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The hike starts at the car park in front of the castle entrance on Rue René de Girardin in Ermenonville (Oise).
(S/E) When you leave the car park, turn left onto Rue René de Girardin and walk to the crossroads, where you take the street on the left that leads to the traffic lights on the N330, protecting the pedestrian crossing.
(1) Cross the road and continue along the car park next to the archery range to enter the forest road closed by a barrier.
(2) Turn right onto the path that begins immediately after the gate. Although not shown on the IGN map, it is clearly visible on the ground, regardless of the season. It winds through the vegetation between the trees, descends to a pond that can be seen about 50 metres to the right behind a wire fence, then climbs up a hill.
(Do not cross the wire fence, which has been flattened to the ground. Keep the fence on your right.)
(3) Turn right and, less than 100 metres further on, turn right again towards the hut known as Jean-Jacques Rousseau's hut overlooking the Étang du Désert.
(4) Retrace your steps and turn right to continue on the path (still not shown on the IGN map) which descends to the level of the pond, crosses a path near its northern edge and continues parallel to the N330, which can be seen through the trees. Cross a forest track at the corner of plot 29 (large numbers painted directly on the trunk of a pine tree). Continuing straight ahead, the path crosses another track before climbing back up to the plateau where it joins a path running alongside the wire fence of the Parc de la Mer de Sable.
(5) Turn left and, at the next junction, turn right to go around the Mer de Sable.
(6) At the next intersection, turn left at a 90° angle onto the forest track that takes you away from the fence.
Two hundred metres further on, keep right on the track between plots 15 and 16. After one kilometre, passing plots 119, 118, 117, 122 and 123, you will arrive at the Poteau de la Plaine.
(7) Take the Vieille Route towards the Maison Forestière de Maison Blanche, cross the D126 and follow the Maison Forestière. The very sandy track climbs to a crossroads at the junction of plots 106, 125 and 127. This is the Carrefour de la Roche.
(8) Turn left at an acute angle. Follow the path that winds along a contour line. Four hundred metres further on, cross the Carrefour du Hêtre and continue along this winding path which leads to the D126 road.
(9) Cross the road, then take the path going uphill between plots 121 and 153. Continue to the corner of plot 153, opposite plot 120. Turn right to follow plot 153 to the next corner, at the Croix Neuve signpost. Turn onto the second road on the right (this is the Ermenonville road), which will take you to a large clearing where you will find the Croix Neuve picnic area.
(10) Turn right onto the path about 100 metres before you reach the road, then left onto the forest track between plots 153 and 154. You will arrive at the D126, at the Espionnes crossroads (sic, see ONF sign on site). Cross the D126 and continue on the Longue Route to reach the Poteau de la Futaie. Now head towards the Saint-Barthélemy roundabout towards the Poteau Sainte-Lucie (it is the first road on the left).
(11) Cross the Carrefour Sainte-Lucie to continue towards the Carrefour du Cognassier, passing between plots 156 and 157. At the Carrefour du Cognassier (no signpost but corner of plot 174), continue straight ahead. The road curves to the left and you will make an almost complete U-turn to arrive at a wide forest track (plot 177) where you will see the red and white markings ofthe GR®1. Turn right to go to the junction with the D126.
(12) Cross the road and 300 metres further on, at the corner of plot 181, turn right and follow the road until you reach plot 182. When you get there, turn left onto the path separating plots 181 and 182 and go to the Poteau du Petit Carrefour.
(13) Follow the Route Anglaise towards the Pavillon du Prince. Turn left to follow the wire fence of the Pavillon du Prince.
(14) Turn left at the corner of the fence onto the wide forest track and continue to the corner of plot 212, where you turn right onto the very wide path (it has been widened to serve as a firebreak) that takes you back to the gate where the path you followed at the start of the walk begins.
(2) Walk alongside the archery range, cross the D922, turn right into Rue René de Girardin, which will take you to the car park (S/E).
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