From Thomery to Fontaine-le-Port via the Tour Denecourt and the Rocher de Samois

Starting point and access: Thomery station.
- Transilien - Line R, on the section between Paris-Lyon and Montargis.
Take the Rue de la Gare exit on the side of platform 1, the one for the Paris to Montargis direction (if arriving from the opposite direction, platform 2, take the underpass).

Green and white markings

(S) Follow the small road opposite the station exit. At the roundabout, turn left, cross the D301 and then take the^first road on the left, the Route de la Petite Haie.

(1) At the crossroads of the same name, take the^third track on the right, the Route de la Butte Montceau, which starts between forest plots nos. 20 and 19. Go straight on and cross two perpendicular tracks. After crossing the Route du Prince, the track gives way to a path that climbs, gently at first and then steeply. At the top, at a junction, go straight on, still on the Route de la Butte Montceau, and head back down. At the bottom, cross the Route de la Fauvette. Then cross a tarmac road (take care). Cross the Route du Grand Jarrier and you will immediately come to another junction.

(2) Then turn right onto Chemin de Saint-Aubin. At the next junction, go straight on. Cross the D138 (busy road) and continue along the path slightly to the left. Ignore a turn-off on the left and you will reach a T-junction (plot no. 4).

(3) Follow the Route tournante du Bois Gautier to the left. Go straight on, ignoring the paths branching off to the left, and note, through the branches, the Seine below on the right. Cross the Route du Bél Ébat on the left-hand side and, at the next fork, keep to the right (the left-hand branch is a detour in wet weather). You’ll find an unobstructed view of the Seine and the bell tower of Samoreau church on the opposite bank. Between 100 and 200 m further on, you’ll reach a fork.

(4) Turn sharply left and climb slightly. Walk alongside a relatively young afforestation on your right. At a T-junction, turn left and, at the next junction, continue straight ahead (south-west).

No signposting

(5) Before reaching a road, turn right onto a faint path (be careful to spot this turn-off, which is further on than shown on the IGN map). Pass the base of a three-trunked oak on the left and head downhill. Ignore a vague path on the right and pass an old tree stump on your right. Ignore another path on the right, continue downhill and emerge onto the D138 road.

(6) Follow the road to the right and pass the “Le Prieuré” bus stop. At the end, go round the roundabout on the right, cross the D210, pass a metal cross and turn right uphill onto a paved path. Follow the wall of a property on your right, then go straight on between two metal fences (building on the left). Continue through the woodland. At a fork, turn left and, at the next junction, go straight on. Cross the D137 at the entrance to Avon and pass under the railway bridge. As you emerge from the tunnel, turn right and you will immediately reach a junction.

Red and white markings

(7) Follow the^GR®1Estraight ahead. Stay on the main, signposted path and ignore the side paths. At the Bois de la Madeleine junction, take the^third right, Route Bezout. At the Katherine Mansfield junction, go straight on, still on Route Bezout, which becomes a path through the ferns and soon climbs up through the pines.

Red and white + blue + yellow markings

(8) At a flat section, veer left. Wind your way under the pines and through ferns and heather. Further on, head downhill, cross a track (Route Remard on the map) and climb back up opposite towards the Denecourt Tower. You’ll come out onto a tarmac road (no traffic) and follow it to the right to reach a platform at the foot of the tower (note a staircase leading down to the right, to be taken later).

(9) Head left to the steps leading up to the Denecourt Tower and climb them for a sweeping view. Retrace your steps back to the top of the steps you spotted earlier.

(9) Go down the stairs and follow the^GR®1Eand the blue trail no. 14 (marked no. 13 on the 1:25,000 map).

Yellow markings

(10) At the bottom of the steps, at a three-way junction, follow path no. 13 to the right (leave path no. 14 and the^GR® to go left). Wind your way through the trees and small rocks. At another three-way junction, turn right (ignore a mountain bike arrow pointing left). Wind your way down.

Blue + Yellow markings

(11) Cross a wide track (Route du Rocher Cassepot on the map) and continue straight ahead onto a path. Climb the winding path, taking two sharper bends, one to the right then one to the left (follow the markings carefully). Pass a remarkable beech tree on your left marked with a Blue Circle and continue straight ahead on the path.

From here, any attempt at a description is tricky, as the path zigzags between the trees and small rocks. Follow the markings closely, as they are plentiful in this area. In total, cross three larger paths before coming out onto the D138 road.

(12) Cross the D138 (a very busy road) and take the path opposite. The path winds its way on level ground that is more open than before; follow the markings carefully. In total, you will cross three larger tracks before reaching a T-junction near a railway line.

