From the hillsides of the Seine at the start of Giverny to the plains of Vexin

A large circular route between woods and plains in the Vexin region to enjoy the first days of spring, with the village of Giverny and the house of the painter Claude Monet as the main attractions.

Details

161422
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 28.89 km
  • ◔
    Duration according to the author: 7 hrs 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Very difficult

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 381 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 369 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 152 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 17 m
  • ⚐ Country: France
  • ⚐
    Area: Vexin
  • ⚐ District: Giverny (27620)
  • ⚑
    Start/End: N 49.07558° / E 1.530239°
  • ❏
    IGN map(s): Ref. 2112O, 2113ET, 2113O
  • Hour-by-hour weather

Photos

Description of the walk

Park in the car park on the edge of the D5, at the roundabout.

(S/E) Take the north exit of the car park and turn right onto Rue Claude Monet. After 200 metres, turn left onto Chemin Blanche Hoschede Monet, then right about 20 metres further on. Follow the red and white markings ofthe GR®2 traileastwards.

(1) At the crossroads after about 700 metres, turn left. Go uphill and, after about 150 metres, turn right. Follow theGR®2roughly along the contour line. At an intersection (elevation 73), turn right with theGR® and continue generally eastwards.

(2) At the crossroads, turn left and go uphill. At the top of the hill, take thefirst path on the right (elevation 127). Continue eastwards with the GR®. Enter Sainte-Geneviève-lès-Gasny via Rue de la Vigne Blanche, which you should follow to the left. At the end of the street, turn right onto Rue de la Chapelle and continue for approximately 80 metres.

(3) Turn left, leaving theGR® trail (but there is a green marker indicating left). Continue along the dirt track that extends from the street and enter the forest. At the intersection, turn right-left and then continue straight ahead for about 400 metres.

(4) Turn left, then right after about 400 metres to join the D313.

(5) Turn left, then turn right onto the road 200 metres further on. After 200 metres, leave the road by taking the path on the right and continue to a Y-junction.

(6) Turn left (white marker). After 400 metres, at the T-junction, take the road on the right for 800 metres.

(7) When the road turns right into a wood, take the second dirt track on the left and follow the edge of the wood for 140m. The track curves 90° to the left before straightening out again after crossing a dirt track. Continue straight on for 800m to reach the C6 municipal road.

(8) Turn right onto the municipal road, which curves slightly to the left after 600 metres. After another 200 metres, it curves to the right. Leave this road and take the tarmac road opposite at the bend in the curve to reach the Croix du Grand Orme, 400 metres further on.

(9) Take the path on the left and continue for 1.2 km to reach a three-way junction.

(10) Take the dirt road on the left towards La Queue d'Haye. Pass a large farm and arrive at a crossroads shortly afterwards.

(11) Turn right onto Rue de la Croix de Pierre and cross the hamlet of La Queue d'Haye.

(12) Cut across the road and take the dirt track opposite. Follow this track across the fields for 1.6km, crossing the D181. After 300m, at the Y-junction, take the right-hand branch to reach a crossroads 200m further on.

(13) Take the partially mowed path on the right; the cemetery gate is a bit tight, but you can get through. Cross the Tilly cemetery and walk past the chapel. When you exit, turn left onto the road. Walk along the wall until you reach Rue Grande and follow this street to the left for about 20 metres.

(14) Leave the street and take a path on the right (if you see a sports field on the right, you have turned too late) and walk along the hangars for 90 metres.

(15) Turn left at the crossroads and continue straight ahead until you reach a road 800 metres further on. Turn right, make a first 90° left turn and then a second right turn

(16) 200 metres after this turn, take the path on the left (30 metres after a sign indicating the turns). Follow this path for 900 metres until you reach a road. Take it on the left and follow it for about 200 metres until you reach the last house in the village.

(17) At the village exit, take the path opposite (markedGR®), where the road turns slightly to the left. Follow the white and red markings for 4.5km, heading generally south-west then south, until you reach the D313 at the forest exit. Turn left and join the Gisors road (D181).

(18) Cross the road (take care) and follow Rue du Docteur Chanoine opposite.

(19) When you see the Church of Saint-Nicolas-Saint-Lubin on your left, turn right onto Rue Jules Soret. After 20 metres, turn left onto Place Pierre Sémard. Cross Rue de la Ravine and continue along Voie André Touflet, where you will find the red and whiteGR®2markings. Cross the first road, which leads to a military camp 1 km further on.

(20) 600 metres further on, turn left onto Rue Georges Carpentier. It turns 90° to the left after 60 metres and ends 40 metres further on. Take the path on the right behind the last house and follow theGR® markings for 600 metres.

