Four ponds in the south of the Meudon Forest

Starting point and access: Meudon-Val Fleury station.
- RER - Line C, on the section between Paris and Versailles/Saint-Quentin.
Take the exit on the side of track A, in the direction of Paris to Versailles/Saint-Quentin (if arriving in the opposite direction, take the footbridge).

N.B. The Meudon Forest is criss-crossed by numerous paths, trails and tracks, many of which do not appear on all maps. For this hike, the OSM map was chosen as it is the most comprehensive.

Yellow markings

(S) When you leave the station, go straight ahead to Place Henri Brousse and take the^first street on the right after the replica of a Rodin statue. Go straight ahead and, after about 150 m, turn left into Rue du Haut d'Hartelon. Ignore the stairs on the left.

At a small roundabout, turn left and enter Parc Paumier. Immediately turn right, then go up a curve to the left, leaving a playground on your right. Pass the toilets on your left and, at a fork, continue straight ahead on a cement path. At a crossroads, turn right onto a narrower path. Go around a fenced-off quadrangle and continue straight ahead to leave the park.

At the exit, go up Ruelle Hérault on the left. At the end (large gate on the right), turn right. After the last house, leave the street and turn left onto a path that enters the forest. Ignore a path on the left and stay on the main path heading south.

No markings

(1) At a large crossroads (houses some distance away on the right), turn left (east-northeast). Go up a stony path and follow a series of yellow signs with two sides, ignoring all the turnings on either side. At a crossroads at the corner of a wall on the left (plot no. 9), turn right at a 90° angle. Pass by the foot of a large old reservoir.

(2) Immediately afterwards, turn left, cross a small ditch and take a discreet path. Further on, cross a wide path and continue on the path opposite, slightly to the right. At a T-junction, follow a bridle path to the right (south-east; the^first path on the right shown on the OSM map no longer seems to exist). Further on, cross a road and take the path that branches off to the left after a forest barrier.

(3) At a crossroads (oak tree in the middle), turn right. At the fork that appears shortly afterwards, take the path on the right. At the next crossroads, go straight ahead. At the next crossroads, turn left at a 90° angle (south-east). About 50 metres further on, at another crossroads (bench), turn right. Follow a wide bridle path straight ahead and, at the end, you will reach a tarmac road (car park opposite on the right).

(4) Cross the road (watch out for cyclists), follow it to the left for a few metres and take the first path on the right. Two paths immediately appear: take the left one, which remains flat. Stay on the main path and ignore any vague paths branching off to the sides.

Yellow markings

Further on, you will find more markings. At a fork, take the path on the left. Go straight under an electricity pylon (you can go around it on the right). Cross a tarmac road (no traffic) at the boundary between plots 8 and 14 and continue on the path opposite. Go around a small roundabout on the right and take the^first right. Walk along the left-hand side of the fence of a sports complex.

No markings

(5) At the corner of a football stadium, leave the gravel path and turn right into the forest: there are two paths, take the one heading due west and remaining closest to the path (horseshoe marks indicating a bridle path). Further on, ignore a vague path on the right and you will soon come to a crossroads. Turn right, still on a bridle path.

(6) At a crossroads (plot no. 14), go straight ahead and descend steeply. At the next crossroads, turn right and continue downhill. At the next crossroads, go straight ahead.

Yellow markings

At the new crossroads that immediately appears, continue straight ahead and you will find the markings again. Walk along the edge of the Étang de la Garenne lake on your left. You will come to a tarmac road. First turn left then right to pass by the foot of the Pierre aux Moines menhir. Continue along the path for a few metres and, at the T-junction, follow the path on the left. Then continue along the Route de la Fontaine au Lynx (tarmac but with no traffic) and walk along the lake on your left. Continue straight ahead on the tarmac and pass at the bottom of a large lawn (the Tapis Vert).

Yellow + red and yellow markings

At the forest barrier, leave the tarmac road, take a path on the left and walk along the Étang de Trivaux on your right. At the end of the pond, continue straight ahead, veering slightly to the left and climbing gently.

No markings

(7) At the next crossroads, turn right onto a narrow path (let the^GRP® turn sharply left). Cross a stream, pass by an old tree stump and follow the path. A short, very steep climb leads to a road. Cross it carefully, continue on the path opposite and climb steeply up the slope. At the top, continue straight ahead on fairly flat ground.

