Grand tour of Lake Bourdon

Main starting point from the Calanque car park, at the foot of the municipal campsite and very close to the leisure centre.

(S/E) Leave the car park as close as possible to the campsite entrance. Facing the lake, head left and immediately take the path on the left. A sandy path for most of the way, running alongside the upstream section of the reservoir . It was in this area that the Étang du Bourdon was located before the lake was created. You will arrive at a four-way junction.

(1) On the right, there are two posts from an old estate fence. Continue straight ahead, taking care when crossing a stream just beyond the crossroads. Pass close to a private residence on the left; stay on the marked path. The grassy section ends in a gravelly stretch leading to a road.

(2) Continue straight on along this road, which crosses the dyke of the Étang de Charmoy. Carry on until you reach a cross-road at the start of a bend. Opposite the crossroads, gates block the entrance to the Parc de la Boissière, which adjoins the Boutissaint estate.

(3) Turn right towards La Gaîté. On either side of this narrow track are fences separating parks and game reserves. At the Fork in the road, turning right, a first house on the right and a second on the left mark the route. At the bottom of the descent, a cross-road cuts across the path.

(4) Cross over to the opposite side towards Les Rivets (an old roadmender’s hut on the left). At the ‘No Entry’ sign on the left, take the road on the right to reach a dirt track. Follow this to arrive at Les Colas.

(5) Take the wider track straight ahead, passing an old farmhouse on the right. The D185 is fairly straight. It crosses the Ru de Chasseloup and Boitron, which feed into a branch of the Bourdon. Continue, passing the Métairie Archambault dairy farm inn on the right. Further on, you will also pass the hamlet of Les Baillys on the left.

(6) The approach to the embankment is marked by the spillway structures on the right. On the left, you can see the lawns of the gardens running alongside the various streams formed by the overflow channels and embankment collectors.

(7) At the end of the dyke, turn immediately right onto a hard-packed track that separates the lake from the holiday camp buildings. Continue until you reach a large bend.

(8) Opposite, a sign prohibits entry onto private property. Turn left and follow the tarmac road uphill.

(9) Take the cross-road on the right and follow it. Continue, passing the horse farm on your right and the lodges and holiday lodges on your left.

(10) At the crossroads, head down to the right then continue left into the wide bend to return to the start car park (S/E).

Like all the routes, this one can be started at any point along the route.
A mountain bike is ideal for this route.

(2) Charmoy Pond: a recommended stop where you can glance to the left to take in the whole of this very wild pond with ducks, egrets, herons and other visitors depending on the season. You should also look to the right of the drainage sluice to see the various fish farm ponds.

Between (3 and 4), it is not uncommon to spot deer from Boutissaint Park on the left.

(7) A hard-packed track branching off to the left leads to the foot of the walls channelling the spillways and overflow channels.

Nearby are:
Boutissaint Park.
The medieval construction site at Guédelon.
The town of Saint-Fargeau with its castle and various buildings and museums to visit.