The Coteaux de l'Epte starting from Fourges

A hike on the slopes of both banks of the Epte, straddling the Île-de-France and Normandy regions. The route alternates between fields and woodland and offers beautiful views of the Epte valley. There are two churches, a mill and a beautiful farmhouse with a dovecote to discover.

Details

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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 15.59 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 5h 05 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 224 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 233 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 151 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 25 m
  • ⚐ Country: France
  • ⚐
    Area: Vexin
  • ⚐ City: Fourges (27630)
  • ⚑
    Start/End: N 49.121706° / E 1.63939°
  • ❏
    IGN map(s): Ref. 2112E, 2113ET
  • Hour-by-hour weather

Photos

Description of the walk

Start from Fourges church. Park in the car park on Place du Village, next to the church and set back from the Route d'Écos.

Yellow signposting

(S/E) Leaving the car park with the church on your left, turn right and cross the greenway (former railway station on the right). After about 50 metres, turn right into the Sente des Groults. The tarmac quickly gives way to a path that climbs between the fields. At a fork, turn right and climb more gently. Then turn left with the path.

(1) At the corner of a copse, turn right. Walk along the hillside with sloping fields on your right for about 600 metres. Enter a small wood, ignore a path coming from the right (elevation 94) and climb up through the undergrowth. Then turn left and walk along the edge of the wood on your left, still climbing.

(2) At the corner of the woods, turn left again. After a few dozen metres, at another corner of the woods, turn right. At the intersection that immediately appears (small rocks), ignore the path leading off to the left and continue straight ahead on a farm track that immediately turns right. Ignore a path on the left and then turn right onto the track towards some houses.

(3) At the crossroads (an old medieval mound opposite?), follow a small tarmac road to the left. After the 50 km/h speed limit sign, take a path on the right (no arrow here) and follow a fenced meadow on your right. Leave a wood on your right and continue north-west then north between the fields.

(4) At a T-junction (yellow cross on a post on the left), turn right. The road soon gives way to a path at the edge of the woods that descends parallel to the telephone line. Enter the woods, ignore a path on the right (not shown on the map) and descend steeply into a sunken lane. At the bottom, you will come out onto the greenway (tarmac road), follow it to the right and enter Bray-et-Lû.

(5) Just before the roundabout, turn left at an acute angle, then immediately right onto the D86 towards Ambleville. Cross the first branch of the Epte, pass the church, cross the second branch of the Epte and continue straight ahead onto Grande Rue. At a fork, follow Rue de l'École to the right. At the next roundabout, continue straight ahead on the D142 "Toutes directions". Go slightly uphill and pass the town hall, the school and the fire station in succession.

Yellow + red and yellow signs

(6) At the stop sign, cross the D37 (be careful), leave the cross on your left and turn right onto a path lined with a row of young pine trees on the left, climbing gently but steadily. Ignore a path on the left, turn right onto the main path (south) and climb more steeply. After a left-hand bend, follow the path alongside a wood until you reach a fork.

(7) Take the path on the right (ignore the yellow sign pointing to the left; two differentPR® trails intersect here). Climb a little further, then continue on flat ground heading south, keeping a hedge and then a wood on your right.

(8) Cross a small road and continue south on a farm track. Enter the Bois Grippière and turn left at a wooden barrier (beautiful view). Walk along a field on your left, enter the woods again and continue along the edge of the woods on your left.

(9) At the next crossroads (signpost), turn left. Follow a small wood on your right and descend gently between two fields. Before the slope becomes steeper and before an isolated tree on the right, take the first path on the right (no arrow or signpost here). After about 100 metres, take the first path on the right again (no arrow or signpost here either). Go uphill, follow the small wood on your right and you will come to another crossroads (signpost).

(10) Then turn left and descend slightly. Before the slope becomes steeper, turn onto the first path on the right, then at the T-junction, continue left. At the next junction, at the corner of four fields, turn right.

(11) When a path comes from the left, turn right (west-southwest) and take a grassy lane lined on both sides by a row of trees. At the end of the lane, ignore a path on the left, then a path on the right at an acute angle, and turn left towards the dovecote, which is clearly visible from a beautiful farmhouse. Follow a concrete fence on your left until you reach a small road.

Yellow signpost

(12) Follow the road to the right (ignore the red and yellow markings on the left). At the EDF power station, take a tree-lined path on the right. Descend, following a few bends.

(13) At the bottom, turn left (no sign here) and continue on fairly flat ground between the fields. Further on, turn right onto the path, ignore a path on the left and descend into a more bushy area, ignoring vague paths on either side. Enter the undergrowth, continue downhill and you will come out onto the D37.

(14) Cross this road (be careful) and follow it to the left. After a few dozen metres, turn right onto the C7 road towards Fourges. Follow this small road to the bridge over the Epte and cross the river (mill on the left).

