Medieval churches of Brie: Saint-Loup-de-Naud

Starting point and access: Sainte-Colombe - Septveilles station.
- Transilien - Line P, on the section between Paris-Est and Provins.
Take the exit at the level crossing at the end of the platform when travelling from Paris to Provins.

Yellow markings (rare and easier to spot in the opposite direction).

(S/E) When you leave the station, turn left and walk slightly downhill along Rue Victor Hugo (do not cross the level crossing). At the traffic lights, cross Avenue du Général Leclerc and continue straight ahead along Rue du Stade. Walk alongside the stadium on your left.

(1) At the crossroads, take the street furthest to the right, Rue de Clauze Barbe, and go up with a property wall on your right.

No signposts

(2) At the junction with Rue de l'Avenir, turn left at an acute angle. Go up with a fence on your left, then a hedge. At the foot of the Sainte-Colombe exit sign, let the road turn right and turn left (west-southwest) onto a path at the edge of the woods (on your left). At the corner of the woods, turn right (north-northwest) onto a grassy path between two fields (in the distance on the right, you will see the Saint-Quiriace church and the César Tower of Provins). After about 100 metres and before a hedge, turn left (west) onto a field path. Pass a bush on your right and head towards the houses of Courton-le-Haut.

Green + yellow markings

(3) At the crossroads with a small grassy area in the middle, make a zigzag turn right then left to join a path with a farm building wall on your right. Make another zigzag turn right then left along the path, which has now become grassy. At the end, turn right onto Rue de Sainte-Marie. Cross Route de Provins (be careful), follow it to the left for a few metres and immediately turn right towards Vulaines (sign). At No. 2, take a grassy path on the left that winds its way between gardens and ends with a descent.

At the bottom, turn right onto Rue Jean Negrevergne. Ignore the street on the left and continue along Rue Maurice Ockocki. Just before No. 8, take a path on the left between meadows and gardens. When another path joins from the left, turn right and come out at the corner of a field. Turn left towards a water tower and follow the field on your right. At the tarmac, turn left down Impasse Marcel Lavacherie. At the T-junction, turn right onto Rue Marceau Bailleul. Ignore Rue de la Grande Ruelle on your right and continue west (signposted "Impasse").

(4) The tarmac gives way to a shaded path. After a short descent, at a fork, follow the path on the right which remains flat and runs along the edge of the woods (on your left) and a field (on your right). At the first corner of the field, turn right and stay on the edge with a farmhouse further to the right (there is no sign here; do not follow the path that seems more obvious and goes into the woods). Turn left, still on the edge. At the next corner of the field, continue straight ahead and enter the woods.

(5) At the crossroads that immediately follows, turn right. The bell tower of Saint-Loup church will appear between the branches (at least in winter). Descend gently and ignore the paths (not shown on the map) on the left that are steeper. When a path comes in from the left (also not shown), continue to the right. At the next junction, turn right and go slightly uphill. At the next junction, continue straight ahead and walk along a flat path, then slightly downhill through a sparse wood. When a path comes in from the left at right angles, continue straight ahead.

(6) At the next T-junction, turn left at an acute angle and descend slightly. Cross the platform of an underground aqueduct (grate on the right). At the immediate T-junction, turn right and descend a few metres. At the bottom, follow the D49 road to the right and cross the Ru de Glatigny. At the signposts, at a fork, go up to the right (30 km/h speed limit sign). Ignore Rue de l'Eglise on the left and continue along Rue Serge Veau. You will reach the church of Saint-Loup, which you will first see from the east.

Green signposting

(7) Continue a few metres along the same street past the church. At number 23bis, take the steps down on the left. Cross the road (take care) and continue down the steps to Rue des Fontaines. At the T-junction, turn right. Quickly leave the signposting straight ahead and turn left onto Rue des Osiers to reach the wash house on the edge of a stream (hiking map).

Red and yellow signposts (rare)

(8) Retrace your steps to the junction with Rue des Fontaines. Continue straight ahead on Rue des Vieux Moulins (you are now on the^GRP® Thibaut de Champagne). At the T-junction, turn right, cross the stream and immediately turn left. Cross the D106 road (take care) and continue straight ahead along Chemin de la Clavoise (wash house on the left). At the end of the tarmac road, at a fork, take the left-hand path. Walk east-south-east along the edge of the woods on your left, then between the fields. A farm track comes in from the right and the path gives way to this track, still heading east-south-east.

(9) At the three-way junction, leave the track turning left towards some houses (the first of which has a tin roof) and turn right (south-east) onto a path (no signpost here). Walk along the edge of a wood on your left. At the next junction, continue straight ahead (sign saying "No entry"). After passing a fence on your left, the path gives way to a tarmac road. Pass a large gate (on your right) and you will come to a junction.

Yellow signposting (rare)

(10) Leave the^GRP® straight ahead and turn left onto Chaussée du Noyau. Cross the stream called Le Dragon and follow a football stadium on your left. When the D49 road comes from the left, follow it a few metres to the right and then cross it (be careful). Then head north-east along the footpath of an underground aqueduct (two manholes, small masonry structures, side by side). There are two parallel paths running alongside this grassy verge: the arrow on the sign suggests following the one on the right; the route on the map follows the one on the left, which is better marked (but probably also more used by agricultural vehicles).

Continue along this path with housing developments in the distance on the right and the edge of the woods on the left. Ignore a road on the right. Then, if you have chosen the left-hand path, pass in front of the cemetery and continue along Rue du Souvenir; if you have chosen the right-hand path, ignore a yellow cross (?) and walk along the football stadium on your right. In both cases, you will come to a junction that you took on the way there.

(1) Turn right and follow the stadium, keeping it on your right. Cross Avenue du Général Leclerc at the traffic lights and go up Rue Victor Hugo. Ignore the yellow arrow indicating a right turn before the level crossing and you will immediately come to Sainte-Colombe - Septveilles station (S/E).

Train timetables: consult the Transilien website.

For motorists, parking is available at:
- Station car park (S/E).
- Rue du Stade, next to the stadium (1).
Sainte-Colombe is located half a dozen kilometres south-east of Provins, on the D403.

The time indicated is the actual walking time and does not include a visit to the church of Saint-Loup. Although the route is not difficult, please wear walking shoes as some sections may be wet.

There are no water sources along the route. In Sainte-Colombe, on Avenue du Général Leclerc, there is a butcher's shop which also sells bread on Saturdays. There are picnic tables at (8) and shortly after.

The hike follows marked trails, but these are not very dense for the most part. It also includes a section that is not marked at all. Therefore, a 1:25,000 map is essential (at least the one accompanying this description).

Alternative route:
On the way back, you can return to Longueville station by following the GRP^®. At the point (10), continue straight ahead. Turn right onto the D403 and pass under the railway viaduct. Turn immediately left and follow Rue André Taton, Rue Henri Fouilleret and finally Rue de Verdun to reach the station. The modified hike is about ten kilometres in total. Those who don't like tarmac should refrain...

Hike completed by the author on 27 February 2016.

- Saint-Loup Church (11th-12th century) (7). This is the main destination of this hike... A beautiful Romanesque church whose imposing exterior contrasts with the simplicity of the interior. The interior can be visited; just read the instructions at the bottom of the right-hand door.
- Wash houses in Saint-Loup-de-Naud, at (8) and shortly after.
- Paths crossing Cournont-le-Haut between (3) and (4).
- Charming streams.