The Îlon Basin and the Bois de la Garenne

A hike with varied landscapes, in the hollow of a bend in the Seine: views of the river banks, a vast stretch of water, a nature reserve and bird observatories, cultivated plains and, finally, a pleasant walk through the Bois de la Garenne.

Details

415603
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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 13.85 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 4h 05 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 36 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 36 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 58 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 18 m

Photos

Description of the walk

Parking is available in the public car park at 30 Chemin de la Corne de Cerf, signposted with a "P" sign at the entrance to the village of Saint-Martin-la-Garenne on the D147 when coming from Limay/Mantes-la-Jolie.

Yellow signposting

(S/E) On leaving the car park, turn left onto Chemin de la Corne de Cerf. At the next crossroads (note the restored old buildings on your right), continue straight ahead onto Rue du Vieux Puits. This will take you to the church square (you can walk back to the other side to see the old priory and a wash house). Then follow the D147 to the left towards Vétheuil. Before a right-hand bend, turn left onto Rue Raoul Lescène towards Sandrancourt. Cross one street on the right, then one on the left, and continue straight ahead.

(1) Before No. 141 on the left, turn right onto a path that descends between two fences. After about 50 metres, ignore the turn-off on the right and continue straight ahead. At the next crossroads (elevation 37), make a right-left zigzag and continue in the same direction (north-west) through bushy vegetation and shrubs. After a grove of conifers, ignore a turn-off on the left and continue straight ahead.

(2) At the T-junction, turn left (information sign about the Seine hills on the left). Keep west-southwest on a wide, good path along the edge of vast fields on the right and the edge of a wood on the left, ignoring all turnings on either side. After crossing a strip of woodland, pass a water treatment plant on your left (not shown on the IGN map). Continue along the wide road until you reach the road linking Saint-Martin and Sandrancourt.

(3) Follow the road to the right. At the next crossroads, continue straight ahead (the purple line on the IGN map is inaccurate here) and follow an old quarry on your left. When the road begins to bend sharply to the right, continue straight ahead on a path lined with a hedge on the left. Note the Chapelle Sainte-Anne on your right, seen from behind (the path is called Chemin de Derrière la Chapelle). At the junction with a street, take the Chemin des Gloriettes opposite, slightly to the left. At the end, go through a forest gate and you will come to the bank of the Bassin de l'Îlon.

(4) Then turn slightly to the right and follow the basin on your left. After two right-hand bends, at an information sign, take the stabilised path for pedestrians and cyclists on the left (not shown on the map at this exact location). Turn left onto the stabilised path and follow the entire north bank, with the basin at varying distances. On the right is a dense copse making the right bank of the Seine inaccessible, followed by a meadow.

(5) At the end of the paved path (forest barrier), turn left onto a paved road and take a footbridge (view on the left of the Port de l'Îlon). At the south-western tip of the basin, continue straight ahead on a small road (ignore the yellow arrow indicating to turn right; twoPR® trails intersect here).

(6) After a green gate on the right, climb the embankment on the right and head for a bird observatory (nature reserve). Continue along the path on the embankment parallel to the road. At the end (another observatory, information boards), return to the edge of the road and continue to the next junction.

(7) Cross the road and follow it to the left. Just after the bus stop, turn right onto a path in the undergrowth (there is a stone across the path at the start). Keep a short distance away from a field on your right and, at the corner of the field, turn right. Continue through the undergrowth and then along the edge of the woods on your left. At the crossroads about 50 metres after the end of the woods, turn left (east) onto a farm track (no signpost here). Walk alongside young trees on your left and continue between the fields. The track turns left and then right and is bordered on the left by a hedge and bushes. Pass a pumping station on your right and continue to a crossroads (electric pole opposite).

(8) Then follow the road to the right and another farm track. Ignore a grassy path coming from the right and, at the next crossroads, continue straight ahead, passing a model aircraft club. At the next crossroads, at the entrance to the club, turn left onto the grassy path that climbs towards a wood (no signpost here).

(9) Enter the Bois de la Garenne and follow the signs. Walk north-east, cross a road and continue opposite through the undergrowth (the "Entrée interdite" sign only applies to the interior of the woods, not the path). Stay on the main path to the northeast and ignore all side paths (in particular thePR® path on the right, level with a tree marked with the number 9).

