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The hike starts at the car park of the Isle-les-Meldeuses train station (Seine et Marne). You can get there by car or train.
GR® trail markings (red and white)
(S/E) Turn right onto Rue de la Gare towards the village centre.
(1) At the crossroads, turn left towards Trilport, then turn right into the second street (Rue de l'Église). After the right-hand bend in this street, turn left onto the path that leads to the D121E.
(2) Follow this road to the left, which crosses the Marne. Continue to Villers-les-Rigault and turn right onto Rue du Grand Voyeux. When you reach the gate of the pumping station, turn left onto the tree-lined avenue and walk to the Canal de l'Ourcq (this avenue crosses two streets).
(3) Turn right onto the canal towpath and continue for about one kilometre. The canal curves sharply to the left, then runs straight for about 200 metres.
(4) Pay attention at the end of the curve to leave the towpath. TheGR® markings, clearly visible on the tree trunks, branch off to a path descending to the right into the vegetation. Take this path and, a few metres further down, you will reach a track running parallel to the canal. Continue left along this track until you reach a pumping station (a small white building surrounded by wire fencing).
No markings
(5) Turn right onto the path that descends towards a field immediately after the building. The path becomes a trail, curves to the right and runs alongside the river (the Ourcq).
(6) Cross the footbridge over the river and continue to the right on its left bank. When you reach the Marne, at the confluence, turn left and follow the bank upstream to the railway bridge.
PR® (yellow) markings
(7) Go under the bridge and continue along the path that leads to Quai Jacques Papin and Rue du Port. At the crossroads, turn right onto Grande Rue. A few metres further on, cross the road and follow Avenue Trois Vallets opposite. Continue along the Marne, passing the Tancrou recreation area.
(8) Shortly after the ruins of a mill, you will arrive on the D53 near a property (No. 6 Route de Changis).
(9) Now follow the D53 for 800 metres, which turns left at a 90° angle in front of the Chivres farm, then 200 metres further on, turn right. After another 200 metres, you will reach a forest path on your left.
(10) Turn left and head into the forest.
(11) At the third crossroads, turn right onto the track. The track veers left after a few metres. Continue on, passing a hunting lodge before leaving the forest 200 metres further on. Cross the large cultivated area in front of you for about a kilometre to reach the D53 at the entrance to Changis-sur-Marne.
Cross the D53, then follow Rue des Vieilles Vignes opposite. At the end of the street, on the left, you will find yourself in one of the SNCF train station car parks. An underpass allows you to cross to the other side of the railway line.
GR® trail markers (red and white)
(12) Continue along Rue de la Gare. Turn right onto Rue du Moncey, then left onto Rue du Vieux Saule and finally right onto Chemin des Iles, which runs parallel to the Marne. At the end of this road, a staircase leads up to the D53A bridge. Cross the D53A, turn left, cross the bridge and descend to the right onto the banks of the Marne. Continue for 200 metres on the marked path, which turns left.
No markings
(13) Continue straight ahead, following the path along the Marne. When you reach the lock, turn left to go around it, taking Rue de l'Écluse to the end of the fence, then turn right onto the path that takes you back to the Marne. Follow the path parallel to the river, which runs alongside a large field for about a kilometre but does not allow you to see the Marne due to the dense vegetation bordering it. Cross a wood at the end of the field, then follow a track used by vehicles serving properties.
(14) About a hundred metres before the railway bridge over the Marne, turn left onto the track that climbs up to an SNCF service building. To the left of the building, you will see a staircase with a sign indicating that it is an access path tothe GR®11.
Climb the stairs to the D17E (do not turn onto the path on the right, as indicated by a sign just before the road, as it is difficult and very slippery in wet weather).
Turn right onto the road and, after about 100 metres, turn left onto a grassy track between the edge of the forest and a large field. After about 300 metres, you will reach a beautiful forest track markedGR®.
GR® markings (red and white)
(15) Continue straight ahead. At the entrance to the forest, the track veers to the right and then winds downhill. You will cross paths marked "private property" and arrive near a railway line where you turn right, then right again a hundred metres further on at the edge of the forest.
(16) The path gradually climbs back up to the plateau. At each junction, continue straight ahead. At the top of the hill, you will pass Château des Bruyères. Continue on, and the path becomes a small road leading to Chemin des Bruyères near the first houses of Isle-les-Meldeuses.
(17) At the junction with Chemin de Saint-Jean, turn left, then after a hundred metres, turn left again onto the D17E, which will take you back to the station (S/E).
Visorando member
Very difficult 
Moderate 
Association / Club / Walk leader
