Country:
District:
The hike starts at the Meaux beach car park.
You can get there by car or train; Meaux station is about 1,200 metres away.
(S/E) Leave the car park and follow the path along the beach, passing the Cercle Nautique and continuing through a small wood.
(1) At the end of the grove, cross the small bridge and, a few metres further on, turn left. After crossing the panoramic footbridge, you will reach a promontory that serves as an observatory for the Grande Noue de la Marne.
(2) After admiring the view, retrace your steps to the path along the Marne and turn left to continue the circuit, always following the riverbank.
You will walk along a large field for about 700 metres.
(3) At the end, go through the woods. Continue along this path, which winds a few metres from the banks of the Marne through fairly dense vegetation in places. After 700 m, you will come to a T-junction and see the wall of a factory opposite you through the vegetation.
(4) Turn left, and the path will take you to the Canal de l'Ourcq, which you will reach near a pumping station.
(5) Turn left onto the towpath and follow the canal past a riding centre.
(6) As you approach the first houses on the left bank, turn left onto the path that descends towards the sports ground car park. Cross the car park on the left behind the stands of a football stadium to reach the bank of a large rectangular pond.
Turn slightly left to follow the path along the pond and, shortly after the second right turn, turn left and climb up the embankment.
(7) Cross the paved road and take the path that branches off to the left. It curves to the right and, after 400 metres, following a left-hand bend, leads to a hillock that serves as a bird observatory.
(8) Continue along this path, which passes near a pumping station, and keep straight ahead (do not be tempted to turn right).
You will arrive at a path that runs alongside the field you already know.
(9) Turn right, then right again at the second intersection to reach the car park for the Gironnette ponds.
(10) Turn left to follow the path that runs alongside the pond and continue straight ahead. You will pass over several pontoons that allow you to see the water and arrive at a playground at the end of the pond area.
(11) Turn left to retrace your steps along the orchard walk until you reach the crossroads
(12). Turn left and then, at the next crossroads 200 metres further on, turn right. After about 400 metres, turn right onto the floating pontoon, which will take you to the Grande Noue de la Marne Observatory
(2). Turn right to follow the Chemin du Pâtis, which runs alongside allotments.
At the end of the straight road, turn left; the path runs alongside more allotments and takes you back to the car park (S/E).
Visorando member
Moderate 
Association / Club / Walk leader
