Two mills, three churches and two islands in a circular loop of the Seine

Town hall square in Muids, Place Dumont.

(S/E) From the square, take Rue Nationale towards Église Saint-Nicaise, which you walk alongside. When you reach the roundabout, head slightly left onto Rue Tristan Bernard, then very quickly take Rue de la Plage, which descends towards the Seine. The street turns into a path after the beach car park.

(1) At the barrier, continue straight ahead and follow the Seine on your left. Take the second path on the right and join Rue de Voie to the left, which you follow to the end. At the end of the village, the road runs alongside quarries and soon turns into a track suitable for vehicles.

(2) Continue straight ahead, ignoring the various junctions, (* see practical information). The track makes a wide right-hand bend; keep following the track, with the fence on your right. After a left-hand bend, the track joins another. (Please note, the map does not entirely match the current situation).

(3) Turn right, following the woodland on your right. The track curves sharply to the left and leads into the hamlet of Le Mesnil, Rue de la Renardière.

(4) At the end of this street, turn left onto Rue Rossignol and, 200 metres further on, take Rue des Sablons, which you follow until you reach the farm and Château d’Andé on your left.

(5) From the château, head towards the church of Notre-Dame d’Andé along the beautiful avenue of lime trees.

(6) Turn left onto Rue des Écoles, cross the D11 at the pedestrian crossing and continue along Rue de Glycines, following it to the end. Turn right onto Rue du Moulin. Take note of the pretty houses along this street before reaching the Moulin d’Andé.

(7) Leave the mill and head back to Rue du Moulin. Turn left here and immediately right onto a path running alongside the theatre (^GR®2signposted). You will reach Route d’Herqueville, where you turn right. Cross the road with care. From there, follow the^GR®2 signposts past the white farmhouse.

(8) Turn left onto Rue de la Forêt. This turns into a path after a house. It bends to the right. Continue to the end until you reach a crossroads, then take the path directly in front of you. At one point, the path makes a sharp right-hand bend; follow it and, after a left-hand bend, it joins the D65, which you follow to the right for a very short distance.

(9) Cross the main road and continue to follow the^GR®2signposts to the left, passing a gate marking the entrance to some quarries. The path veers slightly to the right and runs alongside the Bois des Brûlins. Cross a small road, continue straight on along the^GR®, and at the end, turn right towards the Ferme Blanche and its water tower.

(10) Just after the farm, turn left onto Rue du Gros Buisson. The road climbs very gently and enters the Bois de la Chesnaie. When the^GR® turns right, stay on the road. Shortly after passing a gate on the left, you will see a path branching off to the right and climbing slightly.

(11) Take this path, which winds along the top of the cliffs. A little further up, there is a clearing offering a view over the Seine valley.

(12) You can see Les Andelys and Château Gaillard. From the viewpoint, a narrow path continues along the ridge; take it. This well-shaded path runs parallel to the road and joins it a little further up. The road turns right after the new cemetery and you arrive at the hamlet of La Roquette. Continue to Saint-Martin Church.

(13) After this stop, retrace your steps and follow the signs to Notre-Dame de Bellegarde on your left. Join the^GR® 2. Head downhill and you will soon reach a fork. A path climbs slightly to your left, signposted ‘panorama’. You arrive at Notre-Dame de Bellegarde,

(14) A beautiful viewpoint over the Seine Valley and the Roche à Tête d’Homme on your right.
Continue down the path (slippery in wet weather) to the village of La Roque. The path becomes Rue de la Gare; turn left, then right.

Take the second street on your left (you leave the^GR®) and cross the Route de Muids (D313). After that, follow Rue du Moulin and cross a metal bridge over a backwater of the Seine. You’ll find yourself on Île de la Roque.

.::16: Follow this path for almost 3 km, passing under a conveyor belt carrying rubble from the quarries you walked past earlier; then, when you pass a bridge with huge metal railings on your right, you’re almost there. You’ll cross to the other island without even realising it; you’re now on Île du Moulin, where the path turns right and crosses a concrete bridge.

(16) On your left stands the Moulin de Muids. Once on the other bank, the Route du Moulin turns left, then right. After the bend, take the path on the left which goes round a pond and then follows the banks of the Seine. The village of Muids stretches out to your right. After a few hundred metres, take the second path which climbs up to the right towards the village. You will find yourself on Rue Nationale; turn left. The Town Hall is very close by and marks the end of our route (S/E).

On the suggested route, you will cross and often walk alongside gravel and aggregate quarries (Lafarge site); the paths may be altered depending on the progress of the works...

Bar in Muids, bar, grocery shop and bar on Rue Nationale in Andé (at the junction (9) with Rue des Écoles).

Since the edition of the IGN map on Visorando that I used to plan this route, the route of^{the GR®2}has been altered, and the signposting has been changed accordingly.

Near the point (13), there is a very basic picnic area; it is better to stop for a bite to eat in Bellegarde if your schedule allows, as the scenery is much more attractive.

Near the start, the Church of Saint-Nicaise, a listed historic monument, in the Neo-Romanesque style. (12th-century choir, 13th-century bell tower, the rest dating from 1862)
(5) Château d’Andé (17th century); note the magnificent stone dovecote in the courtyard of the château’s farm. A beautiful avenue of lime trees faces the château.

(6) Notre-Dame d'Andé Church, dating from the 12th century (stone foundations) to the 16th century (timber frame).
(7) Andé Mill, 12th century, listed as a Historic Monument, Cultural Association, venue for concerts and residencies. Information: Suzanne Lepinska 02.32.59.90.89.

(13) Saint Martin’s Church, listed as a historic monument, with a very unusual 12th-century bell tower, renovated in the 17th century
(16) Muids Mill, 15th century?, listed as a historic monument, 17th-century dwelling.