L’Arc Boisé starting from Boissy-Saint-Léger: between woodland edges and forests

Start from the esplanade at Boissy-Saint-Léger station.

(S/E) Turn left to cross the junction with Avenue du Général Leclerc, then follow Rue de Paris towards the town centre.

(1) Walk up the fairly steep slope of this main road through the town until you reach the junction with Rue de Sucy. Cross the junction and continue straight on along Allée de la Princesse, a path laid with stabilised gravel and reserved for pedestrians and cyclists. Carry on until you reach the imposing gate marking the entrance to the Grosbois Forest.

(2) After passing through the gate, turn left onto Allée Élisabeth, a wide forest avenue which you follow until, on your right, you reach a vast clearing – the Pelouse du Progrès – featuring picnic tables, offering a different perspective on the forest.

(3) Carry on straight ahead, then turn right onto Allée Wagram and join a narrower path which bends sharply to the left at a 90° angle.

(4) Take this path and continue along a less straight avenue. Note the Chêne des Bruyères, a remarkable tree of which, unfortunately, only the trunk and branches remain, allowing you to imagine its former silhouette. You will then emerge at a car park situated near the Maison Forestière des Bruyères. Leave the car park, keeping the open space on your right and passing under some high-voltage power lines.

(5) After walking between two large stone walls marking the entrance to a residential area, turn right onto Rue de Marolles. This street ends in a dead end for cars and marks the entrance to the Forêt de Notre-Dame. Continue along the stabilised gravel path.

(6) After the barrier blocking access to cars, turn left onto Allée Royale.

(7) After 500 metres, turn right onto Chemin du Vieux Colombier and continue for 1.5 km to the Carrefour du Parc aux Bœufs.

(8) Then take the second path on the left, Chemin du Parc aux Bœufs, and follow it for 1 km to the major Carrefour des Huit Routes junction, recognisable by its distinctive signpost in the centre.

(9) Take the third path on the right, the Route Royale, and continue for 700 m until you reach the Carrefour Royal. Turn left onto the Chemin Noir. After 300 m, you’ll come out at a car park near the Château des Marmousets and its moat.

(10) Turn left onto the Chemin des Grands Clos. The forest becomes denser and the paths narrower. After 350 metres, turn left at the end of the path, then, 100 metres further on, turn right onto the Chemin du Serpent, which continues as the Chemin du Poteau.

(11) At the Carrefour du Poteau de la Queue junction, turn left onto the Chemin de Saint-Nicolas and continue for 600 metres. At the Carrefour de Noiseau junction, turn right onto the Allée Dauphine.

(12) After 400 metres, turn left onto the Allée Martre. This wooded area is characterised by the presence of numerous ponds. After 150 metres, at a pond, turn right, passing close to the Mares Jumelles, then continue to the Allée de Madame, where you turn right. After 150 m, turn left onto Allée Blanche, then, 200 m further on, turn right onto Allée Marguerite. Follow this path for 200 m until you reach another pond.

(13) Turn left and carry on to the Carrefour de la Croix.

(14) Take the second path on the right, the Chemin de la Gueule Noire, which leads to the Route de la Queue-en-Brie, where you leave the forest.

(15) Turn left onto this road and follow the cycle path to the junction with Rue du Tilleul. At the start of this street, on your right, continue along the cycle path through a wooded area until you reach the junction with Rue de Boissy.

(16) Turn left onto the cycle path on Rue de Boissy, then join Rue de Sucy. After the roundabout, turn right into Rue Lacarrière, then take Allée Pompadour, a traffic-calmed road that runs close to the Château du Piple and its woodland area, which has recently been opened to the public.

(17) Follow the cobbled section of this road down to Allée des F.F.I.

(18) Turn left onto this street to reach Boissy-Saint-Léger station, the start and finish point of your route (S/E).

Access: The route starts and ends on the forecourt of the RER A station at Boissy-Saint-Léger.

Useful information and tips:
• Bicycles are permitted on the RER at weekends and outside peak hours on weekdays.
• The route is accessible all year round, but some paths may be more difficult to access in bad weather.
• Please note there is a hill after Boissy-Saint-Léger station.
• As the route follows stabilised paths and dirt tracks, a hybrid bike is recommended.
• Many sections follow shared paths, particularly with walkers and horse riders in the forest. Stay alert and follow the highway code.
• Do not stray from the paths; some areas are protected.
• Wearing a helmet is strongly recommended.
• Local shops can be found in the town centre of Boissy-Saint-Léger.
• Picnic areas have been set up in the forest, notably at the Pelouse du Progrès, the Carrefours des Huit Routes junction, and near the Domaine des Marmousets.
• Remember to bring water with you.

Places to visit:
• The historic centre of Boissy-Saint-Léger (1): centred around Rue de Paris, the town’s main thoroughfare, it extends as far as the^19th-century town hall and the covered market, housed in a former^18th-century farm.

• The Grosbois Regional Forest (2): covering an area of 148 hectares, it is home to oaks, maples, chestnut trees and birches, offering a rich variety of tree species. The Allée Élisabeth and the Allée Wagram form its main thoroughfares. The latter is named in honour of Louis Alexandre Berthier, Marshal of the Empire and Prince of Wagram, who owned the Grosbois estate in the early^19th century.

• The Notre-Dame State Forest (9) (10) (11) (12) (13) (14): covering an area of 2,200 hectares, straddling the departments of Val-de-Marne and Seine-et-Marne, it is classified as a Natural Area of Ecological, Faunistic and Floristic Interest (ZNIEFF). Its name dates back to the Middle Ages, when it belonged to the chapter of Notre-Dame de Paris. It is also notable for its numerous ponds, which provide habitats conducive to a rich biodiversity. The drainage network dug by medieval monks is the source of the many streams that still feed the Morbras and the Réveillon today.

• The Carrefour des Huit Routes (9): where eight forest tracks converge, it is an unmissable landmark for walkers in Notre-Dame and offers a unique perspective on the layout of France’s state-owned forests.

• The Domaine des Marmousets (10): a former hunting ground dating back to the^16th century, the estate lies on the edge of the Notre-Dame Forest. The castle, which is privately owned, is surrounded by a moat. The grounds, which are open to the public, combine woodland, gardens, ponds and a water garden. There is also an^18th-century ice house to be explored.

• Le Bois du Piple (17): recently opened to the public, this 110-hectare wooded area offers a new natural retreat in the heart of the region. At its entrance, the château’s gate and its elegant entrance pavilions evoke the character of this former estate. The château is privately owned.

Find out more (information + events):
• The Grosbois Regional Forest
• The Arc Boisé massif and the Notre-Dame State Forest
• The Domaine des Marmousets
• The Bois du Piple
• GPSEA tourist website

Did you know?
The Arc Boisé wasn’t always so wooded!
In^{the 18th} century, the forests of Notre-Dame and Grosbois were home to vast moorlands and numerous open habitats. Over time, natural reforestation and changing land uses have gradually reduced these areas. Between 1950 and 2012, the moorlands of the Notre-Dame forest lost 95 per cent of their area.