Some remarkable trees in the north of the Rambouillet Forest

Departure from the Brulins car park, located at the end of Route Robert, shortly after the Étang de la Plaine. Access from the south of Montfort-l'Amaury town centre.

Red and white markings

(S/E) When leaving the car park, turn left (south) and take a wide, stabilised path.

(1) At the crossroads, continue straight ahead along Route Belsédene. At the fork that appears immediately, take the left-hand path (the right-hand path is a cycle path), ignore a path on the left and continue downhill. At the bottom, turn left and walk along a small pond on your right. Stay on the main path, which is marked, and ignore any turnoffs on either side. The path winds and climbs. At the top, continue straight ahead along a long paved path.

No markings

(2) At the crossroads, take the^second right, Route Taurette. At the next junction (Carrefour des Marcassins), follow Route des Deux Buttes to the left. You will come to a small tarmac forest road. Follow it to the right (this road is only accessible to ONF vehicles, so there is very little traffic). You will come to an old forest house on the right, in the enclosure of which stands the Chêne Baudet oak tree.

(3) Then turn left onto a grassy path (Route de la Bluche on the map). Continue straight ahead until you reach Carrefour de la Mare Ronde.

Red and white markings

(4) Then turn right, note a remarkable beech tree on the right and, at the fork immediately ahead, turn left onto Route des Sept Chênes. Further on, cross a tarmac forest road (same note as above) and continue straight ahead. Cross the D138 (be careful, visibility is limited to the right) and continue straight ahead on the Route des Sept Chênes. Go downhill, cross a stream (which may be dry) and go back up the other side.

(5) At the Carrefour des Sept Chênes (plot no. 04.02), continue straight ahead. At the next crossroads, continue straight ahead and descend. The path gives way to a trail in the middle of the heath and then along a young beech forest. Ignore a path coming from the left and cross a stream (potentially dry). At the next junction, turn right.

No markings

(6) When the path turns left, continue straight ahead on a trail (leaving the^GR®) and cross the stream again. Shortly afterwards, at a crossroads, turn right and climb steeply. On a flat section, look for a remarkable oak tree on the right and follow a trail that leads to it.

(7) Turn left, quickly rejoin the main path and follow it to the right. At the junction that you will soon come to, go straight ahead and climb. At the next junction, go straight ahead again, now on flat ground. At Carrefour Monnereau, cross a wide lane and follow Route Monnereau straight ahead for about 150 m.

(8) At the corner of plot no. 03.27, take a narrower path. Note some beautiful oak trees on the left, although it is not possible to identify the Chêne Lécuyer oak tree marked on the 1:25,000 map. Continue straight ahead, west-northwest, ignoring any tracks or paths on either side.

(9) At a clearly marked crossroads (plot no. 03.29), turn right. At the next crossroads (plots nos. 03.21 and 03.16), go straight ahead. Walk north-north-east until you reach a T-junction (barrier opposite).

(10) Then turn right, with two possible options (see a variation in the practical information):
- As shown on the map, follow a path and leave the barrier some distance to your left. Ignore all turnings on the right. After about 500 m, the path is no longer maintained and is relatively congested. However, it is still possible to walk along it, keeping the barrier on your left as a reference point.
- Take the ditch at the foot of the barrier, which is marked with old armoured markers. This is not a maintained path, so you may have to go around small obstacles.
In both cases, when the barrier turns 90° to the left, continue straight ahead. Find a trail, cross a stream and you will come out onto a path.

(11) If you wish, follow the path on the left to a forest barrier in front of which stands the Chêne du Grand Veneur (now a dead tree). Retrace your steps.

(11) Follow the Route du Grand Veneur south-southeast (straight ahead if you are returning from the oak tree of the same name, to the right if you have skipped the detour). At the Carrefour de la Noue, go straight ahead, south-southeast, to reach the Carrefour des Longues Mares (former forest house; signpost).

(12) Take the^first left, the Route de l'Étang de Vitry. After about 400 m, note the Chêne Salvat oak tree on the right-hand side of the road. Shortly afterwards, pass a forest barrier and walk along a small car park.

(13) At the stop sign, cross the D138 (good visibility on both sides but remain cautious) and continue straight ahead. After about 350 m, note the Chêne Géneau oak tree on the left-hand side (less spectacular than the previous one). At the crossroads, continue straight ahead on Route de l'Étang de Vitry and walk alongside a sparse forest on your left.

(14) At the next crossroads, continue straight ahead, slightly to the left (this is the^second path on the left). Cross a cycle path, descend slightly, cross a stream and climb back up. At the fork, take the path on the right, Route du Haut Cornu, which descends slightly. Shortly afterwards, at a crossroads, go straight ahead and climb back up. Cross the cycle path again and follow a wider path straight ahead.

(1) At the crossroads taken at the very beginning of the hike, follow the wide, stabilised path to the left and you will soon come to the Parking des Brulins car park on your right (S/E).

Hiking boots required. Some sections may be wet.

No water sources identified along the route.

Forest plot numbering:
In the Rambouillet National Forest, plot numbers consist of two digits: the first indicates the division and the second the plot within the division. On the 1:25,000 map, the division is designated by Roman numerals, whereas on the ground it is designated by Arabic numerals. In the description, Arabic numerals have been used.

Variation:
The section between (10) and (11) follows a path that quickly becomes congested due to lack of maintenance. If you wish to avoid this section, approximately 250 m after (10), turn right (south-east) onto Route des Longues Mares. Join the main route at the crossroads of the same name (12).

A detailed map is required (at least the one accompanying this description) or follow the route using the Visorando app.

Hike completed by the author on 19 February 2023.

- Pleasant forest path.
- Several remarkable trees, noted in the description and marked on the 1:25,000 map.
- Old forest houses in (3) and (12).