Country:
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Starting point and access: Rambouillet station.
- Transilien - Line N, terminus of the section between Paris-Montparnasse and Rambouillet.
- TER - Line between Paris-Montparnasse and Chartres.
Take the Place François Prud'homme exit on the side of track 2 (Rambouillet to Paris direction). If arriving in the opposite direction, track 1, take the underground passage.
N.B. In the Rambouillet National Forest, forest plots are marked in two different ways, depending on the date of registration: either the plot number alone (as shown in Arabic numerals on the IGN map), or the division number (as shown in Roman numerals on the map) followed by the plot number. In the following description, the numbers are indicated as they can be read on site.
Without markings
(S) With your back to the station, head straight ahead and cross the square. At the traffic lights, cross Rue Sadi Carnot and take Rue Gambetta. Continue straight ahead along this street, passing the primary school, the post office and Saint-Lubin Church behind it, the war memorial and the gendarmerie.
(1) At the end of the street, turn right onto Rue Maurcie Dechy. Cross Rue de la Providence on the left and continue straight ahead downhill. At the crossroads, follow Rue de la Commune opposite. Pass the "Vernes" bus stop on the left. At the roundabout, take the first right, Rue des Marais, towards Poigny-la-Forêt. You will come to a wider street; follow it to the right (preferably on the left-hand pavement).
(2) At the Grille de Versailles forest house, cross the D936 (take care) and follow it towards Poigny-la-Forêt, taking the cycle path that runs parallel to it on the right-hand side. Ignore two paths on the right and climb up to the Grille aux Lapins forest house.
Yellow markings
(3) At the pedestrian crossing, turn right onto the Coupe-Gorge forest road. After about 250 metres, turn left, go through a forest barrier and continue for about 800 metres on a smaller road with two pleasant grassy verges if you don't like tarmac.
No signposts
(4) At the crossroads located in a slight bend in the road to the right (plot no. 26-22), turn right (north-east) onto a grassy path (yellow cross). Go straight ahead into a forest with beautiful fern undergrowth, crossing plots 26-22 and then 26-17. You will come out onto a tarmac road. Follow it for a few metres to the right. At the end, you will come to the Route de Coupe-Gorge. Follow it to the left. Go straight ahead to the Étang de Coupe-Gorge car park.
(5) Opposite (north-north-east), take the pond's dyke. At the end, turn left onto the small tarmac road. When it turns right, leave it and go straight ahead on a path that runs alongside the pond.
(6) Ignore a stone bridge on the left and continue straight ahead along the tail end of the pond. Follow a path that winds through the ferns, with the stream supplying the pond some distance to the left. Cross a stream (which may be dry) and, at the fork that appears shortly afterwards, take the more marked path on the right. You will come to a small car park (with the stump of an old oak tree in the centre).
(7) Go around this oak tree, pass through a forest barrier and follow a good path heading north, ignoring the paths branching off to the sides. After about 350m (elevation 174, plot no. 29), ignore a path on the right and immediately take a path on the left (east-northeast; concrete bushes on either side of the start of the path). Cross a stream and you will come to a crossroads.
(8) Then turn right. Cross a ditch (remains of an old metal sign on a tree) and veer left (wet passage). Continue north-west along a wide grassy path and note an old boundary stone with a coat of arms on the left-hand side. Continue in the same direction (private property on the right-hand side) until you reach the foot of the majestic Chêne de la Tête d'Alouette oak tree.
(9) Continue north-west along the path. Cross a road (signposted "Forêt Domaniale") and continue north-west along the path opposite. Ignore a path on the left (elevation 176) and continue to a crossroads (also elevation 176; open ground opposite).
(10) Turn left, go through a forest gate and head due west. Cross a cycle path and then a sandy bridle path that is closed to pedestrians (plot no. 15-09). At the next crossroads, continue straight ahead. After about 200 metres, turn right onto the path (private property signposted on the left; no path opposite). Continue straight ahead, heading north, until you reach the Croix de Vilpert crossroads.
(11) Go around the central cross on the left and take the third left, Route de Saint-Léger, a wide gravel path starting at the foot of the forest house. Go around the first Mare de Vilpert on the right and ignore the paths on the right.
(12) At a three-way junction near the second Mare de Vilpert (plot no. 15-02), take a good path on the right (north-west). Cross a cycle path and continue straight ahead.
(13) At the end of the path, cross the D61 (take care) and re-enter the forest opposite. At the fork immediately ahead, turn right and walk slightly uphill. Walk alongside a small pond on your left, turn left and cross (north-northeast) a clearing. Descend into a hollow, climb back up and cross the cycle path again. After about 250m (wet sections), rejoin the cycle path, follow it for a few metres as it curves sharply to the left and continue north-northeast on a footpath. Cross the cycle path one last time and descend steeply on a stony path.