(13) Then turn left onto the Route du Cèpe and go under the railway bridge. At the exit, take the path diagonally to the right, which starts at the foot of a beech tree marked No. 362 (still Blue Trail No. 13). Winding through the forest, cross in turn a footpath, a dirt track and a stabilised track (double dashes on the 1:25,000 map). Continue along the path and keep to the right at a slight fork. At a T-junction, turn left and you will immediately reach a crossroads with three old sandstone boundary stones (including stone no. 882).

No markings

(14) Then turn left and pass the base of an oak tree bearing marker no. 362.

Blue markings

At marker no. 881, the path turns right. Pass marker no. 880, immediately reach a three-way junction and continue straight ahead. At the three-way junction that follows, veer left.

Blue + Yellow markings

At the next crossroads, turn sharply right, leaving the former Samois waterworks building on your left. After about 250 m (sooner than the blue route on the 1:25,000 map would suggest), turn left and climb a sandy path interspersed with a few wooden steps (be careful to spot this turn-off). Pass at the foot of a rock that resembles a cup-and-ball game. First turn right then left to follow a path leading towards the clearly visible Samois Tower.

(15) Pass at the foot of the tower, keeping it on your right, and head back down. After a few dozen metres, turn right (be careful to spot this turn-off). Walk along the right-hand side of the fence of a pumping station. Cross a track and continue straight ahead on the path. Pass at the foot of a boulder bearing a plaque in tribute to René Maus and look for two or three isolated red and white markings (?). Turn left then right. At the T-junction that appears immediately, turn left and follow a fence on your right. At the junction at the corner of the fence, continue straight ahead.

No markings

(16) At the next junction, turn right and leave the Blue trail. At the end, at the edge of a tarmac road, take the^third path on the left, the Route de Chailly to Samois. Pass a bench and follow a pond on your left. Continue along the path, which is temporarily obstructed, and carry on along a good track. At the next junction, turn right onto the Route du Champignon (signposted further on). Cross a tarmac road at the Carrefour de la Morille (take care) and take the path that leads diagonally to the left, the Route du Loir.

(17) Cross the D116 (a very busy road) and continue straight ahead (north-east) along the Route du Loir. Caution! The entrance to the path is overgrown with vegetation (as of July 2020). Go straight on along the path, which is poorly maintained and appears to be little used, and cross a compacted track. You will emerge onto Route Marrier; follow it to the right between plots no. 332 (on the left) and no. 331 (on the right), passing a small pond on your left. Head north-east along this wide, well-maintained path. Cross a dirt track and then a compacted track.

(18) At the Carrefour Victor, take the road of the same name (^3rd road on the right). Cross the D116 again (a very busy road) and continue north-east on Route Victor. Cross Route Casimir Perrier. At the next junction, continue straight on along Route Victor.

Red and white markings

(19) At the next junction, follow the^GR®2to the left (crossing a cycle path). The path is poorly maintained and sometimes cluttered but is always well marked. Go straight on and note further on that this is the Route du Semeur. After a left-hand bend, you’ll emerge at the side of the D116.

Then take a small road on the right at an acute angle, which descends towards the Seine. At the corner by an EDF substation and just before a metal barrier, turn left and climb a flight of steps leading up to a bridge. Cross the bridge over the Seine. On the other side, cross the D39 and follow it to the left towards Chartrettes. You will soon see Fontaine-le-Port station on your right (E).

To get back home:
- Transilien - Line R, towards Melun and Paris (direct access) or Montereau (use the underpass).

Train timetables: see the Transilien website.

For motorists:
The two stations are located on different sections of the R line. Two options:
- With at least two vehicles: leave one vehicle in the car park at each of the two stations.
- With just one car: take the train one way, changing at Melun.

Hiking boots are required.

No water points identified along the route. Shops in Avon, off the route between (6) and (7).

A 1:25,000 map is essential (at the very least the one accompanying this description) or a route on a smartphone to follow using the Visorando app.

Recommendations regarding the blue-marked trails:
- The Denecourt-Colinet trails, marked in blue, mostly follow paths that wind their way through the rocks. Despite the density of the markings and their maintenance (thanks to the trail markers!), it is recommended that you pay close attention so as not to lose your way. If you have not seen a marker for some time, do not hesitate to retrace your steps until you find the markings again.
- Markers may be located 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; on rocks at ground level.
- The markers are shaped like a dash (or bar); ignore the double curved arrows >< in blue or white on some tree trunks.
- A good sense of direction is generally required. On this walk, this is particularly the case between (10) and (15).

Hike completed by the author on 4 July 2020.

- Forest paths.
- A few views of the Seine, between (3) and (4) and just before (E).
- Tour Denecourt (1851, rebuilt in 1878) (9), from where there is a sweeping view over the Forest of Fontainebleau.
- Samois Tower (1880) (15), the top of which is unfortunately inaccessible.