(21) Pass a freshly repainted grey cross on your right.

(22) After 400 metres, at a T-junction (PR® signpost to the left,GR® to the right), turn right.

(23) After 600 metres, a tarmac cul-de-sac joins the path on the right (Sentier de la Roullière). AGR® signpost is visible opposite (it should be possible to continue straight ahead): follow the small path climbing to the left. It is not very visible as the climbing plants have grown well! After 100 metres, take the path on the right. Continue for 500 metres then turn right to descend via a path.

(24) After 100 metres, turn left onto the Vignette path until you reach Rue Grand Val and turn right onto it. Immediately turn left onto Rue Claude Monet and head for the car park (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 20 m - Car park on the edge of the D5
  2. 1 : km 1.05 - alt. 50 m - Crossroads
  3. 2 : km 3.63 - alt. 78 m - Crossroads
  4. 3 : km 5.66 - alt. 34 m - Chemin de la Voie d'Hardricourt
  5. 4 : km 6.83 - alt. 126 m - Crossroads
  6. 5 : km 7.44 - alt. 126 m - Route D313
  7. 6 : km 8.46 - alt. 128 m - Three-way junction
  8. 7 : km 9.5 - alt. 133 m - Start of the path
  9. 8 : km 10.46 - alt. 145 m - Route C6
  10. 9 : km 11.51 - alt. 142 m - Croix du Grand Orme
  11. 10 : km 12.63 - alt. 150 m - Three-way junction
  12. 11 : km 13.19 - alt. 149 m - T-junction
  13. 12 : km 13.65 - alt. 140 m - Crossing the road
  14. 13 : km 15.54 - alt. 150 m - Crossroads
  15. 14 : km 15.85 - alt. 150 m - Start of path on the right
  16. 15 : km 15.99 - alt. 152 m - Crossroads
  17. 16 : km 17.73 - alt. 141 m - Start of path on the left
  18. 17 : km 18.91 - alt. 142 m - Triangular crossroads
  19. 18 : km 23.8 - alt. 24 m - Cross the D181
  20. 19 : km 24.44 - alt. 18 m - Roundabout
  21. 20 : km 26.28 - alt. 18 m - Rue Georges Carpentier - Seine [la]
  22. 21 : km 26.84 - alt. 112 m - Grey cross
  23. 22 : km 27.13 - alt. 115 m - T-junction
  24. 23 : km 27.79 - alt. 50 m - End of Giverny
  25. 24 : km 28.46 - alt. 53 m - Crossroads
  26. S/E : km 28.89 - alt. 23 m - Car park on the edge of the D5

Notes

The route includes several fairly steep sections. The ground may be slippery (flint, clay, etc.): hiking boots are essential!
The route took 6 hours and 45 minutes, including a lunch break.

From WP (3) to (5), the route passes through private land. Given the number of signs saying "Private property", "No trespassing" and "Recommended route", it is best not to try to cut through the woods to reach the D313 more quickly.

(19): it is possible to stay on the Grosses Eaux path and go directly to Giverny.

(23): you can continue straight on to the WP (24).

From WP (23) to WP: you can stay on theGR® until Rue du Grand Val, then turn right until you reach WP. This avoids WP (24).

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

4.5 / 5
Based on 12 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.7 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.7 / 5
Route interest
4.1 / 5
Didier L5.
Didier L5.

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 18, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

end of a very tough route with steep climbs

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ovil
ovil

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 27, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Hike undertaken in grey weather with frequent drizzle.
We set off from Vernon station and therefore started the route at point 17.
The few climbs are quite steep and the paths on the plain are often very grassy.
The landscapes are varied, even on the plains, and must be more cheerful in the sunshine.
Although the GR trail is well marked at the start in Giverny, there are no markings at all in the woods. We needed the map to find our way at the crossroads.
Point 2 is not easy to find and the path that branches off to the left is not as straight as it appears on the map.
Note that the road to La Queue d'Haye (point 8) is paved.
Just one jogger on the route, a few tourists in Giverny, but a constant stream of bicycles on the André Touffet path.

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rando50
rando50

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 10, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

A beautiful hike on a lovely cool January day. Admittedly, there are quite a few bare patches on the plateau, but the route as a whole offers varied landscapes.
One comment: although the starting point is in the village of Giverny, why do the waypoints on the map only start at Ste Geneviève les Gasny?

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thetoan
thetoan

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Dec 09, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average

Good hike at the beginning and end, but half of the route is through fields, so not very interesting.
Hike done in December, very muddy and slippery.
Also be aware of hunting season in the area, as the sound of gunshots can be startling.

