Between Villebon-sur-Yvette and Saulx-les-Chartreux, following the Yvette

The start is at the junction of the Voie de Champlan and the entrance to Lac de Saulx-les-Chartreux, where you can park easily.

Yellow and red markings of the GRP® Les Vallées de L'Essonne.

 (S/E) Set off with your back to the lake along the Yvette and quickly cross the bridge over it. The path follows the Boële, a tributary of the Yvette. Follow the path, crossing the river under the road bridge and then under several power lines. Continue along the Boële to the TGV bridge. 

(1) Pass under the TGV line and the A10 motorway. There is some street art on the walls. Keep following the Boële on your right until it joins the Yvette.

(2) Go through a very small tunnel under the road. Now the Yvette is on your right. Follow this path until it joins a road. Follow this road for about a hundred metres and, at the junction, take the road on the right which continues to follow the Yvette. Continue to the right into Rue du Bas de la Ferme.

(3) Cross the Route du Moulin de la Planche and take the path opposite which leads to the banks of the Yvette. Continue along the river heading west. The path ends where it joins Rue des Bouleaux.

No further signposting

(4) Leave the GRP® and Avenue du Général de Gaulle, turning right to follow Rue des Bouleaux due south. At the junction, turn left into Rue des Gelles (yellow PR® markings). This leads into the Forêt Départementale des Gelles. After the bridge over the D188, continue left along Chemin des Gelles

(5) Turn right onto a short, steep slope of about a hundred metres (the yellow markings stop here), then veer left and go round the side of the fence to go down a flight of steps, followed by a second set further on.

(6) Follow Rue Las Rozas de Madrid to the right and continue left, keeping the tennis courts on your right and the football pitch on your left. Take the ramp down to the left and go through the tunnel. As you come out of the tunnel, turn immediately right so that you have the Jacques Brel Cultural Centre on your left and the D188 on your right. Continue to the old Villebon station.

(7) Walk past the old Villebon station and note the old locomotive. Follow Rue Jacques Brel for about a hundred metres and turn right into Impasse du Pré Haut. This continues on the left, after passing through a small gate, as Chemin des Écoles, which runs alongside Chemin de la Roche and ends at Rue de Villiers.

(8) Take this street on the right to cross over the A10 motorway. At the Y-junction, turn left into Rue Eugène Cordeau. Turn right into Rue du Cimetière. Note, on your right, the very pretty, tree-lined and well-maintained cemetery. Cross Avenue de la Presse and continue straight ahead onto Chemin du Parc.

(9) Continue straight on until you reach the copse. There, you must turn right. Follow Chemin des Grouettes. Cross the Ruisseau des Paradis and continue south along Chemin de Villedieu.

(10) At the first houses, turn left onto Ruelle du Four à Banc. After a bend to the left, turn right onto Chemin de la Haie de Bruyère, which leads into the pretty little village of Saulx-les-Chartreux until you reach the crossroads.

(11) Enter the pretty little village. At the crossroads, turn left onto Rue de la Division Leclerc. Note the town hall on your left. Pass Rue du Lieutenant Fontaine on your right.

Yellow PR® markings

The street veers to the right, leading to Place de l’Église.

(12) Directly opposite the church, look out for a small alleyway on the left that appears to be a dead end. This leads into Parc de la Jonchère. Exit the park via the north and Route de Champlan. Cross the road and take the small path opposite, to the right of the bus stop. Cross the Yvette via the Pont de la Planche aux Vaches.

(13) See the note in the “Practical Information” section. Turn right to walk around the lake. Ignore all paths on the right. After a left-hand bend, cross a footbridge heading due north. After a wide left-hand bend, follow the Rivière Morte, a small tributary of the Yvette, to reach the pond car park. Cross the car park and continue to the right to return to the start (S/E).

It is very easy to park by the lake or at the football pitch to start the walk. 

You can shorten the walk by about 2 km at the end by turning left when you reach the lake (see the description at (13).

Along the Yvette, there are plenty of wild ducks and moorhens. Around the lake you can also see ducks, swans, egrets and small waders. In the Bois des Gelles, during chestnut season, you can pick your fill. You’ll see the very old Villebon station with an old locomotive on display. Depending on the season, you’ll see fields of rapeseed or wheat.