From Montigny to Thomery via Long Rocher and Malmontagne

Starting point and access: Montigny-sur-Loing station.
- Transilien - Line R, on the section between Paris-Lyon and Montargis.
Take the Avenue de la Gare exit on the side of platform 2, which is the platform for trains from Montargis to Paris (if arriving in the opposite direction, on platform 1, take the underground passage).

No signage

(S) When you leave the station, turn right. At the corner of the building on the left, go up the stairs to reach a street parallel to the previous one.

Red and white + yellow markings

Follow the street to the right, slightly downhill. Between numbers 14 and 12, turn left onto a path between walls and garden fences. Cross a perpendicular path and continue straight ahead. At the end, first turn left then right to follow Rue du Poirier de la Sauge.

After a few dozen metres, just before no. 2, turn right onto a path. At the end, first turn right then left to go down a street (Rue du Clos on the map). At the end, turn right. After about twenty metres, turn left at an acute angle and go up Ruelle de la Peloterie.

(1) At the next crossroads, go straight ahead into Rue de la Peloterie. The tarmac soon gives way to a path. Ignore a path on the right and go straight ahead along the edge of the meadow and then into the woods. At the T-junction, turn right. At the next fork, bear right. Ignore the paths branching off to the sides and alternate between walking through the woods and along the edge of the meadow. At the edge of a field, turn sharply left. At the next intersection (elevation 81), turn right and walk along a field on your right.

No markings

At the end of the path, follow a small road on the left.

Yellow markings

After about 250m, at the next crossroads (elevation 95), follow the road to the right. After about 100 metres, after a road sign on the left-hand side, turn left onto a path that enters the forest. Walk generally north-northeast.

No markings

(2) At the crossroads, follow Route Desquinemare straight ahead. After about 75 metres and after passing through a sort of breach in an old wall, at the corner of forest plot no. 547, turn left. Climb gently up a pleasant path overlooking a small valley on the right and with a few small rocks above on the left (beautiful fern undergrowth). On a flat section, continue under the pine trees. Then begin the descent.

(3) When the path turns right (tree marked with no. 547 opposite on the left), take a discreet path on the left (be careful to spot this start). The path winds through the undergrowth. At a fork, ignore a vague trail on the left. Cross a plateau landscape with rocks protruding from the ground, clumps of heather and a few wet patches. Then, twice when you come to a fork, take the left-hand path.

(4) At a clearly marked crossroads, turn left and descend. At the next crossroads, turn right and ascend. Then veer left to come out onto a wider path (Route de Varsovie).

(5) Take the path on the left and descend. At the end, follow the Route du Croc Marin to the left. At the next crossroads, take the^first path on the right, the Route de la Grande Vallée. Climb gently and note a few boundary stones engraved on the left-hand side. At a fork (not shown on the map), take the wider path on the right. At the next crossroads (elevation 133), go straight ahead (west) and descend. At a fork, take the path on the right, still following Route de la Grande Vallée. At a T-junction, turn right.

Blue markings (read the recommendations in the "Practical information" section)

(6) Shortly afterwards, at a tree marked with the number 549, turn right onto a discreet path (be careful to spot this turn-off) and immediately follow a path marked in blue on the right. After less than a hundred metres, note a small rock with markings in the middle of the path and, on the right-hand side, a tree marked with the number 11 painted in blue (path number).

No markings

(7) Leave the marked trail and take a path that branches off to the left. Climb up a few switchbacks and pass at the foot of a rock whose shape resembles a cup-and-ball game. Descend a little, then climb back up a few switchbacks at the foot of a large boulder on the right, which appears to be composed of several stacked layers. You will come out onto the Denecourt-Colinet trail no. 11 at a small rock marked with the letter F.

Blue markings + blue capital letters on some rocks

(8) Follow the marked trail to the right. Wind your way between the rocks and trees, descend and then climb back up along the erosion control fences. Pass in front of the spectacular boulders D and C. Then pass through a rocky gorge and climb a flight of stone steps at its exit. Then turn right. Descend in zigzags and ignore a trail on the left. At a fork, take the path on the left and climb back up.

Blue + yellow circle + blue capital letters on some rocks

(9) Facing a tree marked with a yellow circle, turn sharply left and climb. You will come to the edge of the plateau (rock Z, panoramic view). Continue westwards, staying on the edge of the plateau, with a very open area on your right. Then turn right (north), still along the edge of the plateau. Opposite a rock marked with a blue star (elevation 136), veer left. When you reach a viewpoint, turn sharply right. Immediately take a few stone steps on the left that descend to the Béatrix Cave (be careful to spot this starting point).

Blue markings + blue capital letters on some rocks

(10) With your back to the entrance to the cave (which is more of a large shelter), follow the path opposite, which winds its way downhill. At a fork, take the path on the right, which remains flat at first. Then continue downhill. Climb back up, passing at the foot of rocks O, N and M. Turn right and pass rocks L and K. Walk along blocks I and H on your right and make a long traverse, more or less level (rocks G and F). Pass through a rocky pass (rock E). After boulder B, turn right and you will come to a crossroads (signpost).

