The Étoile des Pétrons Botanical Trail

Start at the Étoile des Pétrons, on the road linking Achères and Maisons-Laffitte. Car park on the right-hand side of the road when coming from Achères.

Green arrows on a white background
Signposting is one-way, in the direction of the route. There are numerous arrows on dedicated posts, located at all key points: as long as it remains in this condition (July 2016), the signposting is sufficient on its own.

N.B. The botanical trail is shown in purple on the 1:25,000 map, but several paths or tracks it crosses are not shown there.

(S/E) At the far end of the car park, on the right-hand side when you have your back to the road, look for the information board with a detailed map. The botanical trail starts to the left of the board. Pass a picnic table on your right. At a fork, turn left, then at a T-junction (not shown on the map), turn right. At another fork, turn left and go down a stone staircase. At another T-junction (bench), turn left.

(1) Cross a wide path and continue straight ahead. After about 100 metres, cross another path. About 150 metres further on, cross a wide avenue, the Route des Ventes Frileuses. At the next fork, turn left.

(2) At the junction (detailed trail map), follow the wide Route du Bèlvédère to the left. After about 250m (yellow signpost), turn left onto a narrower path. Cross a small clearing and turn right. Cross the Route des Ventes Frileuses again. At the T-junction ahead, turn right and continue north-east to the car park (S/E).

The trail’s design, signposting and maintenance are the work of the ONF. For further information, please visit the trail’s page on the ONF website.

Between the start (S/E) and the point (1), the signposted trail is marked as inaccessible to people with reduced mobility (staircase, in particular). This suggests that the rest of the trail is accessible, as is the path leading directly (south-west) from the car park (S/E) to the point (1). I did not have the opportunity to test this... The paths are certainly in good condition, but they may not be very easy to navigate in a wheelchair. Otherwise, trainers are sufficient. There are numerous benches along the route.

The time given is walking time, not including time spent reading the signs. This trail is perfect for a leisurely stroll...

Hike undertaken by the author on 3 July 2016.

- All along the route, information boards showcase no fewer than 24 different species of trees: sycamore maple, sessile oak, pedunculate oak, hornbeam, Austrian black pine, wild cherry, etc.
- Two information boards: “The dead tree, a second life” between (1) and (2) and “A place in the sun” between (2) and (S/E).