Monthiers walks

Along the way, you will pass through the charming villages of the Clignon Valley, the Moulin de Brisé in Monthiers, the wash house in Licy Clignon, the fountain in Torcy en Vallois, the American and German military cemeteries in Belleau, and the Bois de Belleau.

Take a stroll through La Fontaine country, passing by the First World War memorial and ending up between the sky and the Champagne vineyards.

Historical walk from Jean de La Fontaine to the memorial commemorating the first engagements of the American army in 1918, passing through the Champagne vineyards.

A hike through the woods to discover bluebells, the village of Villeneuve-sur-Fère where Paul Claudel lived, and a visit to the Hottée du Diable (a unique rock erosion site).

Near the Ourcq Valley, on a hillock in the middle of fields, stands a monument commissioned to celebrate the victory of the Second Battle of the Marne but which, instead of glorifying the victors, pays tribute to those who died or went missing in the Great War. This work by sculptor Paul Landowski is the main destination of this memorial hike. Three beautiful churches, dating from the 12th and 13th centuries, complete the picture.

At the gateway to Champagne, Montreuil-aux-Lions invites you to take a walk among well-tended vineyards and bubbling streams. In addition to its imposing town hall and listed Saint-Martin church, there are numerous footpaths where you can appreciate the preserved local heritage. Montreuil-aux-Lions is full of hidden gems, some of which have been forgotten, waiting to be rediscovered.

In the footsteps of Léon-Augustin-Lhermitte, painter of the peasants of Champagne, late 19th century. Walk up Mont-Saint-Père, passing by the Gland orientation table, then stroll along the Marne to finish up on the Chartèves hillside, a nature reserve where you can find around thirty plant species (orchids, etc.) and invertebrate fauna (spotted salamanders) and insectivorous birds.

A route that allows us to enjoy views of the first Champagne vineyards, walk along the Dhuis Aqueduct and pass by a deer farm.

A bucolic walk between the Marne and the vineyards around Nogent-l'Artaud, visiting a few wash houses, some of which evoke La Fontaine's Fables.

Discover the south-facing hillsides on the right bank of the Marne, covered with Champagne vineyards, then those on the north-facing left bank with their deciduous woods and the Dhuys Aqueduct. The journey is enhanced by passing through several pretty wine-growing villages.

The three only communes in Île-de-France located in the Champagne appellation area are nestled in a circular loop of the Marne. This is a very pretty route through the vineyards and along the Dhuis Aqueduct, punctuated by beautiful views and places to stop for a break on the banks of the Marne.

A hike from station to station (easily accessible by train), shaded between balconies overlooking the Marne, meadows and fields along the river, alternating between woods and vineyards. The route follows a relatively wild and quiet circular loop of the Marne. Ideal in dry and sunny weather. (!) Be aware of hunting days. Check with the town hall for hunting days (every other Sunday).

This hike takes place largely under the tall trees of the Retz Forest. It also passes through the village of Oigny-en-Valois, nestled in a vast clearing with its rich monumental heritage: the castle, the church and the Charpentier Mausoleum, in particular.

Fifteenth stage of the Grand Tour of Île-de-France via the GR®11, between La Ferté-Milon station in Aisne and Crouy-sur-Ourcq station in Seine-et-Marne. A relatively easy stage that follows the towpath of the canalised Ourcq River to Mareuil-sur-Ourcq, then the Ourcq Canal, which separates from the river at that point.A short detour is suggested at the start of the stage to the Château de La Ferté-Milon on the heights of the town, offering a magnificent view of the surrounding area. Similarly, at the end, the GR® offers a short detour through the woods to the oratory and then the Chapelle Notre-Dame du Chêne before reaching Crouy-sur-Ourcq station.

This hike is the first stage of a project to walk the entire length of the Canal de l'Ourcq.Departure from La Ferté-Milon station. The first part can be done as a circular route with return to the same station (9.4km, easy).A pleasant trail through the hills overlooking the valley. Beautiful views followed by the canal with its pretty winding and shaded sections.

This hike in the Omois region between Ourcq and Canal du Clignon will introduce you to the history of this region and its ancestral heritage. Crossing the Marais de Négando allows you to discover a natural setting, amidst the peat bogs and poplar groves of the Ourcq valley, where amphibians, dragonflies, butterflies and numerous water birds can be observed depending on the season.

Straddling three departments, this hike runs partly along the Ourcq Canal and its tributary, the Clignon Canal. You will also walk through fields and end with an original route through the Marais de Beauval and along the Rivière Ourcq, surrounded by dense vegetation that is home to many birds. A stroll through the village of Crouy-sur-Ourcq and the hamlet of Moisy, with their rich heritage, complete this very diverse hike.

