From the banks of the Seine to the hillsides of Vauvray

Park in Porte-Joie in the car park at the junction of the roads to Saint-Étienne and Saint-Pierre.

(S/E) Head left onto Route de Saint-Pierre. Note the houses lining this road on your right. Pass the boat winter storage facilities and reach the splendid Manoir de Porte-Joie. Immediately after the speed bump, you will find a gravel path.

(1) Take it to the right, go through the wooden log barrier; the path becomes grassy between the hedges of shrubs and runs alongside the manor house on the right. Take the few stone steps and reach the banks of the Seine.

Follow it to the right along the private riverside path, which is open to pedestrians. Go down a few steps into a garden, then continue along the river on your left. You’ll reach a gate; the path returns to tarmac and runs alongside the houses on the right. Ignore the small junctions on the right.

(2) Continue along the banks of the Seine, passing the town hall and the church of Porte-Joie. At this point, admire the Louis Renault d’Herqueville estate on the opposite bank of the river.

(3) Walk through a copse, keeping the river on your left, until you reach a crossroads.

(4) Continue along the Seine. You’ll come to some houses and a tarmac path. Walk to the junction with the Saint-Pierre-du-Vauvray inn. Go round it to the left at the ‘No Entry’ road sign.

(5) Turn left, go through the barrier on the cycle path, then pass under the bridge and let the cycle path branch off to the right. Continue straight on along the grassy path, keeping the banks of the Seine on your left. Join the Quai de Seine running alongside the houses, which continues as a track suitable for vehicles. Ignore the^first railway bridge visible on the right and join a track that turns 90° when a second bridge comes into view.

(6) Turn right, go under the railway bridge and then climb slightly up to a house on the right. Follow the natural curve of the grassy path to the left and reach a road. Follow it to the right, enjoying the views on the right. At the first houses, continue along the tarmac road, noting the bridge over the Seine on the right, then at the junction, head left. Continue to the church of Saint-Pierre-du-Vauvray.

(7) Go round it on the right at the no-entry road sign and ignore the steps on the right. Pass the war memorial on your left and go down Rue de l’Église. At the junction, turn left and look for the steps opposite.

Cross the road carefully to climb the stairs. At the top of the stairs, cross the road opposite the cemetery. Walk along the right-hand side of the cemetery, turn right at the corner onto a pretty path lined with birch trees, then turn right again at the next corner. Head towards the houses and turn left at the^first house. Continue to^{the first} crossroads you come to.

(8) Turn right onto it, then at the end head straight on towards the Rue de Beauregard sign. Then turn right at the corner of No. 25. Follow the grassy path as it bends left, and enjoy the views on the right. Pass a stone house and reach a crossroads.

(9) Head straight ahead and slightly to the left onto Rue de la Biquette, continue along the grassy path and walk past the houses on your left. Reach the 90° corner where three large stones mark the path, then walk along a long wall on your right. Go down the steps and reach a street.

(10) Turn left onto it, then follow its bend to the right onto Rue du Val until you reach the corner by the Val fire hydrant. Turn right, passing the signpost for the “Les Deux Vallées” walking trails. Continue along the grassy path with the houses on your right and head downhill to reach the church of Saint-Étienne-du-Vauvray. Turn left to go round it.

(11) Cross the road, walk about thirty metres to the left, then turn right onto Rue de la Métairie. Cross the railway line and continue without reaching the main road.

(12) Turn right onto the cycle path, go under a small bridge and continue until you reach a small road. Follow it to the left, then immediately turn right back onto the cycle path. You’ll reach a road junction. Turn left, take the pedestrian access on the left to go under the two successive railway bridges.

(13) You will emerge onto the RD71; first turn left then right to join a cycle path. Follow the path to its end. Turn right twice and join the Route de Porte-Joie.

(14) Follow it to the left until the next road junction. Cross opposite the path running between two iron posts, just before the ‘Give Way’ sign. Reach the Seine at the junction of the paths you passed on the way out.

(4) Turn left then follow the river on your right until you reach Porte-Joie, pass the church and then the town hall, and return to the junction you passed earlier on the way out.

(2) Turn left onto Chemin Du Coq Gaulois to reach the car park at the junction of the Route de Saint-Étienne and the Route de Saint-Pierre (S/E).

(S/E) Picnic area.

Between (6) and (12), the route follows the^GR®2variant marked in red and white, but the markings are sometimes unclear.
After (7), at the top of the steps, there is a bench in front of the cemetery

Porte-Joie Manor (reception room).

Churches of Porte-Joie, Saint Pierre-du-Vauvray and Saint-Étienne-du-Vauvray.