Long walk in the Verzy State Forest

An easy walk that ends with the chance to discover a natural curiosity of the region: trees growing in a twisted manner, the Faux de Verzy.

Details

4152748
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 7.28 mi
  • ◔
    Average duration: 3h 35 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 276 ft
  • ↘
    Descent: - 266 ft

  • ▲
    Highest point: 938 ft
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 692 ft
  • ⚐ Country: France
  • ⚐ City: Verzy (51380)
  • ⚑
    Start/End: N 49.142483° / E 4.154803°
  • ❏
    IGN map(s): Ref. 2812E, 2812O, 2813O
  • Hour-by-hour weather

Photos

Description of the walk

Start from the Mont Sinaï car park, located on the right at the top of the hill leading from Verzy towards Louvois (D34).

(S/E) At the far end of the car park, take the path through the woods on the right and join the main stony path, the Route Forestière Brise-Charette.

(1) Take the path opposite to go to the Mont Sinaï Observatory, pass in front of the bunkers and then return to the main path to continue the walk.

(2) Return to the Route Forestière Brise-Charette. Turn right onto it and follow it for just under 500 m until you reach a junction.

(3) Take the path on the left (where the barrier is) and follow it for just under 200 m, until you reach a large, wide path.

(4) Cross it diagonally to the right to find a fairly wide path heading north-west that leads into the undergrowth.
(From here, some paths may be muddy in wet weather, but it is always possible, without straying far from the route, to walk along the sides to avoid the particularly slippery sections).
Follow this path for 500 m, passing a water intake for the village below on your left. Continue for another 500 m until you reach a cross path.

(5) Turn left, heading due south, and follow this path for about 800 m until you come out onto the lovely Chemin de la Serre, a stony track, which you take to the left for about 450 m until you reach a fork.

(6) Leave the Chemin de la Serre and take the path on the right heading south-south-west for about 800 m before turning left towards the south-east for just under 400 m towards the Route Forestière des Batis.

(7) Just before this forest road, take the path branching off to the right towards the south, descending for about 700 m to a stream bed. Cross it, then continue along this path, which turns south-west for just under 200 m.

(8) Turn sharply left towards the south-east onto a track and you will come to a car park and the D34 road which runs from Verzy to Louvois.

(9) Cross it and take the Route Forestière du Grippet opposite, which you will follow for about 2.5 km until you reach the Route Forestière des Faux at a junction.

(10) Turn left onto this forest road and continue for about 800 m until you reach a fork.

(11) Turn right, join the Promenade des Faux, and follow it.
(You can also do this as a circular route if it’s your first time exploring this natural attraction).

(12) At the end of the Promenade des Faux, follow the Les Faux road, which leads to the Faux de Verzy car park, then continue until you return to the D34. Head slightly left along it, then cross over to reach the Mont Sinaï car park (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : mi 0 - alt. 922 ft - Mont Sinaï car park
  2. 1 : mi 0.08 - alt. 915 ft - Good gravel path - Observatoire du Sinaï
  3. 2 : mi 0.49 - alt. 902 ft - Route Forestière Brise-Charette, on the right
  4. 3 : mi 0.78 - alt. 912 ft - Barrier, on the left
  5. 4 : mi 0.9 - alt. 912 ft - Path, diagonally to the right
  6. 5 : mi 1.59 - alt. 912 ft - T-junction, turn left
  7. 6 : mi 2.41 - alt. 932 ft - T-junction, turn right
  8. 7 : mi 3.16 - alt. 902 ft - Path, on the right
  9. 8 : mi 3.84 - alt. 719 ft - Path, on the left
  10. 9 : mi 4.31 - alt. 833 ft - Crossing the D34
  11. 10 : mi 5.74 - alt. 938 ft - Crossroads. Route Forestière des Faux
  12. 11 : mi 6.24 - alt. 935 ft - Junction. Promenade des Faux
  13. 12 : mi 6.82 - alt. 922 ft - Route: Les Faux
  14. S/E : mi 7.28 - alt. 922 ft - Mont Sinaï car park

Notes

- Updated by the author on 1 February 2023.

- During the hunting season, check with the town halls of Verzy and Mailly-Champagne for opening days; otherwise, leaflets attached to trees provide these dates (you can also ask hunters, who will tell you which areas are off-limits for hunting on the day you meet them).

- Except for a short section from (4) to (9), the entire walk follows a well-graveled path and is even tarmac-surfaced in places.

- You can rest on benches at the end of the walk, near Les Faux de Verzy.
The walk route has been updated several times since it was first created, as paths that may have been open for a while are now closed (and others may be closed in the future).

Worth a visit

(1) At Mont Sinaï, a World War I bunker and panoramic views over the Champagne plain.
From (4) to (9) you may encounter local wildlife (wild boar, fox, roe deer...).
From (10) to (12), you can (re)discover a regional natural curiosity: the Faux de Verzy

Reviews and comments

4 / 5
Based on 5 reviews

Reliability of the description
3.8 / 5
Ease of following the route
4 / 5
Route interest
4.2 / 5
User 20793256

Overall rating : 3.3 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 01, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

This hike is difficult to follow using a map, so using the app is really necessary.
A pleasant, shaded route with one muddy section that can be bypassed. The Verzy giant sequoias at the end of the route add even more interest to the hike.

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virgule
virgule
• Edited:

Hello,

This isn't my route, but it's an area I know well. I've re-read the guidebook and it matches the map; there's nothing to correct.

As long as you stay on forest roads, the guidebook is sufficient, but from (3) to (9), it's not enough, even for an experienced hiker. The trails are sometimes barely marked and in places almost impassable because they are not maintained. I think the app is essential to avoid getting lost. You did well to use it.

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Karinette51
Karinette51

Hello,
I’m sorry, but I can’t remember.
I have the memory of a goldfish.
If it happens again, I’ll make a note of it.
But everything went very smoothly with the card.
Kind regards.

Karinette51

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Karinette51
Karinette51

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 21, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

There was an error in the description regarding the map.
At one point, we were told to turn right, but it was actually left, but we found it with the map.
The rest was perfect! Most of the route was through woods, which was very pleasant in the heat.

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messager@dd
messager@dd

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 26, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

As mentioned earlier, the section from point 4 to point 6 is impassable – it’s too muddy – so you need to take the west-facing greenhouse path at point 2 to reach point 6; from 6 to 8, the path is magnificent beneath the high forest canopy; it’s raised off the ground, so your feet stay dry most of the time; in our opinion, the most beautiful tree to see is the Feu de St Basle after point 11. Enjoy the hike; it’s lovely in warm weather.

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Xavier Lavictoire
Xavier Lavictoire

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 09, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A lovely, easy walk. Please note that between points 4 and 6, the path has been blocked by logging machinery.
However, the route markings make it easy to find your way back on track.
Please note: timber harvesting on 21 October, 4 and 17 November, 2 and 20 December, 13 and 27 January 2024, and 10 and 23 February 2024.

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TIQUET
TIQUET

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 10, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

From point 4 to the water reservoir, the path is flooded; the route runs alongside it and requires crossing several deep ditches.
Between 6 and 9, path used by mountain bikers

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