Refine your search for walks in Gare de Chars
Gare de Chars walks
Loop departing from Chars
Association / Club / Walk leader
6.31 mi
+341 ft
-338 ft
3h 10
Easy
Departure from Chars (Val-d'Oise)
Walk starting from Chars SNCF station passing the Château de Saint-Cyr-sur-Chars.
On the way back to Chars there is a narrow pedestrian passage that starts with a staircase.
The Viosne Valley around Chars
Visorando Member
7.64 mi
+341 ft
-361 ft
3h 50
Moderate
Departure from Chars (Val-d'Oise)
A pleasant and varied hike in the heart of the French Vexin. The route begins with a circular route north of Chars, between fields, meadows and small woods. After the beautiful church of Chars, there are alternating ascents and descents on the slopes of the south bank of the Viosne. The church and old mill in Brignancourt are a heritage stop before heading up the right bank of the Viosne along the edge of a wetland.
To the west of Marines
7.47 mi
+243 ft
-230 ft
3h 40
Moderate
Departure from Val-d'Oise
A pleasant walk through fields and woods. Walkers will be surprised by the changing landscapes and colours.
Grand tour of Île-de-France in 34 stages on the GR®11
528.35 mi
+22,037 ft
-22,156 ft
34 days
Difficult
Departure from Paris
This marked GR® route around the Île-de-France region (with a few forays into neighbouring departments and regions) complements its "little brother", the GR®1, by forming a circular route around Paris, generally with a slightly larger radius.
It follows the same overall pattern: first, a radial section starting from Paris (more precisely from the Pont d'Austerlitz, near the former confluence of the Bièvre and the Seine), going up the entire Bièvre valley, then continuing to Villiers-Saint-Frédéric, in the Yvelines. From there, it is a circular route that loops around the Île-de-France region, close to its borders with neighbouring regions.
The route passes through beautiful regions, often untouched by intensive urbanisation, regional nature parks and other protected natural areas, and takes in some architectural wonders.
From Chars to Bornel via the Rosne hills
21.42 mi
+1,191 ft
-1,257 ft
10h 55
Very difficult
Departure from Chars (Val-d'Oise)
This is the eighth stage of the Grand Tour de l'Île-de-France on the GR®11, starting from Chars station in the Val d'Oise and heading towards Bornel-Belle-Église station in the Oise, through the north-eastern part of the French Vexin and the borders of the Pays de Thelle. This stage is unique in that it runs along the border between the Val d'Oise and Oise departments, with roughly 50% of the route on each side. The proposed itinerary passes through the Buttes de Rosne, the highest natural point in Île-de-France, although it deviates slightly from the GR® for this.
From Genainville to Chars in the heart of the French Vexin region.
18.42 mi
+988 ft
-1,040 ft
9h 20
Very difficult
Departure from Genainville (Val-d'Oise)
Seventh stage of the Grand Tour of Île-de-France on the GR®11, starting from the village of Genainville, in the heart of the French Vexin, and heading towards Chars station further east. This stage goes hand in hand with the previous Mantes-Genainville stage, with a night in Genainville or the surrounding area necessary to walk between Mantes and Chars stations. This beautiful stage continues the crossing of the equally magnificent French Vexin Regional Nature Park, heading generally eastwards. It joins andthen climbs up the Aubette de Magny valley, crosses a series of agricultural plateaus between Oise and Val d'Oise before descending into the Viosne valley to reach Chars.
Walks near Gare de Chars
Villages and landscapes of the French Vexin region along the Aubette
11.42 mi
+535 ft
-636 ft
5h 45
Moderate
Departure from Cléry-en-Vexin (Val-d'Oise)
The walk takes you through a string of pretty villages, each with its own church boasting distinctive architecture and, for the most part, also home to a castle, the most remarkable of which are those at Guiry-en-Vexin, Théméricourt and Viry. There are also several museums along the route: the Archaeological Museum, the Tools Museum, the Harvest Museum and the Maison du Parc.It is also an opportunity to admire the open landscapes of this very hilly French Vexin region, where fields, meadows and forests intermingle. The calcareous meadows are particularly striking in spring due to the abundance of flowers found there.
Vexinois route between Chaumont-en-Vexin and Gisors
8.73 mi
+374 ft
-466 ft
4h 20
Moderate
Departure from Chaumont-en-Vexin (Oise)
Crossed by numerous waterways, the town of Chaumont-en-Vexin has been awarded the Petite Cité de Caractère label. Along the route, you can discover the rolling landscapes of the Vexin and the Troesne valley, with two megaliths along the way: the Dolmen des Trois-Pierres in Trie-Château and the Pierre Droite de Delincourt.
