style, elegant and refined. From 1800 onwards, this small château became, along with the Tuileries, one of the places where France's political decisions were made. Josephine, who retired there after her divorce in 1809, made it a renowned property for the beauty of its gardens and rare plant species. She died there on 29 May 1814. A visit to the château and park allows visitors to appreciate all the charm of this "countryside" which has retained its atmosphere and authentic character.

Practical information: the château is open every day except Tuesday. The park is open from 10am to 6pm.

From 1 October to 31 March: weekdays from 10 a.m. to 12.30 p.m. and from 1.30 p.m. to 5.15 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 12.30 p.m. and from 1.30 p.m. to 5.45 p.m. The park is open continuously from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

From 1 April to 30 September: Weekdays from 10:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and from 1:30 p.m. to 5:45 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays from 10:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and from 1:30 p.m. to 6:15 p.m. The park is open continuously from 10:00 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.

Tel. 01 41 29 05 55 – ACCUEIL VELO-certified establishment - Bike racks

4 - Bois-Préau Park

The last acquisition of Empress Josephine in 1810, the Château de Bois-Préau is located in a 17-hectare English-style park that was once connected to the Château de Malmaison. Bois-Préau served as an annex to Malmaison to house her doctor, steward and members of her entourage. The statue of Empress Josephine sculpted by Gabriel Vital Dubray welcomes visitors to relax in the park and discover the many rare plant species and century-old trees, such as the Byzantine hazel, the common hornbeam, the Corsican pine and the giant sequoia.

Practical information: The Château de Bois Préau is open every day except Tuesday from 1pm to 6pm (last admission at 5.30pm) during temporary exhibitions. Late opening on Thursdays until 9pm (last admission at 8.30pm).

5 - Saint-Pierre Saint-Paul Church

Placed under the protection of Saint Peter and Saint Paul, this listed church houses the tomb of Empress Josephine and the cenotaph of her daughter, Queen Hortense. Crafted from Carrara marble, come and admire Josephine's tomb, created by Cartellier, which depicts the Empress kneeling in a pose reminiscent of David's famous painting, "The Coronation". This is also a unique opportunity to admire the superb organ case donated by Napoleon III.

Practical information: Open every day. Numerous shops - Water fountain - Bike racks.

6- Local History Museum

Housed in the former town hall of Rueil, built in the Second Empire style, this museum showcases the rich history of Rueil-Malmaison. Organised by theme, each room contains objects evoking the past and influence of the town. Exceptional works such as the Egyptian mummy from the Ptolemaic period and Maurice Orange's monumental painting, Bonaparte in Egypt Contemplating the Mummy of a King, are on display. There is also a Swiss Guard Museum, located in the Guynemer barracks, a listed Historic Monument that traces the history of this elite corps.

Practical information:

Open Monday to Saturday from 2pm to 5.45pm. Guided tours are available by appointment.

School information and educational workshops on +33 (0)1 47 32 66 50

Water fountain – Toilets – Bike racks.

7 - Sainte-Geneviève Cathedral

A parish church converted into a cathedral in 1966, its origins date back tothe 5th century. Rebuilt several times over the centuries, the current building is a remarkable example of 1930s architecture, which has retained its14th-century bell tower. It is listed in its entirety as a
Historic Monuments since 1975. During your visit, don't miss the frescoes restored in 2013, the14th-century polychrome statue of the Virgin and Child, the exterior mosaic created in 2017 by Jesuit Father Marko Rupnik, and the miraculous well.
Make the most of your visit by stopping off at the Nanterre Tourist Office at 4 Rue du Marché - Tel: 01.47.21.58.02.
Practical information: numerous shops - bicycle racks Nanterre Ville RER A station: bicycle racks and Vélib bike station Head towards the Port Autonome de Paris via Avenue Jules Quentin: at the end of the avenue, take the Darse footbridge, then the towpath.

8 - Parc des Impressionnistes

Located opposite the Île des Impressionnistes, this 1.2-hectare park is a true haven of peace. The gardeners were inspired by the colours of the Impressionist painters' palettes to offer walkers compositions of rare perennials and shrubs that look like paintings. A pond with a wooden footbridge and a small kiosk continues the theme of Claude Monet's garden in Giverny. A rose garden and a white garden enhance the splendour and originality of this place.
Practical information: bicycle racks at the park entrance for visitors on foot, repair station and water fountain.

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