Orvault - Petit Chantilly, Odyssée, Bugallière, La Forêt, Cens Valley

Start at Orvault, Place d'Auteuil.

(S/E) Take Rue de Saint-Ouen and turn left onto Avenue de la Cholière.

(1) Turn right at the Tredegar roundabout, then left at the next roundabout to follow Avenue du Général de Gaulle. A path on the right, running alongside the archery range, leads to the road which heads right towards the Bois Cesbron roundabout. Simply cross it to follow the cycle path running parallel to it. Go round the first roundabout on the left, then continue to the Bois Cesbron roundabout.

(2) Continue straight ahead on the cycle path. Cross the footbridge over the dual carriageway and head towards Avenue de la Bugalière, with the Odyssée on your right. Cross carefully.

(3) Turn left, keeping to the right-hand side of the avenue. Continue to the junction with Rue du Pont Marchand. Turn right and pass the Bugallière Community Centre.

(4) Walk down the street, past the Pont Marchand school complex, and continue until you reach Rue de Cassiopée on your left. Follow it to the left until you reach the bend.

(5) Leave the street and head straight across to the path leading to the Jardins du Ruisseau. Turn left to walk alongside them; the path (sometimes very muddy) climbs quite steeply, then levels out. Pass a bench on your right and continue straight ahead. Ignore several entrances on the left to reach Rue de Pollux. Turn left for a few metres, then take the path on the right at the start of Rue du Castor, which you do not take. Turn left at the first junction and continue along the path, which leads to a crossroads just before Avenue de la Bugallière.

(6) Turn right and follow the avenue on your left, keeping more or less close to it. Cross Rue d'Antarès, pass the junction with Chemin de la Rabine to reach a large roundabout via Rue Léon Gaumont.

(7) Turn right onto Rue de la Garenne, then left onto Chemin de la Forêt. Pass Rue des Asphodèles and continue straight on until you reach Rue des Symphorines.

(8) Take the path that opens up in front of you, slightly to the right. Follow this path straight ahead, ignoring a turn-off on the left, and pass the hamlet of La Forêt. At the T-junction, turn left, ignore a turn-off on the left and turn left at the next one, which will take you onto Rue des Arbousiers. Continue straight on. When the street turns sharply left, go straight ahead, then turn right onto the first path you come to, which leads to Chemin de la Thomassière; follow this to your right for about twenty metres.

(9) Pass the path on your left leading to La Hubonière and follow, straight ahead, a path marked by a pedestrian crossing which descends steeply. At one point, the slope becomes less steep, and you will find, on your right, the entrance to a path leading down towards the Cens.

(10) Take this path which runs along the right bank of the Cens. Follow it until you reach a picnic area just before a footbridge on the left.

(11) Do not cross the footbridge, but continue straight ahead to stay on the right bank of the Cens. Continue to a new footbridge at a place called Pont Moreau.

(12) Turn left to cross the Cens via this footbridge. Turn right as you come off the bridge to join a wide path leading off to the left. Follow this path until you reach Pont Marchand, a lovely picnic spot.

(13) Continue straight on to reach Pont aux Prêtres.

(14) Go under the bridge and take the footbridge on the right immediately after the underpass. Set off again along a path that continues to follow the Cens valley. Follow this path straight on until, after a right-angle bend to the right, you reach a sign marked “la digue”.

(15) Turn left to go under the dual carriageway. At the end of the underpass, turn immediately right. Walk alongside a fence on your right until you cross a small stream. Turn right after the stream and follow the path straight ahead. It turns sharply right and, after a short climb, leads to the Étang de la Cholière.

(16) Take the path running alongside the pond, keeping it on your right. Continue until you reach Avenue du Général de Gaulle. Cross it carefully to take Chemin de la Cholière opposite, join Allée des Cèdres and follow it to the right until you reach the Tredegar roundabout.

(1) Turn left onto Avenue de la Cholière and, at the next roundabout, turn right onto Avenue de Saint-Ouen, which you follow to Place d’Auteuil (S/E).

It is easy to reach Place d’Auteuil by taking the Naolib bus 79 to the “Petit Chantilly” stop. There is also plenty of parking available around the square.

This walk begins with a long journey through neighbourhoods along streets and roads open to traffic. Not for those allergic to tarmac!

In wet weather, some sections can be (very) muddy. Please dress appropriately.

You can shorten the walk by starting from the (4) CSC La Bugallière. Two options:
- take the Naolib 89 bus, get off at the "Pont Marchand" stop and head to the meeting point (4).
- park in the CSC car park or nearby.

On the way back, do not go under the (14) Pont aux Prêtres. Turn left just before it, onto the path leading up to the village of Orvault. When you reach the road, turn right onto the cycle path. Follow this straight ahead. Cross the road carefully using the pedestrian crossing. Continue until you reach a large roundabout. You will see the Odyssée on your left and, on your right, Avenue de la Bugallière. All you have to do is follow this to return to Rue du Pont Marchand and your starting point.