The Southern Paris Green Corridor

The Southern Paris Green Corridor is a series of green spaces that have been developed alongside or above the TGV Atlantique railway lines. The first two stages of this route follow this corridor from Montparnasse station to Massy. The subsequent stages extend the corridor into the Yvette Valley and across the Saclay Plateau.

Photos

Stages of the route

This route needs several days, find the details below:

1. S
   

   From Montparnasse to Porte de Vanves via the green corridor

   2.54 mi 39 ft 7 ft

   The South Paris Green Corridor is a series of green spaces that have been developed near or above the Atlantic TGV railway lines. This short walk, limited to central Paris, follows the green corridor at its beginning, while taking a few liberties to stroll through secret corners of the 14th arrondissement.

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2. 2
   

   From Malakoff to Massy via the Coulée Verte

   7.11 mi 197 ft 174 ft

   The Coulée Verte in southern Paris is a series of green spaces that have been created near or above the Atlantic TGV railway lines. The route, in the inner suburbs, follows this green corridor to its end. An urban walk in green surroundings that can be enjoyed in all seasons, on foot or by bike.

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3. 3
   

   From Massy to Palaiseau

   3.35 mi 115 ft 69 ft

   This third stage of the route serves as a transition between the official end of the green corridor and the Yvette valley. Although it is an exclusively urban route, by taking quiet paths it avoids the busiest parts of the bustling town of Massy.

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4. 4
   

   From the Yvette Valley to the Saclay Plateau

   7.08 mi 315 ft 335 ft

   A hike from station to station that alternates between urban and forest passages. From the Yvette valley, we climb up to the Saclay plateau, where the university campus is constantly expanding. At the start of the descent, we visit an old sandstone quarry that has been converted into a climbing school.

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5. 5
   

   From Palaiseau to Le Guichet via Vauhallan Abbey

   6.26 mi 381 ft 404 ft

   A walk from station to station that climbs up to the Saclay plateau, offering a striking contrast between the cultivated fields criss-crossed with drainage ditches and the ever-expanding university campus. A varied route with its share of ascents and descents.

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6. 6
   

   From Palaiseau to Orsay via the Bois des Gelles

   4.39 mi 305 ft 351 ft

   A short walk, urban at the start and finish, which, in between, combines a pleasant stroll along the River Yvette with wooded and undulating paths.

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7. 7
   

   Circular loop around Orcéenne through the woods and along the Yvette promenade.

   4.38 mi 272 ft 285 ft

   A short hike that combines urban passages, wooded and hilly trails, and a pleasant walk along the Yvette River.

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8. 8
   

   Circular loop around the Corbeville staircases

   1.16 mi 256 ft 259 ft

   Whilst awaiting the opening of Metro Line 18, those working on the Saclay plateau in the Corbeville area who use the RER B can choose between two long, steep flights of stairs or a steep path, on either side of the former La Troche quarry. This gave rise to the idea for this circular route – short but challenging – which can be completed as many times as one wishes and thus provides excellent training ground before tackling climbs of varying lengths during the summer.

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9. 9
   

   The Troche Quarry and Lake Lozère

   3.79 mi 341 ft 351 ft

   A mainly urban, relatively short route with a slight elevation gain. A few steep steps lead up to the Bois de la Troche and the rocks of its former sandstone quarry. The walk ends peacefully along the Yvette.

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10. 10
    

    The hillsides of the Yvette from Le Guichet to Saint-Rémy-lès-Chevreuse

    8.72 mi 646 ft 633 ft

    A varied hike where you gain altitude. First, you climb up to the Saclay plateau and walk along the university campus before gently descending into the Yvette valley through the forest. We climb back up the other bank and cross the Gif-sur-Yvette forest from east to west. After an urban section, we walk between fields before descending back into the forest to Saint-Rémy-lès-Chevreuse.

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11. 11
    

    The Madeleine Forest and Port-Royal-des-Champs Abbey

    6.31 mi 394 ft 381 ft

    In the footsteps of Jean Racine, in places steeped in history. A walk through a variety of environments, between forests, meadows and cultivated fields, with a lovely view of the ancient Abbey of Port-Royal des Champs.

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12. 12
    

    The Viaduc des Fauvettes and the Forêt de Gif-sur-Yvette

    6.56 mi 712 ft 741 ft

    A walk of many faces! On forest tracks interspersed with paths through the city, you follow an old railway line with a tunnel and viaduct, finishing along the course of the river Yvette. A walk to enjoy at any time of year.

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13. 13
    

    The Castles of Janvry and Saint-Jean-de-Beauregard

    5.78 mi 203 ft 210 ft

    From the charming village centre of Janvry, a circular route to discover two 17th-century castles. A short hike through cultivated fields and woodland.

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14. E
    

    Méridon Forest and the former Montabé railway line

    7.08 mi 308 ft 308 ft

    The first part of this walk alternates between woodland and fields. The return journey is through undergrowth, along the former railway line that used to link Saint-Rémy-lès-Chevreuse and Limours.

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Reviews and comments

Nazanine

12 Dec 2022 at 15:07 3600

We were two friends who had walked the Coulée Verte du Sud Parisien in four hours, stopping for lunch in Sceaux.
At the start of the route, which begins at Place Catalogne in Paris, it was a bit tricky to find the starting point. I checked Google Maps, which showed the start of the path next to the church. The rest was fairly straightforward thanks to the illustrated signposts (bicycles, pedestrians) which clearly indicated the town we were in and the direction to follow. The path was very well maintained and pleasant, with some ups and downs as it wound through the Bièvre Valley. We debated whether to take a detour to the Parc des Sceaux or the Vallée aux Loups in Chatenay-Malabry. As the former was closer, after a short stroll through the park we rejoined the greenway all the way to Massy, where we caught the RER B at Massy-Palaiseau as it was starting to get dark around 5.00 pm.

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