Dourdan – Sainte-Mesme

The starting point is in Dourdan, on Rue Jubé de la Pérelle, at the car park. This is opposite the George Leplatre Primary School and the Jeanne d’Arc Secondary School, and next to a basketball court. From Paris, you can take the TER or the RER C. From the north or west of Paris, take the RER C. On arrival at Dourdan station, you can join the route via Rue du Faubourg de Chartres.

(S/E) On leaving the car park, turn right onto Rue Jubé de la Pérelle. At the T-junction, turn left onto Rue d’Étampes, then continue along Rue Demetz, which is a continuation of Rue d’Étampes.

(1) When you reach Place du Général de Gaulle, opposite the château, turn left onto Rue du Marché aux Grains, following the direction of traffic. At the second junction, turn right onto Rue Haute Foulerie. Pass Rue de l’Abreuvoir on your right and, at the next junction, turn right onto Rue du Moulin du Roi.

(2) At the T-junction, turn right onto Boulevard Émile Zola and, at the next junction, turn left onto Rue du Faubourg de Chartres. Continue to the roundabout.

(3) Turn right onto Rue de Rambouillet. Go under the railway line and, immediately afterwards, turn left onto Chemin des Buttes Blanches. After about 200 m, turn right onto Route des Buttes Blanches. At the next two junctions, continue straight ahead.

(4) At the three-way junction, take the left-hand lane, which curves to the left, and continue along it until you reach the junction with Route de la Pie.

(5) Turn left onto Route de la Pie, go past the next junction and carry on straight ahead. At the next junction, turn right and carry on until you reach the Carrefour du Beau Rouvre.

(6) Turn sharply left onto Route de Marcoussis and, after about 200 m, take a hairpin bend to the right onto Route du Gros Chêne, continuing without leaving the road. At the Carrefour Antonine, carry on straight ahead until you reach the next junction.

(7) Turn left onto Route de la Jumelle and, at the junction with Route du Cordon, carry on straight ahead. At the T-junction, turn right and follow the winding^PR® path^. At the junction with Route de Bonchamp, follow the path which veers to the right and joins a path on the left.

(8) Turn left onto Route du Cordon, continue to the Denisy junction without leaving the track, then turn left onto Route de Denisy. Leave the forest and reach a junction of roads.

(9) Turn left and continue along Route de Denisy. Pass through the hamlet of Denisy and carry on straight ahead. At the Y-junction, take the right-hand track and continue to the village of Sainte-Mesme.

(10) At the junction, carry on straight ahead into the village of Sainte-Mesme, along Rue du Buisson. When you reach the junction with the D168, turn left onto Rue Fernand Laigneau. Carry on straight ahead along Rue Charles Legaigneur, which is a continuation of the same road. This road curves to the right; carry on until the next junction.

(11) Carry straight on along Route de Corbreuse, go under the railway line and, immediately afterwards, turn left onto Voie Le Moulin du Pré. Carry straight on without leaving this road.

(12) When you reach the village of Ville Lebrun, and a good fifty metres before the junction with Route de Dourdan, turn right onto Route des Sept Buttes and carry on straight ahead until you reach the next crossroads, where you’ll find a picnic area.

(13) Turn left onto Chemin de la Queue d’Auneau. At the Carrefour du Sauvage, turn right onto Route du Président and carry on straight ahead. Cross the D5 , taking care of the traffic, and continue straight on to the next T-junction.

(14) Turn left and, at the Y-junction, take the left-hand lane, Route de l’Ouye. Continue along Chemin des Abbesses, which forms a continuation of this road, until you reach Avenue d’Orléans, the D116.

(15) Continue straight on along Rue de l’Ouye and, at the T-junction, turn right onto Rue de Balzac. At the end of the street, turn left onto Rue Victor Hugo, then left again onto Rue Jules Ferry. At the next junction, turn right, then right again onto Rue Saint-Jacques.

(16) At the roundabout, take^{the second} lane on the left onto Rue d’Étampes. At the next junction, carry straight on along Rue d’Étampes, which curves to the left. Continue along Rue Demetz, which is a continuation of Rue d’Étampes. You will arrive at Place du Général de Gaulle.

(1) Opposite the château, turn left onto Rue du Marché aux Grain and continue straight on along Rue de l’Abbé Gérard. At the T-junction, turn left onto Rue Jubé de la Pérelle and, after about 150 metres, turn right to return to the car park (S/E).

Picnic areas: just before (7), at Carrefour Antonin and at (13).

Shelter available at (13).

The route is likely to be very muddy after a spell of rain.

There are no water points along the route. Look for them in the hamlets and villages you pass through.

No special equipment is required, other than that needed for mountain biking.

(1) In Dourdan: the Château – La Halle – Saint-Germain-d’Auxerre Church.

Between (6) and (7), at the junction with the Chemin de Sainte-Mesme, the ‘Chêne Foudroyé’ (the Oak Struck by Lightning).

(10) In Sainte-Mesme: the Fountain and its legend, the Manor House and its museum of military costume. Also see, at the Town Hall, the story of Auguste Jules Maquet, Lord of Sainte-Mesme. He was a man of letters, a poet, playwright and novelist. He was a friend and collaborator of Alexandre Dumas, notably on the writing of *The Three Musketeers* and *The Count of Monte Cristo*.

(13) The Parcours du Grillon, a maze and discovery trail, 250 metres long and fully accessible to people with reduced mobility. It was created by the ONF.