The Pinceloup and Saint-Benoît Woods

A route mainly through forest, with some remarkable trees and a beautiful pond, and a heritage detour through the hamlet of Loireux.

Details

97976
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 11.83 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 3h 30 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 38 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 38 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 169 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 124 m

Photos

Description of the walk

Departure from Clairefontaine-en-Yvelines, at the junction between the D27 and D72 roads (traffic lights). Two car parks are available:
- Along the D27, past the junction when coming from Rochefort-en-Yvelines and the A10.
- Behind the church, a few metres up the D72.

Blue and white signs

(S/E) Follow the main road (D27) towards Rambouillet (west-northwest). After about 100 metres, turn left towards Sonchamp (signposted). Follow the path that runs alongside the pond on your right. At the end of the path, take the small road on the right (Chemin de la Hunière, sign) and pass the Résidence Clairefontaine.

(1) At the fork, take the left path, which heads west (sign for "Chemin de la Hunière", yellow marker). Continue straight ahead through the woods, ignoring the perpendicular paths. At a crossroads near a fence, turn left. Continue south-west, climbing gently, with the fence on your right. After a flat section, you will come to a wide path.

Red and white markings

(2) Turn left onto the GR®. Ignore the path that branches off to the right and follow the signs for Saint-Arnoult.

(3) When you reach the Fosse aux Loups, turn right and walk along the pond on your left. At the next crossroads, turn left at a right angle and take the path that branches off between trees numbered 6 and 7 (forest plots). Walk south-south-east, cross a few perpendicular paths, including a gravel lane, and you will come to a crossroads with a small house on the right. Then take the second path on the left (on the left side of this path, there is a tree marked with the number 18). The terrain begins to open up and you can see houses and meadows on the right. You will come to a small road after a forest gate.

No signposts

(4) Leave theGR® trail on your left and take the road on the right towards Loireux. After the sign indicating the entrance to the hamlet (spelled "Louareux"), go around the farm on the left, staying on the road (do not enter the tree-lined lane on the left). Pass in front of the Chapelle Saint-Jean. After the chapel, take the small road on the left (post box on the corner, signposted "Impasse"). Follow this road to Petit Loireux and, after passing the last houses, turn right.

(5) At the end of the tarmac road, turn left at a right angle and take the grassy path between two fields towards the woods. At the corner of the woods, turn left again at a right angle. Walk north-east, with the field on your left and the woods on your right.

(6) At the crossroads, take the path on the right that starts at the forest gate (on the right, tree marked with the number 27). After a few metres, at a fork, turn left between the two trees marked with the numbers 26 and 27 respectively. Then follow the path called "Route de Loireux" straight ahead for about 1 km (south-east). You will arrive at the Carrefour de Saint-Benoît, at the edge of forest plots numbered 28, 29, 30, 31 and 32.

(7) At the crossroads, take the third path on the left, which starts between plot numbers 32 and 31. Go down gently, cross a stream and go up briefly to come out onto a wide perpendicular path.

Red and white markings

(8) Take theGR® on the left. At the next crossroads, pass in front of an abandoned house (Poste de Saint-Benoît). Continue straight ahead on theGR® and keep heading north-west. Cross several paths and you will come to a forest barrier and a tarmac road.

No markings

(9) Continue straight ahead on the paved road (Route de Sonchamp), still heading northwest. Follow this road for about 250 metres.

Blue and white signposts

(10) Leave the road and turn right onto Chemin des Essarts, which starts at the foot of a water tower. The path descends, then climbs slightly and becomes sandier (pine and birch woods). Cross a perpendicular path (sign) and continue north. Walk through a more open area of wet meadows and birch trees. Walk alongside the water treatment plant on your left and cross a stream.

(11) At the next crossroads, turn left to reach a forest gate and a road. Cross a stream and follow the road that branches off to the left. Turn right onto this road and pass a playground and a tennis court. Climb slightly and you will reach Clairefontaine town hall and, immediately after, the starting point (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 131 m - Road D27 x Road D72
  2. 1 : km 0.76 - alt. 128 m - Chemin de la Hunière x Sentier des Bonnes Femmes
  3. 2 : km 1.99 - alt. 163 m - Junction with the GR655
  4. 3 : km 2.4 - alt. 163 m - Fosse aux Loups
  5. 4 : km 4.23 - alt. 168 m - Leave the GR shortly before Loireux.
  6. 5 : km 5.31 - alt. 164 m - Petit Loireux
  7. 6 : km 5.99 - alt. 163 m - Route de Loireux
  8. 7 : km 7.05 - alt. 163 m - Saint-Benoît crossroads
  9. 8 : km 7.54 - alt. 156 m - Junction with the GR655
  10. 9 : km 9.35 - alt. 169 m - Sonchamp road
  11. 10 : km 9.62 - alt. 167 m - Chemin de l'Essart
  12. 11 : km 11.32 - alt. 124 m - Crossroads
  13. S/E : km 11.83 - alt. 131 m - Road D27 x Road D72

Notes

The route is mostly in forest. In winter, the ground is wet and muddy, especially between (3) and (4) and between (8) and (9). It is therefore best to do this hike in spring or summer and, in any case, in dry weather.