(10) At the fork shortly after a tree bearing the number 12, take the path on the right (the one on the left is less clear and less inviting). Leave the woods and walk along a field on your right. Keep heading north-east, alternating between the undergrowth and the edge of the woods on your left, keeping the bell tower of Saint-Martin church in sight. Walk along a small vineyard on your right (information sign). At the first houses, the path gives way to a tarmac lane. You will soon come to the car park on your left (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 54 m - Parking - Chemin de la Corne de Cerf
  2. 1 : km 0.39 - alt. 48 m - Start of the trail
  3. 2 : km 1 - alt. 24 m - Les Prés Garnis - T-junction
  4. 3 : km 2.75 - alt. 20 m - Road between Saint-Martin and Dandrancourt
  5. 4 : km 3.96 - alt. 19 m - East bank of the - Bassin de l'îlon
  6. 5 : km 6.46 - alt. 22 m - West bank of the - Bassin de l'îlon
  7. 6 : km 7.01 - alt. 24 m - Nature Reserve
  8. 7 : km 7.89 - alt. 29 m - T-junction
  9. 8 : km 9.59 - alt. 32 m - Crossing of farm tracks
  10. 9 : km 10.88 - alt. 56 m - Bois de la Garenne
  11. 10 : km 12.57 - alt. 45 m - Fork
  12. S/E : km 13.85 - alt. 54 m - Parking - Chemin de la Corne de Cerf

Notes

The paths are either stabilised or in good condition: this hike should be passable all year round, even in wet conditions. However, hiking boots are recommended.

No water sources have been identified along the route. There is a restaurant in Saint-Martin-de-la-Garenne.

Signposting is generally sparse and, due to a lack of support, almost non-existent between fields. A 1:25,000 map is therefore essential (at least the one accompanying this description).

Hike completed by the author on 4 December 2016.

Worth a visit

- Saint-Martin Church (restored in the 19th century) (S/E).
- View of the chalk banks of the Seine hillsides in (2) (towards the north-east).
- Chapelle Sainte-Anne shortly before (4).
- Îlon basin between (4) and (5).
- Bird observatories from (6).

Always be cautious and plan ahead when you're outdoors. Visorando and the author of this route cannot be held responsible for any accidents occurring on this route.

The GR® and PR® markings are the intellectual property of the Fédération Française de Randonnée Pédestre.

Reviews and comments

4.7 / 5
Based on 50 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.8 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.8 / 5
Route interest
4.5 / 5
User 2202739

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 26, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A beautiful hike with varied landscapes. The Lafarge quarry, which you can see almost the entire first part of the hike, detracts a little from the scenery, but you forget all about it when you arrive at the basin. Just after the basin on the right, don't miss the bird observatory!
It's not the most beautiful hike we've done in the Vexin, but it's very pleasant for a sunny warm-up (no elevation gain).

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SAAJ21
SAAJ21

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 25, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Easy hike, no particular difficulties.
We completed it in 3 hours and 15 minutes in November. Please be aware that this is a hunting area.

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bernardjeanmartin
bernardjeanmartin

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 18, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A wonderful opportunity just a few minutes from Paris to have lunch on the grass by the Seine, even in February.
Very peaceful and easy to get to. Wait a few more weeks for the vegetation to reach its full potential.

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waiwaite
waiwaite

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 08, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very pleasant walk, perfect for this Indian summer. We actually got quite warm during the last part of the walk in the fields.
There were hunters at the start, but no problems.
There was little or no elevation gain.
There were no birds on the Ilon basin or in the reserve afterwards, but there were some in the old quarry basin before that.
The port of Ilon is quite exotic and makes you want to travel.
Thanks once again, Netra

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optimus prime
optimus prime

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 18, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

As with all of Etienne's hikes, the route description is perfect
We did this hike in March, and the sun was shining gently, even in the Guerennes woods, as there were no leaves yet.
However, through no fault of the author, the section between points 2 and 3 has lost some of its interest, as we no longer walk alongside meadows on the right-hand side, but a new aggregate extraction site operated by Lafarge
The latter has connected the existing quarries south of point 3 by passing under the road and now exploits the entire area known as "Pré d'Auber" and "les Bretelles".
We only came across two people twice. This is unlikely to be the case in summer, especially around the port of Ilon.
Like Feuillard, we were dismayed to find piles of rubbish (mainly building materials) left at each of the forest entrances served by a road... we have a pretty good idea who might be responsible...