At a crossroads (plot no. 19), take the^second path on the left. Stay on the main path along the edge of the plateau. At a fork, take the left-hand path. Ignore the vague paths on the left, follow the winding path and you will reach a junction with a wider path.

(8) Then turn left (south). Ignore a path on the right and you will soon come to a T-junction. Take a gravel path on the right and walk along the left-hand side of the fence of a public park. At the end, continue along a tarmac road and ignore the paths on the right. Take the footbridge over the N118.

On the other side, follow the tarmac road to the left (ignore the red and yellow arrow pointing to the right). Continue straight ahead (south-west) until you reach a T-junction (Carrefour de la Rose on the map; fence opposite). Then turn right. At the next crossroads, follow a wide lane opposite (^2nd on the left).

(9) At^{the first} junction (yellow sign with two sides), turn left onto a path that runs alongside a small ditch. Wind your way along, keeping the ditch on your right and ignoring a few possible crossings. You will come to a wider path (Route du Cordon du Haut on the map). First turn right then left to continue along a ditch, on your left and some distance away this time.

(10) Shortly afterwards, at a crossroads (oak tree in the middle), turn right at a 90° angle and descend slightly.

Red and white markings

At the bottom, at a crossroads, follow the^GR®22to the left. At the next crossroads, go straight ahead. Climb gently and reach a crossroads (small water treatment plant on the left). Two parallel paths then appear on the right: take the^{second one} (with your back to the plant, this is the left-hand path, the one furthest west). This path is none other than the dyke of the Étang du Trou aux Gants lake located below on the left. Pass the spillway and reach a crossroads (pipe culvert).

No markings

(11) Turn left and walk along the pond on your left at a distance. At the end of the pond, continue straight ahead and ignore a path on the right. At a fork just after a large tree across the path (as of September 2020), take the right-hand path and walk along a partially canalised stream on your left. Cross the stream and climb steeply, keeping westward.

At the top, turn right and follow a ditch on your left. At the end, turn left and follow the wall of a cemetery on your right. Cross a road (car park): there are two paths opposite, take the one on the right.

Red and white markings

After about 150 m, rejoin the^GR®22and follow it to the left. At a crossroads, take the^second path on the right, which is flat.

No markings

After about 200 m, at a crossroads (plot no. 91), turn right (let the^GR® continue straight ahead). Go downhill and continue straight ahead at^{the first} crossroads you come to.

(12) At the next crossroads, look for a discreet path starting diagonally to the left (this path is not shown on any map). Take this path and, after a few metres, turn left again to descend steeply. When you reach the Étang des Écrevisses, follow a path on the left and walk along the pond on your right. At the end, turn left to cross a small car park.

Cross a road and take a path (also not marked on any map) that leads diagonally into the woods, leaving Rue Maurice Berteaux on your right. You will come to a small staircase at the end of an alley: go down this staircase and walk along the alley, ignoring another alley on your left.

At the crossroads, go straight ahead into Rue Marcel Rebard. At the end, turn left. At the traffic lights, turn right and go under the railway line. On the other side, turn left and walk up Place de Verdun to reach Chaville-Vélizy station on the left (E).

To return home:
- RER - Line C, towards Paris (direct access) or Versailles/Saint-Quentin (take the underground passage).

Train timetables: consult the Transilien website.

Hiking boots recommended.

Water source at the cemetery between (11) and (12). Bars, restaurants and shops near the Meudon-Val Fleury (S) and Chaville-Vélizy (E) stations. Market on Sunday mornings in front of the Chaville-Vélizy station (E).

Parc Paumier opening hours:
-¹ October to 31 March: 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
-¹ April to 30 September: 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

A detailed map is essential (at least the one accompanying this description). Tracking the route on a smartphone using the Visorando app is a plus.

The author completed this hike twice, the first time on 5 September 2020 and the second on 25 April 2021.

This hike takes place mainly in a forest setting, with a few remarkable trees here and there.

As the title suggests, you will walk alongside four ponds, which add a touch of freshness to this hike.

Menhir de la Pierre aux Moines between (6) and (7).