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Suggested starting point: Milly-la-Forêt markethall
The route follows the GR®11 from the start of the stage to the descent into the Essonne valley on the heights of Ballancourt in (32). It is then marked as PR® until the entrance to Ballancourt in (34).
Red and white GR® markings
(S) From the Milly market hall, take Rue Langlois to the left towards the church. There is an optional detour to the wash house and castle just after the church. Then retrace your steps back to the church.
(1) Take the small Rue Notre-Dame on the right, which leads away from the church and continues along a path to a small wash house. Join Boulevard Félix Éboué on the left and follow it to the right until you reach Rue Leopold Bedu. Follow it to the left, crossing the École river.
(2) Turn right onto Rue Saint-Laurent, which runs alongside the river at a distance. Just after a retirement home, take the path on the right that leads into the woods until you reach the northern ring road of Milly (D837).
(3) Turn left and follow the ring road for 200 metres. Cross a small perpendicular road and cross the ring road at the pedestrian/cycle crossing, then continue on the other side on the cycle path towards the Cyclop, a sculpture by Jean Tinguely in the middle of the forest.
(4) You can turn left to see the sculpture and come back, or continue straight on to reach the first houses of Moigny-sur-École.
(5) At the three-way junction in the suburbs, turn left onto Rue Adonis Rousseau. After 500 metres, turn right onto Rue Moissy to reach Grande Rue. Turn left and continue for 50 metres.
(6) Turn into the small street on the right, which curves 90° to the left. When it curves left again, continue straight ahead on Sentier des Courtils de la Ville. Continue straight ahead until you reach a T-junction with another path running perpendicular to it.
(7) Turn left to return to Grande Rue and follow it to the right until you pass the church.
(8) Turn right to go around the church on your right and join Rue du Moulin. Follow it to the left, cross the school again and continue straight ahead at the three-way junction, on the path that runs along the wall of the Courances castle park. Turn left to continue along the wall as you head towards the village of Courances.
(9) Take Chemin du Petit Paris on the left, reach the town hall, turn left and then immediately right onto Rue de l'Abreuvoir after the primary school. Reach Rue du Château and follow it to the left until you reach the main gates of the château.
(10) Take the path on the right towards the château, cross the car park and continue behind it until you reach the small road.
(11) Turn left onto Sentier de la Garenne, which enters the woods. Head towards the banks of the École at the entrance to Dannemois. At the T-junction, turn left, cross the river and continue straight on to the church square. The cemetery where Claude François is buried is located 100 metres further on after the church, on the left.
(12) Turn right in front of the church, then left onto Rue du Moulin. Just after passing Claude François' mill, which has been converted into a museum-hotel-restaurant, turn left onto Rue des Meuniers. Take the first path on the right after about 100 metres and join the wide track of the Vanne and Loing aqueducts.
(13) Follow the aqueducts to the left. Cross a small road, then the busier D948. Cross the road carefully and leave the aqueduct trail just after, at the edge of the woods. You can take a shortcut by continuing straight along the aqueducts until you cross the GR® again at (19) after a steep climb.
(14) Turn left to walk along the edge of the woods. Join a path and follow it to the right, still along the edge of the woods. Continue until you cross another path at a small electrical substation.
(15) Turn right, still following the edge of the woods. You will reach some houses in the hamlet of L'Abattoir. Continue along the path that follows the last houses for about 50 metres.
(16) Take the path on the right, which climbs quite steeply into the woods, among the sandstone rocks. When you reach the top, turn right onto the plateau to stay at the edge of the plateau. Take the second well-marked path on the left, then immediately turn right onto the path that leads away from the edge of the plateau in a straight line.
(17) At the T-junction, turn left, cross the D83 carefully and continue straight ahead to the four-way junction.
(18) Head right to reach a new edge of the woods. Enter the woods opposite, then turn left shortly afterwards. Follow the path, which becomes narrower, winding again between the sandstone slabs. Follow the path to the right to walk along the edge of the plateau. Then climb down a small wall to turn left and rejoin the aqueducts, perpendicular to the path.
