Saclay walks

This is a fairly short hike that allows you to discover two rigoles (small water collection channels) on the Saclay Plateau: the Rigole Domaniale and the Rigole de Favreuse. These rigoles were built in the 17th century to supply water to the Palace of Versailles. The route alternates between woods and cultivated fields, with a rich heritage in Vauhallan.

Just 20 kilometres away, the Saclay plateau is the largest cultivated area closest to Paris. This easy route features numerous information panels explaining agriculture and environmental management in a highly urbanised region.

A varied hike where you gain altitude. First, you climb up to the Saclay plateau and walk along the university campus before gently descending into the Yvette valley through the forest. We climb back up the other bank and cross the Gif-sur-Yvette forest from east to west. After an urban section, we walk between fields before descending back into the forest to Saint-Rémy-lès-Chevreuse.

A hike which is mostly in the forest, with lovely sections along the Mérantaise river and the ditches which run down from the Saclay Plateau.

A short half-day walk. After a good walk through the woods, the route becomes more heritage-oriented with the hamlet of Vauboyen and the Maison Victor Hugo. The walk ends along the River Bièvre.

A circuit with varied landscapes, in the Verrières forest and along the Bièvre river. A breath of fresh air and greenery just a few kilometres from the capital.

A loop in the Chevreuse Valley, with magnificent landscapes, in a wooded and rural setting close to Paris. The first part is a walk through the woods on the plateau overlooking the Yvette Valley. The return journey, parallel to the outward route, is mainly on flat ground. Most of the walk is well shaded and flat, but there are also some fairly steep ascents and descents. The area is very popular with walkers and mountain bikers, but it is well worth a visit.

A walk of many faces! On forest tracks interspersed with paths through the city, you follow an old railway line with a tunnel and viaduct, finishing along the course of the river Yvette. A walk to enjoy at any time of year.

Hike connecting Igny (Essonne) to the Palace of Versailles. The route follows the Bievre, and 80% of the route is on roads through forests. A calm, cool walk with scenery that will leave you with a unique souvenir.

An unsuspected corner of wild nature, just twenty kilometres from Paris. In the Parc Départemental des Côtes de Montbron, the Ru de Saint-Marc and three ponds are home to a variety of flora and numerous birds. A short walk for nature lovers! 15/11/2024: A landslide has been reported just past the point (6) and it seems impossible to get through at the moment.

Hike in the Yvette Valley offering beautiful views of the plain with its market gardens and requiring some effort thanks to the steep wooded hillsides covered in particular by the Rocher de Saulx national forest.

This hike follows the route of the T12 tram-train, connecting Massy-Palaiseau to Évry-Courcouronnes, and allows you to discover a varied landscape combining urban areas, natural spaces and neighbourhoods undergoing rapid change. The route takes you along the greenway that runs alongside the T12, between Épinay-sur-Orge station and the Évry-Courcouronnes terminus, offering a pleasant and safe section for pedestrians and cyclists. This walk offers an immersion in the areas served by this new line, with opportunities to stop at the various stations to fully enjoy the local heritage and green spaces.

This route allows you to discover both the Minière ponds, upstream of the Bièvre river, and to pass close to the Palace of Versailles by crossing the Parc des Suisses. It is also a route through the Versailles National Forest, allowing you to enjoy a pleasant walk along the Bièvre. It is a route for all seasons, as the landscape changes with the weather.

A green loop around the ponds of Moulin à Renard, La Minière, Val d'Or and La Geneste in the Bièvre valley, with an optional detour to admire the Arcades de Buc.

Short, easy hike in the Verrières-le-Buisson Forest.

A beautiful, challenging hike with elevation gain, along trails and paths, away from the main forest roads. A good training route. Be careful, this is a complex route that is relatively difficult to navigate. If you are quiet enough, you may come across deer. This route is best in summer (or all year round if you don't mind water and mud).

A route from station to station, through the woods and with some elevation gain. Walking or jogging.

A varied route in a peri-urban setting, along rivers and streams and the Bassin de Saulx, and in the heart of the Rocher de Saulx departmental forest. Please note! Work around the Bassin de Saulx means that the route has been changed at the end: follow the suggested alternative route.

Sung about by Georges Brassens, the Bois de Clamart and Meudon woods offer many attractions for walkers, in addition to "little flowers" and "friends". The numerous ponds dotted along the route are particularly enjoyable. A few paths winding through the undergrowth, some remarkable trees and a little heritage add to the pleasure of this half-day walk.

This magnificent route will allow you to discover the wonders of the Chevreuse Valley, passing through the Domaine de Coubertin, the Meridon Departmental Forest, the Bois du Vossery sandstone quarry, the village of Chevreuse with its shopping streets, its church, the Promenade des Petits Ponts and its medieval castle.

A hike from station to station, mainly through forest. Although located in an urban setting, this route takes you through green (in season) and peaceful areas. The Chêne des Missions oak tree and the Étang du Trou au Gants pond are two beautiful points of interest.