(15) Continue along the road. At the first junction, ignore Rue des Fossés on the left and continue along Rue du Moulin. Then ignore Rue des Mariages on the left and Rue du Commerce on the right. Cross the D5 and continue along Rue d'Écos until you reach the church (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 35 m - Église Saint-Pierre (Fourges)
  2. 1 : km 0.53 - alt. 80 m - Fork in the road at the corner of a copse
  3. 2 : km 1.58 - alt. 125 m - Corner of a wood
  4. 3 : km 2.23 - alt. 131 m - Baudemont
  5. 4 : km 3.08 - alt. 131 m - T-junction
  6. 5 : km 3.87 - alt. 29 m - Bray-et-Lû - Roundabout
  7. 6 : km 4.95 - alt. 46 m - Crossroads - Cross
  8. 7 : km 6 - alt. 111 m - Fork in the road - Signpost
  9. 8 : km 7 - alt. 124 m - Small road
  10. 9 : km 8.2 - alt. 148 m - Bois Grippière - Marker post
  11. 10 : km 9.27 - alt. 150 m - Crossroads - Signpost
  12. 11 : km 10.86 - alt. 151 m - Crossroads - Tree-lined lane
  13. 12 : km 12.16 - alt. 150 m - Le Chesnay
  14. 13 : km 13.13 - alt. 103 m - Turn left
  15. 14 : km 14.2 - alt. 33 m - D37 road
  16. 15 : km 15.02 - alt. 25 m - Fourges Mill - Epte (l')
  17. S/E : km 15.59 - alt. 35 m - Église Saint-Pierre (Fourges)

Notes

Hiking boots are required, and a walking stick may be useful after heavy rain.

No water sources have been identified along the route, but there are three restaurants:
- Reasonably priced, Place du Village in Fourges (S/E).
- Expensive, at Moulin de Fourges (15).
- Very expensive, in Bray-et-Lû between (5) and (6).

The detour between (9) and (10) is probably due to a ban on passing through private property, which is not indicated on site.

Signposting is generally sparse and, due to a lack of support, almost non-existent between fields, particularly between (9) and (11). A 1:25,000 map is therefore essential (at least the one accompanying this description).

Hike completed by the author on 9 April 2017.

Worth a visit

- Church of Fourges (S/E).
- Views of the Epte Valley
- Vieille Montagne factory (19th-20th century) in Bray-et-Lû, just after (5).
- Notre-Dame Church (19th century) in Bray-et-Lû, between (5) and (6).
- Chesnay farm with its dovecote (12).
- Fourges Mill (18th century) (15).

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

4.6 / 5
Based on 35 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.8 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.8 / 5
Route interest
4.2 / 5
Joyeuse Randonneuse
Joyeuse Randonneuse

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 14, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A lovely walk, with plenty of information. Beautiful views and a few hidden gems to discover. We really enjoyed this route.
At point 4: a fairly steep downhill path which is slippery when wet.
Point 14: at the moment, the C7 road is closed for works. We thought pedestrians could use it, but it is impossible to cross as the bridge over the Epte is currently under construction. This site, which is closed and off-limits to the public, blocks access for both cars and pedestrians to the Fourges mill just on the other side.
Of course, this is only temporary.

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Briceskets
Briceskets
• Edited:

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 02, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A very pleasant hike that starts with a nice climb. Lots of fruit trees at this time of year (yum!). No one in sight and magnificent views. You can breathe!
At point 4, we strayed from the route because we must have missed the entrance to the woods. Watch out for this if you're hiking here.
I recommend this route.

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Samico
Samico

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : May 29, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Very nice walk. Lovely paths and panoramic views. We really enjoyed it.

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Eric-F
Eric-F

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 27, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very beautiful hike with lots of interesting things to see.
The difficulty level is very accessible, even for beginners
In my opinion, one of the most beautiful hikes in the Vexin region.
Congratulations to the author!
Thank you

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sylvain.rambault
sylvain.rambault

Overall rating : 5 / 5

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

a beautiful hike in the Vexin region. Highly recommended.

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JeanMie
JeanMie

Overall rating : 4.5 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 24, 2024
Reliability of the description : Not used / Not applicable
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Taking advantage of a rare beautiful spring day, this hike is very easy and enjoyable because it is varied. The Vexin valleys are truly delightful.

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Géraldine-Adélaïde
Géraldine-Adélaïde

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 09, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

We live in the Hauts de Seine region and didn't regret driving a little further to reach Fourges in the Eure department. We felt like we were a long way from the Ile-de-France region. We didn't see a single hiker on our 16 km walk. We were alone in the world with a 360° view and no pylons or urban development.
A horizon stretching as far as the eye can see, valleys, hills.
Highly recommended.

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Jean-Claude-2
Jean-Claude-2

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 11, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

I can't say whether the circuit was very busy. I'll put yes, just in case. Or no, since I don't know.

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Laléo
Laléo

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 14, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A beautiful hike, total disconnection through fields and woods. Highly recommended
The route is perfect.

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ealet
ealet

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 13, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A beautiful hike with varied landscapes and the mill site is worth seeing;
avoid hiking on very hot days as there are many exposed sections
only the crossing of Bray and Lu is a bit tedious, but it is a necessary passage to reach the other side of the Epte
well-described route
Thanks to the author

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Jacquemar
Jacquemar

Last June, we went on a hike starting from the Fourges mill, but we actually followed the Epte river and then climbed up the hillside overlooking the Seine. We descended to La Roche Guyon and climbed back up to Chérence, then returned to Fourges through the forest.
A pleasant 22 km hike.

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Cheval
Cheval

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : May 13, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Superb hike. Extremely well written and detailed description. We never had any doubts, everything was very clear.
The timing was also well calculated; it took us 5 hours and 20 minutes, but that included a long break for lunch.
A huge thank you!

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Didier L5.
Didier L5.

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

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

Good description and accurate to the terrain
A beautiful, easy hike with a stop at the Fourges mill

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Grosse  Valérie
Grosse Valérie

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 26, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Beautiful views

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elviadeotto
elviadeotto

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : May 25, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Very detailed description. Very reassuring.
Perhaps a bit too much walking in the middle of fields with paths running perpendicular to each other.

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