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GG VB
GG VB

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 19, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A beautiful, very peaceful hike through stunning scenery. It's very easy. The only slight drawback was that we were there on the first weekend of the hunting season, and the trail passes through undergrowth and, above all, forest edges... Best to do this during the hunting season wearing a high-vis vest!

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SylvieDelap
SylvieDelap
• Edited:

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 20, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Superb, very varied hike!

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Bidou61
Bidou61

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 21, 2021
Reliability of the description : Not used / Not applicable
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Having already done this hike last year, we wanted to do it in reverse. So we started at the Bois de la Garenne. At a place called "Les Bas Culs Frais", we headed towards Guernes, following part of hike no. 2555993 called "Boucle autour de Guernes" (Loop around Guernes) to rejoin the route at the Port de l'Ilon access point. In total, it was 18 km in 4 hours (not including the lunch break at the Bassin de l'Ilon). A very nice hike overall, thanks to the two authors who inspired us.

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FEUILLARD
FEUILLARD

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 10, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A very beautiful hike.
We did it on a Thursday, so we didn't encounter too many other walkers.
We had a picnic by the water and enjoyed discovering the protected area.
Thanks to the creator

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mdre
mdre

Overall rating : 4.5 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 06, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : Not used / Not applicable
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

Obviously, on a sunny Sunday, we weren't the only ones there, but who cares?
the terrain was completely flat, so there were no difficulties, and the landscapes were very varied. The part in the fields is nice because the views are not monotonous.
we were disappointed to see several piles of rubbish, obviously left there by litterbugs, which is becoming quite rare. And to top it all off, on the way back through the woods, we had to give way to a utility vehicle carrying grandpa and grandma... It's really shocking!

The village is charming and this part of the Vexin region is great

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SYLVIE CC YVELINES
SYLVIE CC YVELINES

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : May 09, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Pretty village A sunny, windy day Beautiful route, varied forest, ponds and fields Beautiful colours When we arrived at the bird sanctuary, we regretted not bringing binoculars We had a picnic at the pond in the bastide(when you arrive at the port, turn right onto a path that leads to the pond. It's a peaceful spot with birds singing. In the fields, we saw lots of herds of cows with their calves. We didn't see many people
I recommend this walk, but avoid doing it in the midday sun
Thanks, viso rando

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randofans
randofans

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 12, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

A pleasant hike through nature to point 6. We saw quite a few birds near the quarries (larks and a falcon) and even watched a mating dance performed by grebes from the nature reserve's observation points. However, we found the end of the trail (from point 7 onwards) rather monotonous. It was very, very hot and there were no trees between points 7 and 9. Despite bringing water with us, we found it very difficult to quench our thirst. The Bois de la Garenne is also of limited interest.

This hike is not recommended in hot weather.

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Dethilma
Dethilma

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 15, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

I started this route quite early (at 10 a.m. on Sunday, 14 June 2020). I encountered very few people on most of the route, but a few more around the Bassin de l'Ilon. I imagine that when the weather is nice, the route around the basin is very busy. However, you will encounter few people on the rest of the route.

The route alternates between forests, fields, nature reserves for birds, and this beautiful basin. I really enjoyed this route! I did it with my dog, and I was able to let her run free in the fields. However, I recommend keeping dogs on a leash around the pond (out of respect for walkers and fishermen) and in the woods (there may be hunting). Two-thirds of the pond is easily accessible, which is handy for bathing dogs and cooling them off

A quick note about point (1): the path is actually located OPPOSITE the gate of house no. 141 on the street. It's the first path on the right after the two streets on the right and left, maybe only 20 or 30 metres away. I missed it the first time xD

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estellej
estellej

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : May 22, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Very beautiful hike, varied landscapes, no difficulty.

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Thorfin33
Thorfin33

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : May 30, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A pleasant outing. Very flat. The stretch of water offers some beautiful views. A little monotonous in the last third when you're in the middle of the fields. We didn't get to see any model aircraft demonstrations.
On the route itself, we didn't see the fork at point 10, but we didn't take the wrong road.

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