Essonne (l') walks

A lovely walk among ponds, marshes and, above all, birds, ducks, etc., lasting 4½ to 5 hours, or longer if you stop to watch the birds on the ponds.

Before motorisation, milling was highly developed along the banks of the Essonne. This hike sets out to discover no fewer than five old water mills, whose presence has been documented since the 18th century. The route along the river is full of charm and the numerous reed beds add a touch of natural heritage to this very diverse hike.

This hike is certainly the most "aquatic" of those that can be undertaken along the Essonne. Indeed, numerous ponds punctuate the route: ponds for fishing or other forms of leisure; ponds and marshes that make up a protected natural area, a source of biodiversity and a place to observe wildlife.

This is an easy walk, meandering along the Essonne and the watercress beds, then the Pasloup marshes.

A hike from station to station with a significant forest component. In addition to a viewpoint, Rocher Bizet offers views of its plateau landscapes, with heathland, ponds and outcropping rocks.

A hike from station to station in the Essonne Valley. After climbing up through the Bois de Saint-Médard and crossing a cultivated plateau, you pass through the charming hamlets of Courdimanche. You walk alongside the river several times, cross a small island, and the Marais de Jarcy may be of interest to nature lovers. Several churches and a few wash houses are also along the way.

A route between town, fields and forest, during which you will have the opportunity to discover some of the points of interest in the commune of Ballancourt-sur-Essonne.

On the edge of the Ile-de-France region, this hike from station to station follows the Essonne Valley from south to north. It takes forest paths, small roads with little traffic and paths between fields. This route allows you to discover an interesting heritage: mills, churches and castles, as well as a menhir and a polisher that attest to the ancient human occupation of the area.

In the south of the Essonne department, this station-to-station hike alternates between forest paths, quiet country lanes and paths through the fields. Along the way, there is a wealth of heritage to discover: a mill, churches, a castle and a Neolithic grinding stone.

This last stage of the journey along the Essonne offers many opportunities to play leapfrog with the river. It is obviously the stage with the most urban sections. The town of Corbeil-Essonnes reveals its rich religious, civil and industrial heritage.

Around Malesherbes, a 29 km route along paths and lanes. Numerous small ponds dot the route.

Named after Acionna, the Gallo-Roman goddess of rivers, the Essonne flows through the north of the Loiret department and the south of the Île-de-France region. The first five stages follow its course downstream, while the last four follow it upstream. These nine stages are accessible by train. One stage, which is not accessible by train, forms a circular route upstream. The route alternates between paths along the river, passages through woods and those across cultivated plateaus.

This route offers magnificent and varied landscapes between Beauce and Gâtinais, with hills and beautiful panoramas, the green Essonne valley, woods, cereal and beet fields, imposing farms and mills. This is a long route that requires a good level of fitness.

A bucolic trail through woods, bordering the large estate of Augerville-la-Rivière, with its château and golf course. A footpath is accessible in the park. This hike takes you through the picturesque village of Orville with its wash house and mill.

Follow paths and small roads from D'Huison-Longeville to La Ferté-Alais, meandering along the water’s edge, through villages and across the hillsides of La Ferté-Alais, passing the educational farm. You pass through D'Huison, Cerny, La Ferté-Alais and Guigneville.

A hike starting from Boigneville station, on the border between Loiret and Île-de-France. A route that crosses the Gatinais Regional Nature Park, passing through Malesherbes, in the heart of the Upper Essonne Valley, with pretty footbridges. A short stop at the13th-century Church of Notre-Dame de l'Assomption with its crypt.

A pleasant trail through woods and fields that climbs to the heights of Briarres-sur-Essonne, where the sheep pastures offer a magnificent panorama of the Essonne valley. A bucolic passage along the banks of the Essonne.

A hike from Gironville-sur-Essonne station to Boigneville station via Malesherbes, following the Essonne river on a route with very little elevation gain. Malesherbes is located on the border of Seine-et-Marne and is crossed by the Essonne river. On the agenda: castle, wash house, river, narrow streets, ponds and mills, passing through the pretty villages of Buno-Bonnevaux and Rouville, following the GR®1.

Thirtieth stage of the Grand Tour of Île-de-France via the GR®11, linking La Ferté-Alais, in the Essonne valley, to Étréchy, in the Juine valley, through the western part of the Gâtinais Français Regional Nature Park. It consists of continuing the crossing of the Essonne, between agricultural landscapes, small forest ranges and more imposing valleys. A relatively short stage without any major difficulties, before the next two, which will be a little longer.

Twenty-ninth stage of the Grand Tour of Île-de-France via the GR®11, linking Ballancourt-sur-Essonne to La Ferté-Alais. Although both towns are located in the Essonne valley, the proposed route passes through the plateau overlooking the valley on the east side, in the Gâtinais Français Regional Nature Park, to the charming village of Mondeville. The GR® then winds its way between valleys, forests dotted with sandstone boulders and agricultural plateaus. This stage is shorter than the previous ones but is not without its difficulties as it still covers steep sections of terrain similar to the Fontainebleau forest, particularly around Mondeville. The route also allows you to discover some unusual sights, such as the Roches du Père La Musique in Ballancourt.

This mountain bike ride takes you through part of the Gâtinais region, with oak and pine forests to the north and rolling farmland typical of the Beauce region to the south. You will pass through several villages typical of the region and follow the Essonne valley, which is fairly unobtrusive but whose hillsides will give your calves a good workout.

After crossing the Rambouillet Forest in the previous stage, this section is a restful one. It takes you to Malesherbes station. This is one of the easiest stages of the GR®1. The start is at Le Vaudoué. It is the only stage of the GR®1 that does not start at a station. The hike alternates between sections in the woods and more rural sections. The first interesting sight on the route is the church in Le Vaudoué. The path then leads to the former Templar Commandery before crossing woods and fields towards the Essonne and Saint-Martin Church in Malesherbes.

Taking place almost entirely in the Gâtinais Français Regional Nature Park, this stage follows the course of the Essonne river for quite a long time, sometimes on the right bank, sometimes on the left bank. The only section through fields is when leaving Buno-Bonnevaux. The rest of the route is unique in that it runs through woodland, with some parts reminiscent of the Forest of Fontainebleau with pine trees, sandstone outcrops and sandy areas. This hike can be divided into four sections as it passes not far from the stations of Boigneville, Buno-Gironville and Maisse.

Over 500 km long and with more than 4,000 m of elevation gain, this hike is accessible to everyone if broken down into several stages. Beautiful, rural and fairly close to Paris, it is suitable for anyone who wants to try their hand at hiking. There are many points of interest along this route. History and heritage enthusiasts, as well as nature lovers, will find something to enjoy.

Within the Ile-de-France region, the Petit Morin valley is a preserved area with a strong rural and agricultural character. This is not a multi-stage hike per se, but rather a collection of seven routes lasting between 3 and 4 hours, covering the small roads of this charming valley and communal paths where motorised vehicles such as quads and 4x4s are prohibited.