A challenging long route through the forests of Meudon and Fausses-Reposes

N.B. The route includes numerous arbitrary changes of direction for the sake of elevation gain. The use of a GPS is recommended, as otherwise you can quickly become disoriented.

Departure from Chaville-Rive Gauche station. Exit at the front of the train when arriving from Paris. In the underpass, turn left. (Alternative departure point: (2) Chaville-Rive Droite, on the right as you exit the station).

(S/E) When you exit the station, take the paved road that climbs sharply to the left, parallel to the railway line (towards Paris, northeast). At the cemetery, at a fork, turn left and stay parallel to the railway line below on the left. Just before reaching a busy road (Route du Pavé des Gardes), turn right at a 90° angle and go uphill. At the next crossroads, turn left. Yellow markings.

(1) Cross Route du Pavé des Gardes at the traffic lights and continue straight ahead. 50 m further on, note a white statue above on the right (we will pass it later). Take the street that descends diagonally to the left (Rue du Gros Chêne), marked GR® White-Red. Pass under the railway line and continue uphill. Cross the D910 (Rue Roger Salengro) and go up the stairs opposite. Continue along Rue Alfred Fournier. At the end, turn left onto Rue Martial Boudet, then immediately right onto Rue Carnot.

(2) Chaville-Rive Droite station. Continue along Rue Carnot (north-west). Cross a street (Rue du Coteau) and enter the forest via the obvious path, which climbs slightly. Yellow markings.

(3) At the first crossroads (large oak tree in the middle, bench), take the^first path on the left (west), between plots 131 and 132, slightly downhill. At the first crossroads, go straight on until you reach a second crossroads.

(4) At plots 129–130, turn right diagonally and climb steeply. At the next large crossroads (Carrefour des Quatre Bornes), take the path diagonally to the right, descending northwards.

(5) At plots 109–110–96, turn right at a right angle onto a bridle path (east). Then take the
^first path on the left (yellow markings, PR®80-4B)

(6) After a sharp left turn, take a path that descends to the right (yellow markings). Continue to the Vieil Étang (Étangs de Corot, Ville d'Avray). At the pond, take the forest road to the left (Route des Bassins, west). At the crossroads with the tarmac road of Montalet, continue straight ahead.

(7) At the next crossroads, plot 94, turn left at a 90° angle (marked with double yellow lines; Route cavalière du Rompu). Once you reach the plateau, follow the yellow-red markings to the right. About 50 metres further on, descend to the right along the yellow-yellow marked path (west). At the bottom of the slope, turn left (south-south-west, back onto Route des Bassins).

(8) At the next crossroads (92), turn right onto the wide path marked by a yellow gas marker. At the next crossroads (91), marked by a concrete manhole cover, turn left at a right angle and go uphill. At the next crossroads (114), continue uphill along a path slightly to the right.

(9) At the top of the climb, turn right at an acute angle onto Route du Cordon du Nord (117, yellow-yellow markings, flat, heading west). Pass a path on the right and a car park on the left.

(10) Descend the first path on the right immediately after the car park (Route du Carousel, north-northeast). At the next junction, plot numbers 87-88, follow the yellow-red markings diagonally to the left. Take a street on the left to cross a fairly busy road (D985, Route de Versailles) at the pedestrian crossing. On the pavement opposite, take a path diagonally to the left, on flat ground, marked red-yellow.

(11) At the next intersection (plots 83–84–7?), turn left uphill (south).

(12) At the top of the hill (no. 82), follow the edge of the plateau to the right on a tarmac road (Route du Cordon du Nord, north-west) for 500 m.

(13) Facing a green fence on the left, descend a forest road on the right diagonally downhill (Route des Moulins, north then north-northeast). Cross a perpendicular path then pass a turnoff on the left; yellow-yellow markings.

(14) At plot numbers 77-78-74, turn onto a path on the left going uphill (north, yellow-yellow markings). At the top of the hill, at Carrefour du Prieuré, turn right and follow a flat path marked with owl silhouettes (Route du Cordon de Marnes) for 350 m.

(15) At the next junction, on a straight stretch (no. 69), turn right and follow the bright yellow signs for 300 m (Route de Jardy, south-east, yellow-yellow markings).

(16) At the crossroads (plot no. 71), turn left diagonally onto a flat bridle path (Route des Moulins, east-north-east) for 200 m. At the next crossroads (Carrefour du Manège, Maison Forestière de Fausses Reposes), continue diagonally opposite to the left along an uphill tarmac road for 250 m (Route du Manège, north-east). At the end, continue right downhill for 200 m (Route des Cerisiers, tarmac, east).

(17) At an isolated maple tree, 200 metres before the D985 road, take a path on the left uphill for 200 metres (Route du Rompu, northeast).

