(1) The starting point is in a car park on Route des Princesses, which can be reached from the RN13 between Chambourcy and Saint Germain en Laye, after passing the agricultural college.
After parking your car in the car park, follow the Route des Princesses to the first crossroads called Étoile Parfaite.
(2) At Étoile Parfaite, turn right onto Route de Dauphine. Follow this road without turning off. The hum of traffic on the A13 motorway indicates that you are approaching it. Continue on the section that runs alongside the motorway, going downhill. Take a right turn, then a left turn and go under the motorway tunnel.
At the top of the small climb that follows the tunnel, on the left, are the ruins of Retz Castle, but they must be well hidden under the vegetation as nothing really shows through. Continue along the paved road.
(3) Turn left onto the paved road, Route de la Mare à la Bonde. At the end of this road, you will arrive at a car park, L'Étoile du Silence. Picnic tables and a shelter offer you hospitality.
(4) Then take the tarmac road on the left, the Route Neuve du Roi, which starts opposite the shelter. Follow it to the end, passing the Étoile du Pèlerin, the Étoile du Sanglier, the Belle Étoile (don't fall asleep there) and the Étoile des Dames. You will then arrive at the D98.
(5) Turn left to go under the motorway tunnel.
(6) At the Carrefour Royal roundabout, turn left onto the paved road.
(7) At Étoile des Princesses, turn right onto the unpaved road (the only one on the route). This road will take you back to Étoile Parfaite, then to Route des Princesses, and finally to the car park where you left your car.
Fourqueux - Marly Forest - a circuit for when the paths are muddy
This circuit consists almost exclusively of paved forest roads, at least in part, and is closed to motor traffic.
This allows you to hike in the forest without having to surf on paths full of water and mud in winter.
Details
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Activity: Walking -
Distance: 12.61 km -
Average duration: 3h 50 -
Difficulty: Easy -
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Back to start: Yes -
Ascent: + 70 m -
Descent: - 70 m -
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Highest point: 179 m -
Lowest point: 119 m
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Country:
France
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District:
Chambourcy (78240) -
Start/End: N 48.889651° / E 2.044505° -
IGN map(s): Ref. 2214ET -
Hour-by-hour weather
Photos
Description of the walk
Waypoints
- S/E : km 0 - alt. 119 m - Car park for departure and arrival
- 1 : km 1.45 - alt. 175 m - Etoile Parfaite
- 2 : km 4.39 - alt. 167 m - Start of the Route de la Mare à la Bonde
- 3 : km 5.59 - alt. 173 m - Étoile du Silence
- 4 : km 9.58 - alt. 169 m - Intersection with the D98
- 5 : km 9.86 - alt. 177 m - Carrefour Royal
- 6 : km 10.23 - alt. 178 m - Étoile des Princesses
- S/E : km 12.61 - alt. 119 m
Reviews and comments
4.6 / 5
4.7 / 5
3.8 / 5
Overall rating : 4.7 / 5
Date of your route : Feb 03, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes
A classic route that is quite busy after several days of rain.
Only one path is marked as muddy, and it is indeed very, very muddy!
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Overall rating : 4.7 / 5
Date of your route : Apr 29, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No
Very good compromise in wet weather
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Overall rating : 4.7 / 5
Date of your route : Feb 11, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No
Route completed after a very rainy week. I can therefore confirm that this route is well suited as it is mainly on asphalt roads and therefore free of mud. The other paths we took to extend the mileage were indeed very muddy and therefore very slippery, so best avoided.
Outside of winter, however, I think this route may be too busy with cyclists.
The picnic shelter at point 4 was very useful on this grey and damp day.
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Overall rating : 4 / 5
Date of your route : Jun 12, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes
Very good route, especially when you don't have time to stray too far from Paris
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Overall rating : 4 / 5
Date of your route : Jan 03, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes
This hike is pleasant at this time of year. It allowed us to avoid muddy paths. Thank you to the creator.
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Overall rating : 4.7 / 5
Date of your route : Jul 05, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No
Pleasant route, just a little background noise when you're close to the A13 motorway, on the road to Les Joncs before number 5. The unpaved path between 7 and 2 was in very good condition after a few days of rain. Almost no puddles.
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Overall rating : 4.7 / 5
Date of your route : Jan 04, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No
Pleasant route on tarmac except for 500 metres of very slippery mud...
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Overall rating : 4.3 / 5
Date of your route : Mar 08, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
A pleasant hike, much appreciated after a period of rain. The signposting on the ground could be improved by the ONF (French National Forestry Office)
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Overall rating : 4.7 / 5
Date of your route : Dec 15, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
A very good route when the paths are muddy: the entire route is on asphalt except for the section between (7) and (2) on the way back.
There are several picnic spots along the route, including one with shelter.
Thanks for the info!
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Overall rating : 4 / 5
Date of your route : Jan 21, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
This route is well suited for walking in winter, as there is no mud. I will do this route again in spring; a walk under the trees with leaves and buds must be very pleasant.
I parked in the agricultural college car park as I didn't know the area and didn't dare venture in my car to the car park just before the forest. Thank you for this route, best regards, S. SCHREVEL
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Overall rating : 4.7 / 5
Date of your route : Feb 12, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Completed on a very muddy day - Other paths impassable - Almost entirely on small asphalt roads - Excellent fallback option in such conditions;
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Overall rating : 4 / 5
Date of your route : Jan 29, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : Not used / Not applicable
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
A small clarification after point 6): you need to turn right towards the Étoile des Princesses, a dirt track, as we followed the paved road and ended up back at the Étoile Parfaite roundabout. The result was 14.3 km instead of 12.61 km.
Otherwise, it's an ideal route for keeping your shoes clean and enjoying a beautiful loop bordered by forest.
The only downside is the noise from the RN13 road right next to it, but it didn't bother us, just thought we'd mention it.
There are lots of runners and it's also a great place to do a nice mountain bike loop, which is fairly flat with a slight incline at the start of the route.
Thanks for this route!
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Overall rating : 4.3 / 5
Date of your route : Mar 20, 2017
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
an easy route with multiple straps and possibilities
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Overall rating : 4.7 / 5
Date of your route : Feb 27, 2017
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
A very convenient and easy walk to do with children on bikes or in pushchairs
afterwards, there isn't much of interest in the landscape and the motorway is never far away, but you are in the forest.
We even saw squirrels!
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