From Rambouillet to Saint-Léger-en-Yvelines, follow the GR®1 trail.

The Rambouillet Forest is one of the largest forests in the Paris region. This section ofthe GR®®1 trailallows you to explore the western part of the forest. It is full of charm and features remarkable sites such as the Chêne de la Pocqueterie oak tree, the Rochers d'Angennes rocks and the Pierre Ardoue stone. The route starts in a town with great cultural potential, including the Château de Rambouillet, the Hermitage, the Laiterie de la Reine and the Chaumière aux Coquillages.

This walk is part of a multi-day hike: GR®1: Tour of Île-de-France

Details

22642575
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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 25.50 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 7h 50 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Difficult

  • ⚐
    Back to start: No
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 182 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 204 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 180 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 120 m
  • ⚐ Country: France
  • ⚐ District: Rambouillet (78120|78125)
  • ⚑
    Start: N 48.643879° / E 1.831647°
  • ⚑
    End: N 48.722183° / E 1.766781°
  • ❏
    IGN map(s): Ref. 2115O, 2215OT, 2215OTR, M2215OT
  • Hour-by-hour weather

Photos

Description of the walk

The hike starts on the forecourt of Rambouillet station (N and TER lines, between Paris-Montparnasse and Chartres).

(S) Leaving the station, turn left onto Rue de l'Embarcadère, which runs alongside the railway line towards the south-west. It ends at a bridge. Then turn right onto Rue Chasles towards Rambouillet town centre.

(1) At the end of the street, turn left onto a path (D906) and pass close to Place Felix Faure to cross Rue du Général de Gaulle and enter the grounds of Rambouillet Castle. Once in the grounds, ignore the first path on the left and, at the second junction, turn left onto the path that runs alongside the roundabout. Ignore all paths coming from the left until you reach the other end of the roundabout and the large canals of the Château de Rambouillet. At the canals, turn left and follow them, keeping to the right at each intersection until you reach the next road, located at the Laiterie de la Reine.

(2) Turn left when you reach the road, then take the first path on the left. Stay on this path and continue straight ahead at each intersection until you see the sign for Chaumière aux Coquillages. Make a detour to the left to visit it and then return.

(3) Take a few minutes to visit this cottage, then return to the road and follow it to the left. Re-enter the park by taking the first path on the left and continue straight ahead at each intersection until you see the sign for the Ermitage. Take a detour to the left to visit it and return.

(4) Take a few minutes to admire this residence, then return to the road via the same path and follow it to the left. Stay on this road until you exit Rambouillet Park.

(5) At the junction of this exit, follow the district road to the right. Then take the first path on the left.

(6) Take the first path on the right, which starts at the Guéville farm (signs for Gazeran). At the first three junctions, keep right, then at the fourth, take the track that runs along the woods in a north-westerly direction towards Gazeran. At the end of the track, continue straight ahead on a narrow lane, then turn right at the first junction. You will then arrive at the D906, which you should follow on the left for a few metres.

(7) Take the first road on the right (Route de Poigny). Take the second road on the left towards the Gâteau district via the street of the same name. Go around a bend.

(8) At the second bend, turn right onto a lane. At the end of the lane, turn right onto theGR®® which enters the Rambouillet Forest heading north-west through the Vallée Drouin. At the first crossroads, at the end of the climb coming out of the Vallée Drouin, turn right at a right angle. Pass a building.

(9) Turn left at an acute angle at the next crossroads. TheGR®® then turns right at a right angle towards the north-west. At the next crossroads (Carrefour de la Pocqueterie), continue straight ahead and then take the first track on the right before turning very quickly onto the first path on the left.

(10) This path passes in front of the particularly remarkable Chêne de la Pocqueterie oak tree. The pleasant trail continues through the forest, making a few turns, then leads to a track that you should follow to the right. Continue straight ahead at the first three junctions, then turn left at the fourth (Carrefour des Grosses Haies). Ignore the first path on the left.

(11) At the next crossroads (Carrefour des Rabières), turn right and start climbing a sandy hill. At the crossroads at the top of the hill, turn left, then quickly take the first track on the left and then very quickly take the first path on the right. Continue straight ahead at the first two crossroads.

