Medieval churches south of Provins

The route starts from the car park in front of Lizines church (limited spaces). There are parking options on Rue des Garennes, not far from the water tower.

(S/E) From the church in Lizines (with its beautiful gateway and bell tower), take Rue des Vignes heading north-east. Continue straight on along the path through the fields after the last building. At the end of the gentle climb, turn left.

(1) Turn right at the next junction. At the T-junction, turn left to reach the edge of the woodland. Then turn right and stay along the edge of the woodland. The path then heads south, still hugging the edge of the woodland, before turning left. You’ll come to a series of fences.

(2) Turn left into the woods, following a gentle descent between two rows of fences. Pass under the railway line and note the church of Saint-Loup-de-Naud perched on the edge of the plateau opposite. You’ll arrive near the enclosure surrounding a working fountain.

(3) Turn right into Rue des Vieux Moulins. About 200 metres further on, go up a street on the left. Continue up two flights of steps. At the top, turn right and you’ll reach the gate of Saint-Loup Church.

(4) Then continue along the same street, which descends into the valley, ignoring the side streets. At the bottom, turn left. Cross a stream and turn left again.

(5) Take the path on the left, then immediately take the path leading uphill to the right into the woods. At the next Fork in the road, keep left.

(6) At the junction, turn sharply right. Head uphill, ignoring a path branching off to the right, and make your way to the plateau. At the crossroads, continue straight ahead. At the next crossroads, take the path on the left.

(7) As you approach the edge of the woods, with the Granges farm in sight, follow the edge of the woods to the left; the path skirts round the woods in a triangular loop (going straight on leads to the same place anyway…). Then continue straight on (east). Carry on along the tarmac road and enter Courton Le Haut. Take the^second street on the left.

(8) At the end, take a path on the right. Ignore a turn-off on the left and wind your way through the gardens. You’ll come to a street; follow it to the right for a few dozen metres.

(9) Just before the main road (D106), turn left onto a narrow path. At the end, follow the road to the right. Then turn right and then left onto Rue Sainte-Marie. Next, take the^first street on the right. At the end, first turn left then right and go down a path. Ignore a street coming from the right.

(10) Shortly afterwards, take a path on the right. Then turn left and then right onto the main road in Courton le Bas.

(11) Turn left onto Rue du Moulin. Cross a stream (wash house) then walk alongside the mill. At the end of the path, turn left. The path follows the course of the Vallon du Dragon (south-east). Pass a path on the right and you’ll come to a junction.

(12) Then turn right onto a wide path that climbs towards the railway bridge. Pass under the railway line and turn left immediately. Walk alongside the railway line through the woods.

(13) As you emerge from the woods, near a reservoir, turn right. Go round the reservoir and a mast on the right and head back up into the woods.

(14) On the plateau, at a crossroads, veer to the right, leave the woods and continue along the edge. Carry on through the fields. The path joins a tarmac road; carry on straight ahead. At the next junction, turn left towards Savins. Continue along this street, ignoring the side streets and alleys as you head downhill.

(15) At the bottom, cut across the main road and head diagonally uphill to the right along Rue aux Prêtres. At the end (church on the left), turn right. Walk down to the wash house and take the path on the left. Turn left again; you’ll come out onto a street and follow it to the right. At the end, turn left. Then take the^first right.

(16) Cross the D209 and continue along a small road opposite. After about 250 m, take a path on the right. Cross a small road and continue along the path. At the end, turn left. The path enters a woodland and joins a road.

(17) Follow this road to the right, then immediately take the path downhill to the left. Carry straight on until you reach a stream and wade across it. Pass the sewage treatment plant on your right and turn left.

(18) When you reach the first houses, take a path on the right. At the next junction, turn left. Cut across a road and carry on to the shed. Then turn left and immediately right. When you reach the tarmac road, turn right and carry on straight ahead along a path. At the next junction, go straight on until you reach a road.

(19) A few metres before you reach it, turn right at the edge of the woods. Then turn left and head down into a small valley. Return to the road and follow it to the right. At the Fork in the road, take the left-hand road. At the next Fork in the road (elevation 143), take the right-hand road, towards the water tower (Rue des Garennes). Take the^first left, Rue des Glycines. This leads onto the D209; follow this road to the left and head for the church (S/E).

There are few parking spaces in front of Lizines church. You can park on Rue des Garennes, not far from the water tower. Alternatively, you can start the walk at Courton-le-Haut, where there’s a car park at the junction of Route de Provins and Route de Vulaines (after the ‘9 ’).

This walk follows the route of the walks created by the local Community of Communes: Communauté de communes Bassée-Montois
Please note that the^PR® route shown on the IGN map does not correspond to the actual route on the ground:
- on the climb to Saint-Loup-de-Naud
- between Courton-le-Haut and Courton-le-Bas
- as well as in Savins

The green signposting is fairly comprehensive, but a few markers are missing here and there, although the route is fairly obvious (and the green markings are not always clearly visible...).

There’s a bench for picnics in front of the church in Savins.

When I was there, the path alongside the railway line was particularly bumpy… (electrification work on this railway line and/or work in the woods).

Saint-Loup-de-Naud Church: one of the earliest Gothic portals, very well preserved.