The Gallo-Roman site of Champlieu and the Grands Monts

Access and starting point:
From Orrouy or Béthisy-Saint-Martin, on the D123 road, follow the signs for “Site gallo-romain de Champlieu” or “Chapelle de Champlieu”. Park in a grassy car park located at a junction, approximately 150 m past the Gallo-Roman site when coming from Béthisy, where there is an information board with a walking map.

No signposting

(S/E) Head south along a stony path, noting the walls of the ancient Gallo-Roman theatre on your right, beyond a field. Ignore a path on the left (as well as a red and white arrow on the ground), continue straight ahead and join a small road.

(1) Follow the road to the right.

Red and white markings

Enter Champlieu, cross the hamlet and reach the remains of the chapel.

(2) Continue along the road and, at the T-junction, turn right towards the Gallo-Roman site. You will reach the site after about 700 m.

No markings

(3) Explore the site at your leisure (the route provided is for guidance only). The temple ruins are on the left-hand side of the road. The ancient theatre is on the right, and you can walk around it via the top of the steps. The remains of the baths are behind the theatre.

Red and white markings

(3) Continue along the road to quickly return to the starting car park.

In the forest, signposts are located at all the junctions mentioned in the description below. The paths are generally marked with their starting and finishing points.

(S/E) On your way back from the Gallo-Roman site, follow a gravel path to the left, leaving the car park and its information board on your right. Walk alongside a fenced-off plot on your right (regenerating woodland).

No signposting

At the corner of the fence (signpost), turn right onto a wide grassy path. Walk alongside a dense wooded area on your left and the fenced-off plot on your right. This will take you to the Carrefour des Tournelles.

(4) Here, you have two options:
- Go straight on along a tarmac forest road (reserved for cyclists and pedestrians) to the Étoile de la Reine (6).
- As shown on the map, take the^second path on the left (north-north-east), the Route des Tournelles aux Grands Monts. Do not hesitate to push through the tall grass blocking the entrance to the path (as of June 2021). The path is then overgrown with grass, a sign of low footfall. You will arrive at the Carrefour des Grands Monts.

(5) Take the^second path on the right (east-northeast), the Route des Grands Monts to the Étoile de la Reine. This path is slightly less overgrown than the previous one. At the end, go through a forest gate and cross the D116.

(6) Two paths lie ahead: take the one on the left (East-North-East), the Route des Grands Monts to the Carrefour de Galatée, which looks like a footpath at the start. Cross the Carrefour de Galatée and continue straight on along the Route des Grands Monts to the Carrefour de Gilocourt. Reach the said crossroads.

(7) Turn left (north-west) onto a good track towards Les Petits Monts and a clearly visible signpost. Reach the Carrefour des Petits Monts.

(8) Turn onto the^first path on the right, the Route de l’Écho. Head straight on (east-northeast) along a path that is not always clearly marked, and reach the Carrefour Sylvain.

(9) Then take the^first path on the left (north-west), the Route du Sylvain, at the Carrefour des Muses. After a very short climb, the path gives way to a trail. At a T-junction, turn left. The path immediately turns right to reach the Carrefour des Muses.

Red and white markings

(10) Continue straight ahead on the Route Tournante with the^GR®12(ignore a path on the right that goes downhill). Up to the point (14), the marked path will remain along the edge of the plateau, with a more or less steep slope on the right.

(11) Cross the D116 at the Carrefour de Diane and continue straight ahead.

(12) Cross another road at Carrefour des Éluas and follow the Route de Ligre diagonally to the right. The track soon gives way to a path through open woodland. The signposted path veers left (elevation 123) and winds through a birch copse.

(13) At the Callisto junction, continue straight ahead (signpost) through a beautiful high forest. The path takes a sharp bend to the right, climbs and descends slightly, then turns left (south-southeast) to reach the Acaste junction.

(14) Continue straight on (south-southeast) along the Route du Roc au Périmètre (let the^GR®12branch off to the right; continue on the link between the^GR®12 and 11B). You’ll come out onto a wide gravel path; follow it to the left. Ignore the path on the left that you took on the way there, walk along the fenced-off plot on your left and you’ll soon reach the car park (S/E).

Hiking boots are required. Part of the walk is on forest paths that are more or less overgrown with grass: trousers are preferable to shorts.

No water points identified along the route.

A 1:25,000 map is required (at the very least the one accompanying this description). Following the route using the Visorando app or a compass may be helpful.

Alternatives:
- As the walk forms a circular figure-of-eight around the starting point, it is of course possible to complete just one of the two circular loops. Allow 2.6 km for the southern circular loop (Champlieu) and 10.8 km for the northern circular loop (forest).
- A visit to the Gallo-Roman site can be done as a simple return trip by road from the car park (150 m each way).
- It is possible to park in a small car park at the Gallo-Roman site itself (limited number of spaces).

Walk completed by the author on 12 June 2021.

- Ruins of the Champlieu chapel (2).
- Gallo-Roman site of Champlieu (2nd century) (3). The site alone is worth the trip! The ancient theatre and thermal baths are in good condition, whilst the remains of the temple only allow one to visualise the place the monument occupied at the time.
- Forest trail in the northern circular loop.