(12) After the second junction, keep left at each intersection until you reach the road to cross the Rochers d'Angennes. When you reach the road, turn left.

(13) At the next bend, turn right onto a path that climbs quite steeply. A GPS may be useful at this point as there are some small, inconspicuous junctions. At the end of the hill, the path skirts a few rocks and then turns north with a 90° bend. At the next large crossroads with Route de la Mouche, follow the latter to the right. At the next junction, you can turn right to see the Carrefour de la Croix Jouanne cross. Otherwise, continue straight ahead at this junction and the next three junctions. At the fourth junction, follow Route de la Mouche, which veers north-east before descending towards Étang du Roi.

(14) At the pond, follow a forest road on the left that runs alongside it. At the crossroads after the pond (Carrefour de la Butte à l'Oison), stay on this road and continue straight ahead until the next major crossroads (Carrefour du Four Guérin). At this crossroads, head north on Route de la Goudronnerie. Stay on the same track until you reach the next road.

(15) At the crossroads (Carrefour de la Loge Posée), turn left onto Route de Rambouillet, which heads north-west. At the first junction, continue straight ahead on the same road, which runs alongside a cycle path before crossing it. At the next crossroads (Carrefour des Masures), continue straight ahead. Ignore a small path coming from the right and then another coming from the left before turning right onto Route du Gros Chêne at the crossroads of the same name.

(16) Cross Route Forestière de la Vignerie and continue along the same path opposite. At the first junction, continue straight ahead, then at the second (Carrefour du Haut Planet), turn right onto Route du Haut Planet, which is more like a path. Follow the cycle path again, then cross it before starting a descent and then an ascent. At the crossroads at the end of the hill, turn right to make a round trip to the Fontaine Bleue.

(17) Take a few minutes to admire this fountain and return to the path to continue on theGR®® heading north-east, crossing the cycle path. Cross the cycle path again and you will come to a fork: follow the Route du Haut Planet straight ahead. At the next crossroads, theGR®® makes a 90° turn and heads south: follow it. After this junction, ignore a path coming from the left and continue straight ahead before turning left at the next junction onto Chemin de Nogent-le-Roi à Saint-Léger.

(18) Take the second path on the left and begin the descent on Route du Parc.
Continue straight ahead at each junction until you reach the road (Carrefour du Parc Chevalier).

(19) Continue opposite on theGR®®. At the next two junctions, turn right then left at the third.

(20) Pass in front of the Pierre Ardoue and then, just after, turn left again onto theGR®®. At the next crossroads, continue straight ahead. The track gradually turns into a path.

(21) At the junction with another path coming from the left, turn right and begin the descent towards Saint-Léger-en-Yvelines. The path leads to a narrow street, which you should follow to the left. At the end, turn right onto the D138. Follow the road to the next crossroads, where there is a large car park (E) and a bus stop for those who want to return to Rambouillet (S).