The first part of this walk alternates between woodland and fields. The return journey is through undergrowth, along the former railway line that used to link Saint-Rémy-lès-Chevreuse and Limours.

From the RER B station at Saint-Rémy-lès-Chevreuse, visit the 11th-century medieval castle (1030) in Chevreuse and its ramparts, with a view overlooking the Chevreuse Valley. A day of nature, sport, excitement and gastronomy awaits you.

A beautiful, challenging hike in the forest, just a stone's throw from Paris. Choose between 25 km or 35 km, with 700 and 900 m of elevation gain respectively. Despite a few urban sections, most of the route is in the heart of the forest, shaded by deciduous trees. The forest is beautiful, and there are some lovely views, but the appeal is more athletic than touristy. The route includes many quick changes of direction, making it difficult to follow without GPS. The entire route is less than 10 km from the western part of Paris.

You pass by the Etang d'Ursine, a nameless pond, then the Etang du Trou aux Gants, before reaching the Chêne des Missions, a remarkable tree surrounded by pseudo-megaliths. This route starts in the Mare Adam forest park and continues through the Meudon National Forest, with a brief detour into a pretty residential area. Allow half a day for this walk.

A hike from station to station where you play leapfrog with the Yvette River! The route is mostly close to the river and crosses a few woods and pretty parks, including the one in the western part of the Paris-Sud University campus.

For tree and garden enthusiasts, this is an exotic walk just a stone's throw from Paris! The arboretum has a wide variety of species and landscapes. An enchanting detour through Île Verte completes the picture.

A hike from station to station that takes you on a rollercoaster ride through the Fausses-Reposes Forest and Saint-Cloud Park. Along the way, you can enjoy the Étangs de Ville-d'Avray, the park's ponds and statues, and a superb view of the Val de Seine and Paris.

From the charming village centre of Janvry, a circular route to discover two 17th-century castles. A short hike through cultivated fields and woodland.

Discover "New Urbanism", where proximity and diversity are key, and the commune of Le Plessis-Robinson is a typical example. The Promenade des Berges has the feel of a "little Venice in the Hauts-de-Seine" and the four wooded parks you pass through add an undeniable touch of greenery to this urban route.

Artists' studios and houses in the heart of the Bois de Clamart.This moderately difficult route starts at Meudon-Val Fleury station. The first few kilometres of this walk invite you to discover artists' houses. On your way, don't hesitate to stop at Rodin's house and studio, which overlooks Paris and the Seine in a green setting. Other charming places such as the Arp Foundation will enhance your journey. The rest of the route is mainly through woods, where you will discover the Meudon lake and catch a glimpse of the Chalais lake, bordered by the imposing Hangar Y.

A beautiful walk through open woodland and along two charming ponds, ideal for a simple half-day outing.

A loop around the Bois de Montabé, following the edge of an old railway line, a short section across fields and ending on paths and lanes. A walk to get some fresh air in the afternoon.

After following paths through the town, this walk from station to station offers the chance to discover the Meudon Observatory and admire the sweeping views from the terrace of its park. The rest of the route is mainly through forest.

A tour of the grounds of the Palace of Versailles, including the Swiss Garden and a visit to the King's Kitchen Garden.

This 18 km circuit, which is of moderate difficulty due to the elevation, starts at the Sèvres - Ville d'Avray train station and takes you on a journey of discovery through the NationalEstate of Saint-Cloud and its green surroundings. You will discover the homes of famous figures, La Cité de la Céramique, the Musée des Avelines, the Haras de Jardy and the bucolic Ferme du Piqueur along the way.

The second stage of this women's march on 5 October 1789 takes more liberties with the supposed route of the procession at the time. Starting in Sèvres and ending in Versailles, the route is distinctly urban, but between the two, it is predominantly forest. The Palace of Versailles is the highlight of this hike (with its park if you wish to make an extra detour).

Dedicated to equestrian sports, the Haras de Jardy Departmental Park is open to the public. Starting from Marnes-la-Coquette, which lives up to its name, this short walk takes you along the paths of the park and the trails of the neighbouring Fausses-Reposes Forest.

Set off on a pleasant bike ride in the heart of the Hauts-de-Seine, combining contemporary art, greenery and local culture. This approximately 6-kilometre route connects the modernity of the Seine Musicale in Boulogne-Billancourt with the originality of the Playing Card Museum in Issy-les-Moulineaux, passing by the unusual Tour aux Figures on Île Saint-Germain.

Starting from Pont de Sèvres, this loop begins in an urban area but mainly takes place in the Meudon Forest, with a few hills. The end of the route follows the towpath along the Seine.

From Pont de Sèvres to Pont de Saint-Cloud, with two long detours into the Domaine National de Saint-Cloud, with its woods and French gardens. The route also includes a stroll through the quiet streets of Sèvres, Ville d'Avray and Marnes-la-Coquette, with their beautiful heritage. The Étangs de Ville d'Avray offer a peaceful setting just a few kilometres from the urban centres.