From La Ferté-Milon to Crouy-sur-Ourcq following the Canal de l'Ourcq

Access: La Ferté-Milon station, terminus of the Meaux - La Ferté-Milon branch of the Transilien P.

Red and white markings (GR®11)

(S) Turn left when you leave the station and walk to Rue de la Chaussée in front of the church. Turn right and continue for 150 m along Rue de la Chaussée.

(1) Turn left onto Ruelle Melaye just after the post office. Follow it to the end after a right-hand bend.

(2) Cross Avenue de Verdun and continue straight ahead until you reach the Ourcq river.

(3) Walk along the river on your left and cross it at the lock footbridge. Join the main street at the bridge over another branch of the Ourcq.

GRP® markings

(4) Leave the GR®11 for a moment and head towards the castle on the southern hillside. To do this, cross the bridge and follow Rue du Marché au Blé, then turn left onto Rue de Reims.

(5) Take the first alley on the right that goes uphill, passing in front of the Jean Racine Museum. Pass in front of the Notre-Dame Church as you climb.

(6) Almost at the top, turn right to reach the castle esplanade on the right.

(7) Don't hesitate to go onto the esplanade to enjoy the view at the far end. Then retrace your steps, going down in front of the church and the Jean Racine Museum.

(5) Return to Rue du Marché au Blé and cross the first branch of the river.

Red and white markings (GR®11)

(4) Follow the GR® to the left, Quai de la Poterne, on the island between the two branches of the river.

(8) Take the bridge at the far end of the island and follow the canalised river along its towpath. Continue for about 2 km until you reach the Marolles lock.

(9) Continue along the canal and, 300 m further on, you will reach the road leading to the village. Cross it (back into the Oise).

(10) Continue along the towpath on the left bank until you reach the lock and the port of Queue d'Ham after about 2 km.

(11) Continue until you reach a car park at Fulaines after another 2 km along the river.

(12) Continue until you reach the D936 in Mareuil-sur-Ourcq, a good kilometre further on.

(13) Cross the road, then pass just after the structure marking the beginning of the separation of the river and the Canal de l'Ourcq.

(14) Now follow the canal, which first turns right then left and curves sharply to the right. Pass under the railway line and reach the bridge over the Clignon Diversion Canal, which joins the Ourcq Canal here.

(15) Continue along the Canal de l'Ourcq to the next village, Neufchelles, 1 km away.

(16) Leave the canal towpath at the bridge. Follow the road perpendicular to the left (i.e. opposite the bridge) and cross the level crossing.

(17) Immediately afterwards, turn right to follow the Ourcq River until you reach the metal footbridge.

(18) Cross the footbridge and continue straight ahead through the marshes (if the path is flooded or waterlogged, return to the canal at Neufchelles and continue along the towpath to Crouy - see practical information). Continue east-southeast until you reach a path perpendicular to the foot of the Bois de la Garenne.

(19) Follow the path to the right, with the marshes on your right and the woods on a hillside on your left.

(20) Take the first path on the left that goes up into the woods. Follow it straight ahead, ignoring the various side paths, and join a wider path that leads to the D102.

(21) Take this road on the right until you reach the entrance to the village of Crouy-sur-Ourcq.

(22) Take Rue de la Procession on the right. Ignore a path on the left and then another on the right and continue to the Oratoire Notre-Dame du Chêne.

(23) Continue to the left, turn right at the T-junction and you will find yourself on a wider path.

(24) Follow this path to the left, pass in front of the Notre-Dame du Chêne Chapel and continue to the next intersection.

(25) Turn right onto Avenue de la Gare and walk 300 metres to the station (E).

Return: Crouy-sur-Ourcqstation on the Meaux - La Ferté-Milon branch of the Transilien P.

(S) Departure from La Ferté-Milon station, the terminus of a branch of the Transilien P line (Paris-Est network). One train per hour, generally a shuttle between Meaux and La Ferté-Milon (a connection in Meaux is therefore necessary from Paris-Est). For more information, visit transilien.com or Île-de-France mobilités. Please note that as this station is located in the Aisne department, Île-de-France fares do not apply.

(E) Arrival at Crouy-sur-Ourcq station on the same line, served with the same frequency of one train per hour in each direction. Back in Seine-et-Marne, it is once again possible to benefit from the advantageous Île-de-France transport fares. Check transilien.com or Île-de-France mobilités for timetables (the same connection at Meaux is required for Paris).

The circular route to the Château de la Ferté-Milon at the start of the stage is, of course, optional.

It is possible to split the stage in two at Mareuil-sur-Ourcq, where there is an intermediate station on the same line (in the Oise department, therefore still outside the Île-de-France fare zone).

At Neufchelles at point (16), the route leaves the canal towpath to cross undergrowth that may be marshy in wet weather. If it is impossible to pass, continue along the canal to Crouy-sur-Ourcq and take the first road on the left after 3 km.

Hike completed on 16 February 2025 with the aim of covering the entire GR® 11.

• The canalised Ourcq and then the Canal de l'Ourcq followed as a common thread from (3) to (16).
• La Ferté-Milon:
  • Saint-Nicolas Church (S).
  • Locks and water wheel on the Ourcq (4).
  • Notre-Dame Church and Jean Racine Museum on the way up to the castle, between (5) and (6).
  • La Ferté-Milon Castle on the heights (7).
• Castle and lock at Marolles (9).
• Port of Queue d'Ham (11).
• Mareuil-sur-Ourcq and its Saint-Martin church on the heights (13).
• Oratory (23) and Notre-Dame-du-Chêne chapel, between (24) and (25) in Crouy-sur-Ourcq
• Château du Houssoy in front of Crouy station (E).