(14) At the bottom (plot no. 07-22), cross a stream (stone blocks across). Then turn left, leave an oak tree bearing the sign "Route du Relancer" on your right and follow a grassy path with the stream some distance to your left.
Orange markings (rare)
(15) At the T-junction, turn right onto a wide path that climbs slightly. At the first junction, continue straight ahead. At the second junction (signposted "Route du Hêtre Ramoneur à Route de Belsédène"), continue straight ahead, ignore a path on the right and follow a gravel path north-northeast.
No markings
At the crossroads (elevation 178), turn left at an acute angle.
(16) After about 250m, take the first path on the right (forest barrier; isolated orange marker). Very quickly, the path consists of two parallel trails separated by a wetland: stay on the right-hand trail (further on, the two trails separate). Walk west-northwest then northwest on the path and ignore the paths branching off to the sides. Cross a road and, at the fork that follows, continue straight ahead (ignore the path branching off to the left). This will take you to the small car park at Étang Rompu.
(17) Then turn immediately left and follow the Route aux Vaches. At a crossroads (large three-trunk beech tree on the right), continue straight ahead on the gravel path.
Red and white markings
(18) Ignore a path coming from the right (remains of an ONF sign on the left) and continue straight ahead. At a fork, turn left and follow a fence on your left. At an intersection (elevation 147; small bridge on the right), continue straight ahead and flat with theGR®22(let theGR®1go to the left). Walk along the bottom of the valley with a pine forest on the slope on your left. Ignore a path on the left and cross the stream. Immediately ignore a path coming from the right, continue along the valley and, twice, ignore a bridge on the left.
(19) Cross the Route Roulée (bridge on the left, do not take it) and continue straight ahead. At the first fork, turn left and at the second fork, turn right. Walk along a fence on your right and climb up above the stream on your left. Descend and you will come to a three-way junction (very large beech tree on the right).
(20) Turn left and take the wooden footbridge over the stream. Walk along a pond on your right. After the pond, at the corner of a fence, turn right. Leave the forest and walk along the meadows. Ignore a path on the right, go through a gate and rejoin the tarmac road at Gambaiseuil.
(21) Continue straight on the D112 towards Gambais. When the road turns left, turn right onto a path that enters the forest. Walk along a fence on your right and, at the end, continue straight on the Route du Champ Mauduit. Cross a perpendicular path and walk between a pine forest on your left and, on your right, a birch forest with beautiful fern undergrowth.
(22) Cross a small road and continue on Route du Champ Mauduit. Walk west-northwest then northwest through a landscape of sparse forest with fern undergrowth. Cross several perpendicular paths and reach a T-junction near Étang Neuf.
(23) Turn right and cross two bridges without railings, one made of stone and the other of wooden sleepers. Follow the Étang Neuf dyke due north. Then turn slightly to the right and you will reach the Poteau de l'Étang Neuf (picnic table, shelter).
(24) Follow the Route de l'Étang de Vitry to the left (west-northwest). At a three-way junction, turn right. Immediately turn left and descend steeply. Ignore a path coming from the left and, at a three-way junction (not shown on the map), turn right. Leave the forest and continue north-west between the meadows. Pass through a metal gate and continue straight ahead (poplar trees).
(25) You will come to a small road; follow it to the right. At the fork, turn right onto Chemin du Rond des Sapins. Cross a small road and continue straight ahead. At the stop sign, cross the D179 at the pedestrian crossing on the left and continue straight ahead on the tarmac road.
(26) At the junction with Chemin des Dames, go straight ahead onto a shaded path and walk alongside horse pastures on your left. At the next junction, go straight ahead between two hedges. Turn right to walk alongside the wall of a property on your left (turrets; majestic chestnut tree).
(27) At the T-junction, follow the road to the right. At the next junction, turn left onto Chemin des Raconis. When this becomes a no-entry road "except for residents" (dead end), follow the Voie Romaine to the right. At the end, turn left and take the footbridge over the N12.
(28) At the end of the footbridge, turn right and enter the Forêt des Quatre Piliers. Ignore a path on the right (not shown on the map) and climb up a sunken path. Continue north-east on flat ground, ignoring vague paths on either side (private property).
(29) At the crossroads, first turn left then right and continue north-east. Descend into the hollow of a valley and climb back up. Walk along a fence on your left (wet passages). Ignore a path on the left and you will come to another crossroads.
(30) Continue straight ahead (northeast). Note a massive beech tree on the right, then an isolated house in the forest. At a triple fork (elevation 180), take the leftmost path, which descends steeply. At the bottom (elevation 143), turn left then immediately right, and follow a sandy path. Go through a forest gate and continue straight ahead along a narrow lane. Follow the lane north, ignoring the paths on the right, pass a car park on the left and you will reach Orgerus-Béhoust station (E).
To return home:
- Transilien - Line N, towards Dreux (direct access) or Paris-Montparnasse (take the footbridge).
Visorando member
Difficult 
Moderate 
Easy 
