Étang des Noës and Champ Garnier Forest in Mesnil-Saint-Denis

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A walk between ponds, country lanes and forest, passing through the small town of Mesnil-Saint-Denis.
This hike is accessible to all. It takes you through a variety of places with lovely views.
Please note that there is virtually no shade for two-thirds of the route between the points (1) and (6), so it is best to avoid it in very hot weather.

Details

n°1365408
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 7.95 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 2h 20 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Easy
  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 23 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 23 m
  • ▲
    Highest point: 175 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 144 m
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Photos

The Étang des Noës
Beautiful specimens
The Mathurine Cross
Church of Mesnil-St-Denis

Description of the walk

Take the D58 from Élancourt towards Le Mesnil-Saint-Denis. Park in the car park on your right shortly after crossing the bridge over the N10 and the railway line. You are now in front of the Étang des Noës.

(S/E) Head towards the pond and turn left immediately. Do not cross the small bridge over the ditch. Follow it to the end, then turn right onto a grassy path that runs alongside another ditch (on your left).

(1) At the end of the path, after crossing the street, go through the gate of the Coulée Verte directly opposite. Follow it, then go through the gate of the sports complex and cross it.

(2) Exit at the Mesnil-Saint-Denis water tower. Turn left and follow Avenue de Montfort, then continue straight on Rue de Lambruche and Rue Raymond Berrurier until you reach the centre of Mesnil-Saint-Denis.

(3) Pass in front of the church, Place André Thomé, and continue straight on Rue Ernest et Paul Picard until you leave the village. Continue until you see the sign for "Le Mousseau".

(4) Turn left onto Rue du Fort Manoir, passing the Le Fort Manoir retirement home. At the end of the street, turn left onto Chemin du Pressoir, which quickly turns into a country lane. Continue until you reach the Mathurine cross.

(5) Cross the small road and take the path opposite. After a while, you will walk along the bottom of the Rhodon stream (barely visible). Continue until you reach the large farm on your right.

(6) Take the small path that branches off to the left, running alongside the cow pasture. You will enter the Bois de la Minière-Trappes via a small, slightly steep and stony path that leads to a small stone bridge crossing the stream. Turn left to follow the stream along a pleasant, shaded path.

(7) At the end of this path, you will come to thefirst crossroads with several lanes. Take the lane on the left, Route Forestière de Champ Garnier.

(8) You will come to asecond crossroads. Turn left towards Les Noës. Continue to the end and cross the D58 road. You are now back at the starting point (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 167 m - Étang des Noës car park on the D58. Origin of - Rhodon (rivière)
  2. 1 : km 1.18 - alt. 167 m - Entrance to the Coulée Verte
  3. 2 : km 1.87 - alt. 175 m - Mesnil-Saint-Denis water tower
  4. 3 : km 2.83 - alt. 171 m - Church of Mesnil-Saint-Denis
  5. 4 : km 3.38 - alt. 169 m - Rue du Fort Manoir
  6. 5 : km 4.38 - alt. 162 m - Croix Mathurine
  7. 6 : km 5.42 - alt. 162 m - Champ Garnier Farm
  8. 7 : km 6.4 - alt. 159 m - Turn left at the first crossroads.
  9. 8 : km 6.82 - alt. 171 m - Turn left at the second crossroads.
  10. S/E : km 7.95 - alt. 167 m - Étang des Noës car park

Worth a visit

Admire the view of the Étang des Noës as you leave the car park
Take a look at the small16th-century church in the centre of Mesnil-Saint-Denis as you pass by
Also worth seeing is Fort Manoir, a late19th-century monastery set in beautiful grounds.

Reviews and comments

4.5 / 5
Based on 12 reviews
Reliability of the description
4.8 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.8 / 5
Route interest
4 / 5
kartavan
kartavan

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : May 26, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A very pleasant hike in beautiful sunshine. Varied landscapes along the way.

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Jean.Taverne
Jean.Taverne

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 28, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

We extended the route by going to Notre Dame des Roches and Pommeret, then returning to point 4 on the route, which adds quite a bit of nature to this route.

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Maxipoo
Maxipoo

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 31, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A very pleasant walk with plenty of variety.
The urban section is not particularly interesting, but the fields and forests that follow are very nice.
The description and route are impeccable. The banks of the pond are a lovely spot for a picnic at the end of the walk.

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génigéber
génigéber

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 26, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A very varied route, taking in town, countryside and forest, so very pleasant.

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pwiederk
pwiederk

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : May 23, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

The first 4 kilometres are entirely within the city, which is not ideal, especially as you pass through streets and residential areas with no character whatsoever.

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Jean Pierre Duplan
Jean Pierre Duplan

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Dec 23, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

During this hike, we discovered some very pleasant, unknown spots. We will do it again when the weather is nice. Best regards

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clerbern
clerbern

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 30, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

A pleasant walk in the spring sunshine. (If you want to avoid passing through Le Mesnil, you can cut through the hamlet of Rodon and head straight for the Croix Mathurine).

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ln0307
ln0307

Overall rating : 4.5 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 23, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : Not used / Not applicable
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

A lovely, easy walk, starting off in the town and then heading into the forest along little paths. It's great to be able to do this in just two hours in the Paris region!

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MALET Catherine
MALET Catherine

When I did the hike, there was no problem. I think it's due to the season and the recent rain and snow.

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agrio
agrio

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 15, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

Very easy hike through woods and fields. Very pleasant.
Right at the end of the walk, there is a stream that you have to cross by walking on two logs. It's not really difficult, but you may feel uncomfortable at that moment (which was the case for one person in our group). However, you can get around it by walking along the stream through the field.

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MALET Catherine
MALET Catherine

Are you confusing it with "Le bois de Louveciennes et l'étang de Bechevet" (The Woods of Louveciennes and Bechevet Pond)? I see that this hike, which is not mine, has all the elements you mention.

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MALET Catherine
MALET Catherine

I think there's a mistake in the description of the hike you're commenting on. I've never been to that area, so I didn't write the description.
You just made a comment about MY hike, "Étang des Noes....."
Please post your comment on the relevant hike.

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absolumentclair
absolumentclair

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 14, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : Not used / Not applicable
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

Too many details in the description (e.g. oak tree on the left AND oak tree on the right, cross the wooden bridge and turn left when we already know we have to go around the pond...).
You get lost in this flood of information. I had to go back twice.
Otherwise, what beautiful spaces, parks and forests, but the route through the Beauregard estate is not very pleasant because of the noise from the motorway.
It might be better to skip it and make up for it with a walk in Marly Park (forest paths to the left and right of the royal gate).

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absolumentclair
absolumentclair

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 15, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

The pond is very pretty. The section between the pond and the church in Mesnil isn't great (suburban area: houses, boulevard, buildings, etc.), but after that it's absolutely charming, with the old village centre, then a very rural, peaceful area, followed by a forest path alongside a stream. The last section is a rather monotonous forest road.

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Tartine55
Tartine55

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 17, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

A pleasant stroll between fields, town and forest

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