Waypoints

  1. S : km 0 - alt. 160 m - Gare de Rambouillet
  2. 1 : km 0.47 - alt. 150 m - Park - Château de Rambouillet
  3. 2 : km 2.39 - alt. 144 m - Laiterie de la Reine
  4. 3 : km 2.86 - alt. 142 m - Chaumière aux Coquillages
  5. 4 : km 3.51 - alt. 157 m - L'Ermitage (domaine du Château de Rambouillet)
  6. 5 : km 4.33 - alt. 145 m - Exit - Parc du Château de Rambouillet
  7. 6 : km 4.89 - alt. 146 m - Guéville Farm. Close to the - Guéville (rivière) - Affluent de la Drouette
  8. 7 : km 6.24 - alt. 142 m - Gazeran
  9. 8 : km 7.18 - alt. 141 m - Le Gâteau
  10. 9 : km 8.25 - alt. 166 m - Fork in the road
  11. 10 : km 9.54 - alt. 165 m - Chêne de la Pocqueterie
  12. 11 : km 11.1 - alt. 141 m - Carrefour des Rabières
  13. 12 : km 11.85 - alt. 164 m - Rochers d'Angennes. Towards the - Guesle (rivière) - Affluent de la Drouette
  14. 13 : km 12.52 - alt. 140 m - Route D107
  15. 14 : km 14.53 - alt. 144 m - Étang du Roi (Forêt de Rambouillet)
  16. 15 : km 16.41 - alt. 169 m - Carrefour de la Loge Posée
  17. 16 : km 17.94 - alt. 179 m - Route Forestière de la Vignerie
  18. 17 : km 19.13 - alt. 161 m - Fontaine Bleue
  19. 18 : km 20.51 - alt. 178 m - Route du Parc. Towards the - Vesgre (rivière)
  20. 19 : km 22.24 - alt. 127 m - Carrefour du Parc Chevalier
  21. 20 : km 23.15 - alt. 141 m - Dolmen de la Pierre Ardoue
  22. 21 : km 24.23 - alt. 174 m - Start of descent at Saint-Léger-en-Yvelines
  23. E : km 25.5 - alt. 138 m - Saint-Léger-en-Yvelines

Notes

Hike almost exclusively in the forest.

Access to Rambouillet: N and TER lines, between Paris-Montparnasse and Chartres.

Return to Rambouillet: bus line 01 towards Rambouillet, Gros Billot stop at (E), in Saint-Léger-en-Yvelines.

Worth a visit

-Rambouillet Park and Castle (1)
-Laiterie de la Reine (2)
-Chaumière aux Coquillages (3)
-L'Hermitage (4)
-Chêne de la Pocqueterie (10)
-Angennes Rocks
-The fountain at (13)
-La Croix Jouanne shortly after (13)
-The King's Pond (14)
-Blue Fountain (17)
-Pierre Ardoue (20)

Always be cautious and plan ahead when you're outdoors. Visorando and the author of this route cannot be held responsible for any accidents occurring on this route.

The GR® and PR® markings are the intellectual property of the Fédération Française de Randonnée Pédestre.

Reviews and comments

4.4 / 5
Based on 3 reviews

Reliability of the description
4 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.3 / 5
Route interest
5 / 5
zigmateu
zigmateu

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : May 10, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Hike taken this Saturday in splendid weather.
The grounds of Rambouillet Castle are magnificent, with some beautiful birds to be seen and numerous points of interest. I particularly appreciated the mention of the Hermitage right next to the Chaumière aux Coquillages, which is not indicated on site and which I would have missed without the hike description.
I also loved the section in the forest on the GR. The Pierre d'Ardoue is the final reward, in the last section, which is more difficult than the rest because of the elevation gain.
The only drawback is that the route is not circular, so you need to arrange transport back from Saint-Léger-en-Yvelines, which is not possible by public transport on Saturday evenings.
I'd love to do more hikes like this one!

Machine-translated

Jean-Luc92
Jean-Luc92

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : May 26, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A magnificent hike today in very sunny weather. Among the oak and pine forests of Rambouillet, you can admire some truly remarkable oak, beech and pine trees. For those attempting this hike for the first time, forget the often confusing description and follow the GR1 on the map, looking out for the GR1 markers, which are very well maintained along the way.

Machine-translated

Papy carembar
Papy carembar
• Edited:

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 15, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

This is a route I often do at a fast pace. It's very easy to follow. Thank you for putting it online. I'll post some images from the film I'm making about discovering this route.

Machine-translated

www.gymmarche.fr
www.gymmarche.fr
• Edited:

As an association based in Rambouillet, we regularly organise outings in this area throughout the year, although we have never completed the entire route in one go. The surroundings are beautiful in all seasons. Some sections can be very muddy during prolonged periods of rain!
A few comments to complete the description:
• At the start, the route passes through the castle grounds. Access is only possible if the grounds are open. This is not a problem in summer, but last winter, they were only open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. If the grounds are closed, you can enter at the town hall and join the route at the Queen's dairy. So, check beforehand.
• During hunting season, the Gazeran area can be dangerous at weekends (hunters are out and about!).

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