From Cergy to Valmondois along the Oise
13.98 mi
+253 ft
-528 ft
6h 40
Difficult
Departure from Cergy (Val-d'Oise)
A hike from station to station with the Oise as the guiding thread. You will cross several wooded parks and follow the river for a long time, mostly on a right of way. At the end of the route, the passage through Auvers-sur-Oise is an opportunity to evoke the famous painter Vincent Van Gogh.
From Cergy Saint-Christophe to Conflans-Sainte-Honorine
10.63 mi
+161 ft
-410 ft
5h 00
Moderate
Departure from Cergy (Val-d'Oise)
A walk starting from the new town of Cergy will take you past the circular bends of the Oise, the Cergy leisure centre and its ponds, and the old villages of Vauréal, Jouy-le-Moutier and Neuville-sur-Oise in the Val d'Oise. You will arrive in the Yvelines at Conflans-Sainte-Honorine, the capital of inland waterway transport at the confluence of the Seine and the Oise.
From Pontoise to Conflans along the river
14.22 mi
+394 ft
-354 ft
6h 55
Difficult
Departure from Pontoise (Val-d'Oise)
A walk from station to station, following the river. After skirting the Oise to Port Cergy, the route joins the Île de Loisirs de Cergy, then takes the Axe Majeur to reach the old Pontoise–Poissy railway line. After the confluence, it follows the Seine along the quays of Conflans-Sainte-Honorine, following part of the discovery trail, before reaching the station.
From Meulan to Triel, from station to station
8.01 mi
+758 ft
-725 ft
4h 20
Moderate
Departure from Meulan-en-Yvelines (Yvelines)
A lovely walk along the banks of the Seine, passing through pretty villages such as Evecquemont. The starting point and finishing point are two stations on the same SNCF line.
From Thun-le-Paradis to Mantes via Brueil-en-Vexin
18.17 mi
+1,230 ft
-1,243 ft
9h 25
Difficult
Departure from Meulan-en-Yvelines (Yvelines)
A long hike from station to station, alternating between the banks of the Seine, forests, fields, towns and villages, offering numerous views of the Seine and the French Vexin. The route, dotted with historical landmarks, also serves as a reminder that heavy fighting took place in the region in August 1944.
From Meulan to Mantes-la-Jolie through woods and fields on the right bank
13.51 mi
+738 ft
-748 ft
6h 50
Difficult
Departure from Hardricourt (Yvelines)
A long hike from station to station that veers away from the Seine Valley (which is not particularly suitable for hiking in this area) and climbs to higher ground. The route alternates between wooded sections and stretches through fields with sweeping views. There is a wealth of heritage to discover, with two beautiful Romanesque churches in the first part and, towards the end and as a grand finale, the Gothic Collegiate Church of Mantes-la-Jolie.
Banks of the Seine from Les Mureaux to Conflans-Ste-Honorine via the Bois de l'Hautil
11.79 mi
+522 ft
-505 ft
5h 50
Moderate
Departure from Les Mureaux (Yvelines)
The walk begins with a very varied section of the GRP® "la Seine impressionniste", starting with the imposing ESA Ariane rocket factory and its loading dock, a charming marina, the Île de loisir du Val de Seine, and several very large ponds. It continues through Triel-sur-Seine, with its pleasant Parc Senet and the architecturally intricate St Martin’s Church. The walk through the Bois d’Hautil along easy yet unspoilt paths is well worth the detour for its chestnut forests dotted with a few fine oaks, and punctuated by a large number of sinkholes resulting from the collapse of underground quarries. And we finish off gently, admiring the confluence of the Oise and the Seine.
⚠️ User comment on 18 May 2026:>Please note: at point 8, the path is closed in both directions due to reported risks of collapse; instead, take the GR®2 further down to cross from east to west
From Bornel to Cires-lès-Mello through the Pays de Thelle
14.29 mi
+915 ft
-932 ft
7h 20
Difficult
Departure from Bornel (Oise)
The ninth stage, entirely in the Oise department, of the Grand Tour of Île-de-France on the GR®11, between the stations of Bornel-Belle-Église in the Esches Valley and Cires-lès-Mello in the Thérain Valley. It consists of a crossing of the Pays de Thelle, from west to east, in the south of the department, and always through magnificent varied landscapes, between woods and fields.