Sixteenth stage of the Grand Tour of Île-de-France via the GR®11, between Crouy-sur-Ourcq and Isles-Armentières-Congis stations in Seine-et-Marne. This stage, which is still relatively easy, continues the descent of the Canal de l'Ourcq - with a detour to the Multien plateau and the village of May-en-Multien - and continues along the Marne.

A walk from station to station, mainly along the towpath of the Canal de l'Ourcq. A circular route allows you to gain a little height and admire the church of May-en-Multien, built in the 12th century, up close.

The Retz Forest was the scene of intense fighting during the two battles of the Marne, in September 1914 and during the summer of 1918. Numerous monuments retrace this history, and this hike, which starts at the foot of the ruins of Longpont Abbey, passes by a memorial built in 1938. Beech and pine forests, with beautiful fern undergrowth, await you on this mainly forest trail.

This hike forms a circular loop around a large bend in the Marne river. It passes through La Ferté-sous-Jouarre, Chamigny, Sainte-Aulde and Luzancy. The route includes sections along the banks of the Marne and through woods and forests, as well as some beautiful views of the hillsides and the river.

A magnificent church, a Merovingian crypt, a Romanesque abbey and a monastery inhabited by Benedictine nuns. A route that will leave a lasting impression. Admire some beautiful views of the Marne Valley and La Ferté-sous-Jouarre.

A long hike from station to station that takes us from the Petit Morin Valley to the Grand Morin Valley via a hill overlooking the Briard Plateau, offering extensive panoramic views. A route with varied landscapes, including woods, cultivated fields and pastures on the hillsides. Charming streams and beautiful heritage buildings complete the picture.

Eighteenth stage of the Grand Tour of Île-de-France via the GR®11, between La Ferté-sous-Jouarre and Coulommiers stations. This stage, running roughly north-south, begins the crossing of Brie, culminating in the ascent of the Butte de Doue, which dominates the plateau. It also connects the two rivers named Morin, the Petit to the north and the Grand to the south.

The route begins under the majestic beech trees of the Retz National Forest. It then passes through typical villages with a rich architectural heritage. The path overlooks the valleys of the Ourcq and its tributaries. You will discover the beginning of the Ourcq Canal. The Donjon du Houssoy welcomes you at the end of the route in Crouy-sur-Ourcq.

Fourteenth stage, entirely in the Aisne department, of the Grand Tour of Île-de-France via the GR®11, between the stations of Villers-Cotterêts and La Ferté-Milon. During this stage, we switch to the eastern side of Île-de-France, leaving the Oise basin to reach the Ourcq valley and the Marne basin.As the stage is short, a small (optional) circular in Villers-Cotterêts is suggested at the start, to discover the magnificent park of its equally magnificent château. It can be done after the previous stage completed the day before, with an overnight stay in Villers-Cotterêts.

A circular route on both banks of the Petit Morin. On the way there, you climb up to the plateau on the right bank and walk through meadows, woods and cultivated fields. On the way back, you follow the Petit Morin on its left bank, often along the edge of the woods. Two churches, a wash house and an old mill are worth seeing along the way.

Rich in heritage, Jouarre is a commune overlooking the Petit Morin shortly before it joins the Marne. This hike, which alternates between cultivated fields and woods, runs alongside the Etang de Péreuse and then offers a route with little elevation gain on the embankment of the underground Dhuis aqueduct. There are beautiful views of the Marne and Petit Morin valleys.

A hike on both sides of the Petit Morin valley, shortly before it joins the Marne. Varied landscapes in a region rich in heritage. A generally bucolic and peaceful setting.

Circular starting from Jouarre, passing through Courcelles-sous-Jouarre, the hamlets of Vanry, Biercy, and Romeny, a Benedictine abbey. In the9th and 10th centuries, the abbey was an important pilgrimage centre within the sphere of influence of Aachen, the capital of the Empire. In the 11th and 12th centuries, a fortified town developed around the monastery, giving rise to the present-day town of Jouarre .

Discover the landscapes of Seine-et-Marne and walk through the Petit Morin Valley. A pleasant hike through countryside and woods, passing through several remarkable villages. Saint-Cyr-sur-Morin is well worth a visit.

In the rural setting of the Petit Morin valley, discover the whimsical and literary world of the artists who brought this village to life.

The Retz Forest was the scene of intense fighting during the two battles of the Marne, in September 1914 and during the summer of 1918. Numerous monuments retrace this history, and this hike offers the opportunity to discover several of them, including a replica of a tall observation tower and a moving military cemetery. Starting from a pretty village with a charmingly simple church, the route is mainly through forest.