(18) When you reach the plateau, at a crossroads marked by a double oak tree and the sign "Carrefour du Rompu", take a wide path on the right and continue flat for 500 m (Route des Pierrettes, east, yellow-red markings). At the next crossroads (plots 58-60-59), take a path that descends gently diagonally to the right, marked yellow-red (Route des Pierrettes). Cross the car park and follow the flat path parallel to the road; at the end, go down the stairs.

(19) Cross the D985 Rue de Versailles on a pedestrian crossing and go down the small Rue du Lac opposite, marked^GR®® white-red. Reach the Étang Neuf (Corot monument a few metres to the right). Walk onto the dam closing off the pond (southbound, Chemin de l'Étang Neuf) then continue straight ahead uphill (GR® markings).

(20) At the top of the hill (plot 106), take the sunken path at a right angle to the left, heading east, downhill.

(21) Just before reaching a street, turn left onto the path along a wall, which is flat at first and then uphill (north).

(22) At the top of the hill, turn right (east, yellow markings). Cross a first path. At a T-junction, turn right downhill following the markings.

(23) Cross a street and pass under the railway line via Rue de la Source (yellow-red markings) and continue along a tarmac path, going straight downhill. Cross the D910 (Avenue Roger Salengro, shops) then first turn left then right to go up Rue de la Porte Dauphine. At the top, take the street that goes up to the left (Rue des Capucines).

(24) Take the bridge on the right over the railway line. At the end of the bridge, turn right and follow the tarmac road for 50 metres. At plots 54-53, enter the woods via a path that climbs to the left (east).

(25) At the first crossroads (53–55, Carrefour du Renard), take the^first path on the right, at an acute angle. Go downhill and cross a perpendicular path. At the end, continue to the left parallel to the railway line, first on flat ground and then downhill. Follow the yellow markings southwards to the white statue seen at the start of the hike.

(26) Statue of the Virgin of Bon Repos. Climb up to the left at a right angle, following the white-red markings of the GR®2 (east then north — it's steep!). When you reach the plateau, continue straight ahead (north, Route de Morval). Cross a path (Allée Cavalière de Sèvres).

(27) At the next crossroads (Carrefour de la Femme Sans Tête), take the^second path on the right diagonally (GR® white-red markings). At the next crossroads (Carrefour de la Belle Étoile), continue straight ahead for a few metres, then turn left onto a path that enters the undergrowth at an angle to the cemetery wall (white-red markings). Wind your way through the undergrowth and follow the markings carefully.

(28) Cross the street (left-right, Rue de la Garenne) at a pedestrian crossing and take the path heading due east (Route des Capucins; follow the markings).

(29) At the end, first turn left then right to take the bridge over the N118. Continue straight ahead, following the markings, Chemin des Capucins.

(30) Go through a gate, enter the woods and immediately turn right (follow the signs). Cross a street (Avenue Jules Gevelot) and continue straight ahead on the marked path.

(31) Come out onto a street (Chemin des Capucins) and follow it to the right. At Route des Gardes (D181), go down 50 metres to cross at a pedestrian crossing. Turn right into an alleyway. Go through a gate and, at the fork immediately ahead, take the path on the right (follow the markings and the yellow gas pipeline signs with two sides). After 250 metres, you will come to a crossroads: continue straight ahead (leave the white and red GR® markings, follow the yellow markings and the gas pipeline, Route cavalière des Capucins, South).

(32) At the end (pumping station), turn left (yellow markings, gas pipeline). 200 metres further on, cross a quiet tarmac road (left-right on a pedestrian crossing; Route Royale) and continue on the path opposite. Reach the gate and stone wall of the Meudon Observatory.

(33) Then turn right, following the yellow markings. Walk along the wall on your left; at each corner of the wall, follow it. This will take you to the Carrefour des Six Frères, which is recognisable by its fitness trail and a fairly steep sunken path.

(34) In the middle of the corner formed by the wall on the left and the sunken path on the right, follow a path that slopes downwards, first moderately and then more steeply (yellow markings). This will take you to the north-west corner of the Étang de Meudon. Go around the pond on the left to reach its north-east corner (restaurant).

(35) There are two options here:

• For the 25 km circular route, turn right along the lake for 50 m (along a car park) and join a tarmac road at the point (46). From this point, rejoin the main route.
• For the 35 km circular (marked on the map), continue along a downhill path (east, yellow-red markings).

At the corner of a cemetery, turn right. At the roundabout, take the tarmac road opposite along the Étang de Chalais (on your left, behind a wall) for 300 metres.

(36) At the end of the road, turn left into a car park. Walk along a stone wall (Route de la Porte de Fleury, north-east). You will reach the Fontaine Sainte-Marie fountain in the middle of a grassy clearing on the right-hand side (37) (drinking water).