(19) Cross the aqueducts, follow the path that turns left, then sharply right at the start of the descent. Continue downhill to the hamlet of Saut du Postillon, where you will cross the D948 again. Cross the road carefully and follow it to the left on the hard shoulder for 200 metres, until you reach the end of the bend. There is another shortcut by taking the path that branches off to the left towards Beauvais, which leads directly to the point (28) or (29).
(20) Take the path that branches off to the right into the fields and enter the woods opposite. Go around the Tertre Noir hill on the left and you will come to a T-junction.
(21) Take the path on the left to a small pass and continue along the path on the right, at the foot of Tertre Blanc. The GR® goes around it halfway up the slope on the left, but you can also take a small path that climbs to the top (be careful , as it isvery steep on sandy ground and not recommended in wet weather).
(22) Descend on the other side (or continue around the hill) and you will come to another T-junction. Turn left, then right after 100 metres. You will come to another T-junction; turn left until you reach a four-way junction.
(23) Turn right until you almost reach a small road. Take the path on the left that starts before the road. Cross a perpendicular path and you will reach the path that leads to Nainville-les-Roches.
(24) Turn left at an acute angle and continue straight ahead until you reach the D948. Cross it carefully and enter the Forêt Départementale des Grands Avaux. Follow the Chemin des Houdarts downhill until you reach a three-way junction.
(25) Take the path on the right, which eventually climbs up a valley between sandstone boulders (and climbers) to the ridge.
(26) Turn left to walk along the ridge of the Rochers du Duc. Be careful, the path winds between sandstone blocks like in the forest of Fontainebleau, and the route can be difficult for inexperienced hikers. Enjoy the panorama and the view of Paris in good weather, and shortly afterwards, follow the path that veers to the left, descending, still between the sandstone blocks. Be careful, as the markings can easily be missed here. If this happens, continue generally westwards to descend and rejoin the road. Once on the road (Rue du Rocher du Duc), follow it to the left to reach the hamlet of Beauvais.
(27) Follow the path on the left that runs alongside the road (or the road itself) to reach the hamlet of Beauvais below.
(28) Take Rue de la Ferrante on the right, then Rue du Rocher du Duc on the left, and then Rue de la Vallée on the right.
(29) Turn right onto Chemin de la Messe and continue along this road, climbing up to the ridge. This will take you to Platière du Télégraphe. Cross this protected natural area and join another, more imposing path on the other side, leading to Tour du Buisson.
(30) Pass in front of the tower (which you can climb) and take the path on the left, which continues straight ahead at the three-way junction that follows. Cross the Vanne and Loing aqueducts one last time and you will come to a road at the Ferme de Noisement.
(31) Go around the farm on the right and do not enter the courtyard, contrary to what some maps and old signposts may indicate (there must have been an old right of way on the property that has not been renewed). To do this, take the road to the left, then turn right onto Chemin de Noisement and continue away from the farm. After 600 metres, cross a road in front of an antenna, then after another 700 metres or so, pass the Malvoisine farm and continue in the same direction until you reach the edge of a wood.
PR® markings
(32) Leave the GR® trail on the left along the woods and enter the woods on the right, then immediately turn left to continue heading west. Reach the top of the valley.
(33) Take the path on the right that descends and follow its left-hand bend. Exit the woods onto the plain and head towards Ballancourt, straight ahead. Reach the D191 ring road.
No signposts
(34) Cross the road carefully and continue straight ahead along the sports fields. Continue to Rue Brosset, the fourth street on the right.
(35) Turn right onto Rue Brosset, then first turn left then right to reach the church square.
(36) Take Rue de la Fontaine opposite the church, then turn right and left onto the main street to reach the covered market car park. Then turn right onto Rue de l'Aunette.
(37) Turn left onto Rue de l'Aunette. At the junction with Rue Blanchard, continue straight ahead slightly to the right, then turn left at the next roundabout to reach the station 500 metres ahead (E).
Return: Ballancourtstation on the Malesherbes branch of RER line D.
Visorando member
Moderate 
Association / Club / Walk leader
Easy 