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pimoreau
pimoreau

Overall rating : 3.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 08, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing

This hike is rather disappointing because there are too many uninteresting stretches across flat terrain, which can be exhausting in the middle of the day.
On the other hand, the area around Giverny and the hills above Vernon in the forest are nice.

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Nicu D.
Nicu D.

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 18, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

lovely walk

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Fapiou
Fapiou

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 09, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average

The description and map are perfectly reliable!
The part that interested us most was from the start to point 4, as it takes you through wild forest with superb views.
From point 4 to 15, we got bored quite quickly because it involves crossing fields and is very repetitive, flat and visually uninteresting, but it's good for your calves!
However, at points 8 and 9, the large farm and the hamlet of La Queue d'Haye are a welcome change of scenery, followed by a surprising arrival at the cemetery at point 11 in the village of Tilly, and then it's back to flat terrain with little of interest.
From No. 15, there is a descent into a forest, which is better than the flat fields, until No. 16 with a view of Vernon.
From No. 16 to the finish, the route is more urban.
Thank you for this discovery!

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lensoisdu78
lensoisdu78

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 01, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

The description is very detailed, making it easy to find your way. However, there is one small caveat before reaching point 1: when passing through the woods, there are three paths. You must first ignore the one on the left, then the one that descends to the right, and continue straight ahead. I had actually taken the right path, but as I couldn't see any GR markings, I turned back to take the path that goes downhill before realising that I was on the right path. In fact, it's more like 4 km to the point than the 2 km indicated on the sheet. Apart from that, I had no problems.
The walk is pleasant and offers varied terrain (although given the heat, there wasn't enough shade for my liking). There are some nice views, but nothing exceptional. The sections on tarmac roads are not too bothersome as they are few and far between along the route.

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Stachor
Stachor

Stop it, I'm going to get the big head.

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benoitrando
benoitrando

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 23, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

I parked in the town hall car park and, rather than relying on the hiking map, I decided to make the start of my walk easier. I asked a municipal employee to show me the way to Blanche Hoschede Monet (he must have trouble getting around the village). Unfortunately, after 1,000 metres, I realised that I was not following the map correctly. So I looked at the hiking map, starting at the end, and realised that I was on the right route but going in the opposite direction. I continued in that direction since I was already committed, and thanks to the excellent map and directions, I had no trouble continuing backwards.
At a place called Héricourt, I made a mistake because there are two paths leading across the fields at the bend. At this point, you have to take the one furthest to the left to stay on the right route. I took the one furthest to the right and ended up finishing the hike via Bois Jérome-St Ouen, the St Ouen chapel and Giverny. This was much less interesting as it was just a dangerous tarmac road. I'll go back another time, but in the right direction.
That said, it's an excellent hike through magnificent scenery and villages steeped in history, with superb sites and monuments that are well worth a few photos.
Thank you, STACHOR, for taking the time to describe this superb hike with Swiss precision.

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meulbot
meulbot

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 30, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

Very pleasant walk, especially the part near Giverny.

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calamitintin
calamitintin

Thank you very much for your reply. We settled for the greenways between Vernon and Giverny, then between Gasny and Fourges!

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Stachor
Stachor

From memory, there were some fairly steep sections...
What's more, we covered the route in 6 hours and 45 minutes at a good pace: I'm afraid that taking a pushchair would be a bit risky (slipping + returning at night).

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calamitintin
calamitintin

Hello,

I would like to do this hike with a pushchair. It has fairly large wheels, which allow it to roll smoothly on fairly even paths. Is this feasible on this route, or is the gradient too steep? Are the paths wide enough?

Thank you for your reply, have a nice day!
Jeanne

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PDP
PDP

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 20, 2017
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

A beautiful hike offering a wide variety of landscapes and routes (trails, forest paths, small country roads). The terrain includes some nice climbs along the banks of the Seine, then flattens out for about 20 kilometres.
For those without a car, it is entirely possible to reach the route from Vernon station (allow for a good kilometre's warm-up ). Head towards the centre of Vernon when you leave the station, cross the Seine via the bridge, and continue straight ahead until you see the Saint-Nicolas-Saint-Lubin church directly in front of you. Continue towards the church and turn right onto Place Pierre Sémard just after a restaurant with a red façade. At this point, you are exactly at the location described in point 17 of the route.
Another VERY important tip : bring a small airtight box, which is very handy for collecting the blackberries that grow in abundance, along with a few porcini mushrooms.
The route took 5 hours and 40 minutes at a very brisk pace.

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