For the most part, the paths are not marked, so a 1:25,000 map is essential.

Additional information:
This hike can be combined with the hike "La Croix du Grand Veneur and the reed beds of Clairefontaine", which has the same starting point. There are two options:
- Start with this hike. When you reach the point (12), turn right and follow the other hike from its starting point (1).
- Start with the other hike. When you reach the point (12), turn right at a sharp angle and follow this hike from its starting point (1).
In both cases, the distance is approximately 22.5 km.

Hike completed by the author on 25 January 2015.

Worth a visit

In the forest:
- La Fosse aux Loups (pond), at (3).
- Le Poste de Saint-Benoît (old forest house?), shortly after (8).
- Le Chêne de Saint-Benoît, on the left of the path shortly before a crossroads, approximately 500m before (9).
- A few other remarkable trees here and there.

In Loireux (commune of Sonchamp), between (4) and (5):
- Dovecote (former Manoir de Loireux).
- Saint-Jean Chapel (15th century).

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

4.8 / 5
Based on 59 reviews

Reliability of the description
5 / 5
Ease of following the route
5 / 5
Route interest
4.4 / 5
vava78
vava78

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 30, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A very beautiful hike, easy and pleasant, but not to be done in winter as there is a lot of water and some very muddy sections in case of rain.

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Randocrist
Randocrist

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : May 01, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

The route was very well described and pleasant on this warm spring day (I had chosen it on the basis of the comments), as most of it was in woodland. There are some beautiful oak trees along the route, which is not very busy even on a bank holiday (we only came across a few cyclists). The tourist and sporting interest remains limited as it's essentially a walk in the forest with long straight stretches and not much difference in altitude, but I recommend it for its tranquillity and coolness in dry, hot weather.

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Chookate
Chookate

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 30, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Clear, precise description of the walk.
The scenery is beautiful and varied.
The quietness is much appreciated as the route is not very busy.
All three of today's participants approved the walk! 😃

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v.m.BlR.rando
v.m.BlR.rando

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 22, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

Flat terrain, on a wide variety of paths (sand, stones, muddy soil, ploughed land). Beautiful forest with many fine trees. Forest not very dense, but very pleasant on a sunny day.
Few other points of interest. Paths sometimes straight for too long.

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Emma Dussine Richer
Emma Dussine Richer
• Edited:

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 11, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Lovely walk in the forest with a diversion to the village of Louareux (beautiful farm and chapel). Perfect explanations

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Gisèle 94
Gisèle 94

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : May 20, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Very pleasant walk.

Beautiful forest. Magnificent oak trees.

A few cyclists, a few horse riders but hardly any hikers.

Practically all on foot (a short section on the road for the interesting heritage diversions).

Absolutely perfect detailed description! Very pleasant.

Today we had no problems. But it's certain that some passages must be quite impassable in wet weather.

Small correction: the hut reported as being in ruins between points 3 and 4 has been rebuilt to house bats.

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guy91420
guy91420

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 17, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Superb walk with a wide variety of landscapes, no difficulty

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Patrice LARCHER
Patrice LARCHER

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 09, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

We really enjoyed this trail through the superb and very comfortable woods ..... with a few mushrooms and a magnificent sky.
Very well signposted in a superb region!

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waiwaite
waiwaite

Overall rating : 5 / 5

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

Another great walk by Netra...
No difficulties, varied scenery and lots of points of interest.
Some sections have been improved: duckboarding towards the pond, compacted sand afterwards (cycle path).
The small house after number 3 is no longer in ruins; it has been restored to serve as a bat shelter (explanatory panel).
It took us much less time to complete the loop, without feeling like we were pushing ourselves, which gave us time to have a picnic in the sun by the pond.
Thanks again Netra

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Manu9272
Manu9272

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 10, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very nice walk in a heatwave!
Very few people

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Allain Chantal
Allain Chantal

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 28, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

The description of the circuit is accurate. Long straight lines, a bit monotonous and very muddy at this time of year.
Done in 3 hours with a 15-minute stop. On the other hand, we met absolutely no-one, which is the interesting thing.

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boucles d'or
boucles d'or

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 09, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very pleasant, quiet walk with very few visitors. Ideal for hot weather, as 95% of it is shaded.
The description and route on the map were impeccable, as usual.
In short, I loved it. I'm a fan of your routes

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Annie St germain
Annie St germain

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 29, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Thanks to your descriptions, we had a very nice hike. We are never disappointed by your choices and your comments.

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MRoton
MRoton

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : May 30, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

An easy walk on paths in good condition. For the less hardy, you can divide the distance by 2 by cutting between points 4 and 9.

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michel.gordin
michel.gordin

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 14, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A parish specific to Brittany, but unfortunately very muddy in places. Fortunately, our knowledge of the terrain and the map enabled us to reorganise the route.

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