Blue markings

(11) Then take the connecting path no. 11-17 on the left. Descend the steep switchbacks, then continue straight ahead on a gentler slope. At the crossroads, take the Route de Fontainebleau à Montigny, the left branch of the Denecourt-Colinet trail no. 17, which leaves between plots nos. 523 and 522 in the direction of Le Carrosse. Take the^first path on the right at the isolated oak tree, the Route du Courlis.

(12) At the next crossroads, turn right onto Route de Russie and climb gently. At the next crossroads (plots nos. 551 and 552), continue straight ahead. At the crossroads a hundred metres further on, turn left onto Route du Carrosse and descend slightly. Go around the rock known as Le Carrosse on the right and continue downhill. At the crossroads (elevation 101), take the path diagonally opposite on the right (north).

(13) At the next crossroads (plots nos. 511, 512, 514 and 515), turn left onto Route Biron. At the Carrefour de la Malmontagne, turn right at an acute angle onto the road of the same name. The path climbs gently at first, then steeply, curving to the right. At the top, turn right, ignore a path on the left and continue to a beautiful viewpoint. Then turn left and walk east-southeast along the edge of the plateau (unfortunately with little view). You will come to a crossroads.

Blue + red and white markings (+ rare green and white markings)

(14) Take the^second path on the left (north). At the crossroads that immediately appears (access possible on the left to Puits Fondu... not interesting), continue straight ahead. At the next crossroads (plot no. 505), follow the Route du Haut Mont straight ahead and descend, steeply (wooden steps) then more gently.

Blue markings

(15) At a three-way junction (pavés de grès en tas), take the path on the right. The path winds a lot, going up and then down: follow the trail and the markings carefully. At a T-junction, turn left and continue on a slight downhill slope. At the next junction, go right. Pass through a forest barrier and you will come out onto the D148 road.

No markings

(16) Cross the road (with caution) and take the path furthest to the right (north-east), the Route de Montmorin, which starts between plots nos. 435 and 434. Go straight ahead and cross a perpendicular path. At the next junction, continue straight ahead and cross the wide grassy verge of the Vanne underground aqueduct. At the next junction, continue straight ahead.

Green and white markings (rare)

(17) Cross the Route du Chêne Feuillu and continue north. Go straight ahead until you reach a large crossroads. Go around the roundabout on the right and cross the D606 (, a very busy road; however, this is the safest place to cross as motorists are obliged to slow down). Then take the^first road on the right, Route du Rocher d'Avon, heading east. At Carrefour des Fraillons, take the road of the same name, the^second road on the left, heading north. Continue straight ahead until you reach Thomery station (E).

To return home:
- Transilien - Line R, towards Melun and Paris (direct access) or Montargis (take the underground passage).

Train timetables: consult the Transilien website.

For motorists:
Both stations are located on the same section of the R line: park in the car park of one of the two stations and take the train to or from the other. N.B. The car park at Montigny-sur-Loing station is located on the side of platform 2, where the hike starts, and the car park at Thomery station is on the side of platform 1.

Hiking boots are required. Given the twists and turns in certain sections, the elevation gain is probably underestimated: allow for around 300 metres.

No water sources identified along the route. Pizzeria opposite Montigny-sur-Loing station (S).

A 1:25,000 map is essential (at least the one accompanying this description) or you can follow the route using the Visorando app.

Recommendations concerning the blue-marked trails:
- The Denecourt-Colinet trails, marked in blue, mostly follow paths that wind through the rocks. It is impossible to describe the multiple changes of direction and the description only provides the most important landmarks.
- Consequently, follow the markings carefully, as they are dense and well maintained (thanks to the markers!). If you have not seen a marker for some time, do not hesitate to retrace your steps until you find the markings again.
- Markers can be found on three types of supports, at three different heights: (i) on tree trunks at eye level; (ii) on rocks, at the same height or lower; (iii) on the ground, on rocks that are flush with the surface.

Warnings:
Paths in Montigny-sur-Loing - The two paths between (S) and (1) are very narrow, apparently poorly maintained and partly overgrown with vegetation from neighbouring gardens. In wet weather, don't be afraid to get wet... If you wish to avoid these two paths, continue along the street you accessed via the steps until you reach the end. Then turn left onto Rue du Clos, take the^first right and rejoin the main route.
Passages on narrow, unmarked paths - The sections between (3) and (5) and between (7) and (9) are on narrow tracks or paths, where a good sense of direction is required. Follow the description carefully. Tracking the route on a smartphone is a definite advantage here.

Hike completed by the author on 26 October 2019.

- Pleasant forest trails.
- Rock chaos between (7) and (11).
- Béatrix Cave (10).
- Rocher du Carrosse, between (12) and (13).
- Beautiful views between (9) and (10) and before (14).