(37) Cross the grass and turn right (south-east) onto a slightly uphill road (Route de la Fontaine aux Lynx, plot no. 12). After about 150 metres, turn left onto a path not shown on the IGN map. Climb up following the yellow-yellow markings. Join a wide dirt track (Route de la Porte de Fleury) and follow it north.

(38) (From here to point (40), follow the edge of the forest on your left, staying inside the forest.)

Just before the first houses, climb up a discreet path on the right into the forest. On the plateau, take the path climbing to the left, following the yellow signs with two sides. Pass an old water tower on your right and the wall of the Village Éducatif Saint-Philippe (former orphanage) on your left, first on flat ground and then downhill.

(39) At the bottom of the descent, take a wide path on the right, parallel to a street. You will reach an open-air theatre surrounded by a circular stone wall. Go around it, cross a road used as a car park and head diagonally uphill towards the monument to the Water and Forestry officials who were victims of the war, along the busy D2 road.

(40) Follow the yellow trail on the right, parallel to the D2 (south-west). The trail gradually moves away from the D2, on flat ground. At the car park (Carrefour de la Justice), continue almost straight ahead on a slight downhill slope (south-west). Cross the Route de la Fontaine aux Lynx (tarmac road) and climb steeply opposite.

(41) End of steep climb. Once on the plateau, turn right twice and continue for 400 metres.

(42) At the crossroads, turn left twice and follow the edge of the plateau. Join a wide path and follow it to the right to the summit of Tapis Vert.

(43) View of Tapis Vert. Go back a little (plot no. 16) to take a yellow-marked path downhill, parallel to Tapis Vert.

(44) At the bottom of Tapis Vert, turn left onto the flat tarmac road (marked with a dragonfly symbol; no. 15), then left again along the Étang de Trivaux. Follow the yellow markings parallel to Tapis Vert (almost flat at first, then increasingly steep) to return to its summit (43).

(43) Then turn right and cross the D406. Follow the balcony path that passes between the buildings on the left and the D406 on the right for 500m.

(45) In a flat clearing, turn right (yellow markings) to descend into the forest. Continue straight ahead and return to the Étang de Meudon.

(46) Follow the tarmac road to the left (west) and uphill. At the crossroads, continue straight ahead, leaving the Étang de Villebon on your right. At the next crossroads, go straight ahead and pass under the N118. After 100 metres, you will reach a tarmac road.

(47) Take the tarmac road/car park on the left. Continue straight ahead to the Carrefour des Fonds de la Chapelle, where several paths intersect.

(48) At the crossroads, follow the white-red GR® markings to the right (on a wide unpaved lane). After about 100 metres, turn right to reach the Chêne des Missions with its pseudo-megaliths. From there, follow the yellow markings on a path sloping to the left. Walk through the undergrowth following the yellow markings, north-west then north, to the Hertzienne tower of the Étoile du Pavé de Meudon.

(49) Hertzian Tower: Continue around the roundabout to the left and take the^first road on the left, a dirt road, downhill (yellow-red markings). After about 300 m, at a crossroads halfway down, turn left and climb a steep hill. Once you reach the plateau, turn right (yellow-red markings) and descend steeply to the Étang d'Ursine lake.

(50) Turn right and follow the flat Route de Morte Bouteille. Continue straight ahead (north-west) into the forest. Cross a tarmac road and continue along the path opposite (north-west). Walk alongside the cemetery and turn left at the corner. Descend to reach Chaville-Rive Gauche station on the right below (S/E).

(S/E) Access to Chaville Rive-Gauche station: Transilien line N, between Paris-Montparnasse and Versailles-Chantiers. Other public transport options :

• (2) Chaville-Rive Droite station: line L, between Paris-Saint-Lazare and Versailles-Rive Droite, and line U, between La Défense and La Verrière.
• Between (1) and (2), RATP bus 171 on Avenue Roger Salengro.
• Between (35) and (36), RATP bus 289/389, "Triviaux–Hangar Y" stop.

Do not rely too much on the coloured markings, as these are changed quite frequently.

For the 35 km circular, follow the description from start to finish. For the 25 km circular, at Étang de Meudon, cut directly from (35) to (46).

Do not take into account the elevation gain calculated automatically in the "Technical data" section, as this calculation underestimates the hilly terrain. Altimeter measurement: 680m elevation gain for the short route, 900m elevation gain for the long route.

This route follows, with a few minor variations, the route of the 2018 Bossapas raid. The Bossapas is organised every year by the Hauts-de-Seine French Hiking Federation, see https://www.rando92.fr/actus-événements/la-bossapas/.

Refreshments:

• All shops in Chaville. Crossing the D910 (Rue Roger Salengro) between (23) and (24): several shops, including a bakery open on Sunday mornings.
• Spring water at the Fontaine Sainte-Marie (37).
• Several restaurants along the way.

Between (35) and (36): Hangar Y, a former airship base, converted into a museum.