From the Salamander Rocks to the Demoiselles Rocks

Parking: Champ de Manœuvre, on the D152 towards Orléans from the Obélisque de Fontainebleau. The car park is on the right or left side, about 100 m after passing under the aqueduct (junction with the Route de Médicis).

(S/E) Go to the north-west side of the D152 (racecourse side) and head towards the aqueduct. Then climb the path on the left that gently ascends to the foot of the arches and follow it until the aqueduct becomes buried. Then take the path furthest to the right, which climbs steeply, almost in line with the previous passage, just at the foot of large rocks. Follow it to walk along the Salamandre ridges, going around the highest rocks on the right. Descend and reach a sort of pass on Route d'Adam.

(1) Turn right/left to head back towards the west. Continue along the Salamandre ridges, then descend to a sort of pass on the Route de la Salamandre. Follow this to the left and you will quickly find the path on the underground aqueduct.

(2) Follow the aqueduct path to the right. You will soon reach the Route de Milly in Fontainebleau and follow it as it continues. Take the first left, the Route Paulet. Go straight ahead (south) to the Épicéa crossroads: signs saying "Passage interdit / Réserve biologique intégrale" (No entry / Integral biological reserve) - see the note in the Practical Information section.

(3) Take the third left, Route de la Chimère, and follow the biological reserve.

(4) At the next crossroads, turn right onto Route du Griffon. Cross Route Paulet, then arrive near a sort of cliff.

(5) Take the path on the right towards the old quarries (do not go down). Pass between a ravine on the left and the quarry lines on the right. It is often possible to use passages on the right to get a better view of the quarry. Continue until you find a path that descends to the left with caves opposite, a little higher up.

(6) Take the path that descends to the left (do not continue straight ahead, as this is a restricted area). At the bottom, join the Route du Rocher de la Combe and follow it to the left, keeping the restricted area on your right. Continue along this path until you reach a road (D152).

(7) Cross it carefully and take the Route des Dryades opposite, diagonally to the right. After 250 m, you will reach a crossroads.

(8) Turn left onto Route du Mauvais Passage, which climbs towards the rocks. At the start of the climb, follow the path on the right and climb towards the ridge. When you reach it, turn right and follow the ridge eastwards. Pass the first pass and cross Route du Faune. Climb up opposite and follow the ridge to the next pass, which is crossed by Route du Satyre.

(9) Descend to the left and, at the barely visible fork that appears immediately, take the path on the right. Descend to a T-junction. Then follow Route de Valmy to the right. Go straight ahead (east) and cross the first crossroads.

(10) At the second crossroads (known as Vénus), follow the Blue 9 West trail and the GR®13 to the right. Climb up to a crossroads.

(11) There are two options here:
- Turn left onto the Blue trail and follow the route to (12).
- As shown on the map, follow the Blue trail opposite to complete the circular route clockwise (easier). It is difficult to describe the route precisely here: follow the Blue markings (dense) and zigzag between the rocks, some of which are marked with a letter in Blue: see §: Things to See. Further on, rejoin the GR®13 and follow it to the right (red and white markings).

(11) Back at the crossroads of the circular, continue straight ahead on the blue-marked trail. Again, follow the blue markings. Reach the Mare aux Salamandres (the symbol of François I) and go around it anti-clockwise. Continue eastwards to a junction of blue trails: on the right, descend towards the Vert Galan car park.

(12) Continue straight ahead (do not turn right towards the car park) and descend to the Carrefour de la Beauté.

(13) Take the third road on the left, the Route du Vert Galant with blue and GR® markings. Continue straight ahead until you reach the crossroads of the same name.

(14) Take the third road on the left, Route de l'Espérance, still following the blue and red and white markings. When you reach the aqueduct, follow it to the left and climb up to a crossroads with a marked path coming from the right via Route de Cupidon.

(15) Continue straight ahead on the Blue trail and the GR®. Cross the Rocher du Mont Morillon until you descend to the aqueduct and the Route de Médicis.

(16) Cross it and follow the Blue trail diagonally to the right (south-west; leave the GR®). At the next crossroads, turn right onto Route Morillon (north-west; leave the Blue trail). Continue straight on to the D152 and the car park (S/E).

The ONF has significantly tightened the rules concerning Integral Biological Reserves by surrounding them with "No Entry" signs. As the hike runs alongside one of these areas, you will see some of these signs. It is easy to check on the map that the hike never enters a prohibited area. However, you must follow the route along the reserve.

The names given to the paths and crossroads come from the forest managers around 1850. In the Demoiselles area, you will probably be surprised by their evocative nature: Carrefours de l'Embrassade, des Soupirs, du Bonheur, du Rendez-Vous, des Demoiselles, etc., routes des Filles, de la Beauté, de la Tendresse, etc. I'll leave you to find the others. This dates back to Louis XV, who decided to restore order to the château and its surroundings by chasing away the courtesans. As a well-known location facilitates trade, it was the Rocher des Demoiselles that gave it its name.

(S) The Vanne and Loing aqueducts, which originally supplied the Montsouris reservoir in Paris. The springs that feed the Vanne aqueduct are located in the Vanne basin, around Sens. The Loing aqueduct is fed by springs located in the Loing basin south of the Forest of Fontainebleau. When it joins the Vanne aqueduct, west of Veneux les Sablons, it is swollen by the waters of the Voulzie aqueduct, fed by springs in the Voulzie valley east of Provins.
- Rochers de la Salamandre: an easy path allows you to admire the rocks. On the right is the former army firing range. It is used as a training ground for gendarmerie motorcyclists

(5) The Rocher de la Combe: a very long line of cuts characteristic of an old sandstone quarry.

(8) Le Rocher du Mauvais Passage, known to rock climbing enthusiasts.

(11) Circular des Demoiselles: U: Rocher de Marie-Virginie Meunier. V: L'Hippopotame. T: Glissières des Demoiselles. S: Rocher des Sirènes. R: Grottes des Demoiselles. Q: Roche qui Tremble, easy to move. O: Agneau des Demoiselles. N: Roche Volante. M: Rocher de Diane and its panorama. Without rep: Passage of Ulysses. L: Eye of Polyphemus. K: Rendezvous of the Betrothed. J: Hiding Place of Tom Thumb. I: Rock of the Ogre. H: Rock of the Gorgons. G: Passage of Silenus. F: Rest of the Gladiator.

On the Demoiselles trail: E: Boar Rock. D: Rock of the Kings of Yvetot. C: Rock of Prometheus. B: Grand Viewpoint of the Demoiselles. A: Rock of Percée. Z: Rock of Andromeda. Y: Cave of Circe. X: Shelter of the Satyr. V: Cirque des Demoiselles. T: Roche Cléopâtre. S: Tronc Pétrifié. R: La Loge aux Carriers. Q: Grotte Bournet and its access to the summit via a staircase to the left of the exit. P: Petit Chaos des Demoiselles. O: Petit Temple de Cythère. -: Mare aux Salamandres. N: Belvedere of Mary Stuart with views of Fontainebleau and Mont Morillon. M: Retreat of Calypso. L: Rocks of the Vert Galant.

(15) In the Rochers du Mont Morillon: *: Belvédère du Mont Morillon with views of Polygone (military zone) via a return trip ↔. Z: Les Gémeaux. *: Rocher Fatal.