Saint-Vrain (Essonne) walks

Twenty-ninth stage of the Grand Tour of Île-de-France via the GR®11, linking Ballancourt-sur-Essonne to La Ferté-Alais. Although both towns are located in the Essonne valley, the proposed route passes through the plateau overlooking the valley on the east side, in the Gâtinais Français Regional Nature Park, to the charming village of Mondeville. The GR® then winds its way between valleys, forests dotted with sandstone boulders and agricultural plateaus. This stage is shorter than the previous ones but is not without its difficulties as it still covers steep sections of terrain similar to the Fontainebleau forest, particularly around Mondeville. The route also allows you to discover some unusual sights, such as the Roches du Père La Musique in Ballancourt.

Discover some geological and natural sites in the south of the Essonne department: a landscape of flat land, a sandpit and a vast marshland area that is home to many birds. This hike alternates between sections in the undergrowth, which are the most numerous, and sections between fields.

A route between town, fields and forest, during which you will have the opportunity to discover some of the points of interest in the commune of Ballancourt-sur-Essonne.

A walk on the hillsides on both banks of the Juine, alternating between cultivated fields and undergrowth. You'll discover a rich heritage along the way, including a dolmen, castle, old mill, farm buildings and beautiful houses.

This stage of the GR®1 is one of the most difficult on this GR®. It is 32 km long and has an elevation gain of over 400 m. It is also one of the most beautiful. Starting from Lardy, this hike takes you past magnificent monuments such as the Church of Saint-Sulpice, the Church of Saint-Yon, the Church of Sermaise and the Château de Dourdan. There are other monuments to visit in this town. Most of the route is in the countryside, with several ascents and descents into the valleys. The route passes through numerous villages of varying sizes.

This hike is certainly the most "aquatic" of those that can be undertaken along the Essonne. Indeed, numerous ponds punctuate the route: ponds for fishing or other forms of leisure; ponds and marshes that make up a protected natural area, a source of biodiversity and a place to observe wildlife.

Thirtieth stage of the Grand Tour of Île-de-France via the GR®11, linking La Ferté-Alais, in the Essonne valley, to Étréchy, in the Juine valley, through the western part of the Gâtinais Français Regional Nature Park. It consists of continuing the crossing of the Essonne, between agricultural landscapes, small forest ranges and more imposing valleys. A relatively short stage without any major difficulties, before the next two, which will be a little longer.

A lovely walk among ponds, marshes and, above all, birds, ducks, etc., lasting 4½ to 5 hours, or longer if you stop to watch the birds on the ponds.

This last stage of the journey along the Essonne offers many opportunities to play leapfrog with the river. It is obviously the stage with the most urban sections. The town of Corbeil-Essonnes reveals its rich religious, civil and industrial heritage.

A hike from station to station, mostly following the Orge river or its secondary branch, the Grande Boële, and along a few large reservoirs. There is a rich heritage to discover, in Arpajon at the start of the hike and, as a highlight, at the Basilica of Longpont.

A hike from station to station, along the Orge and its tributary, the Rémarde, as well as the Bassin de Trêvois. A small menhir and a Louis XIII-style castle add a nice touch of heritage.

This hike will allow you to discover a wide variety of landscapes on a relatively short route, as well as some historical remains along the way.

Alternating between dirt tracks, undergrowth and small roads, passing through the Coudray forest, the Bois d'Épignon, the Garenne de la Padôle and the Bois de la Valette, crossing the village of Mondeville and its church.

This route between fields and woods will take you through the village of Villeneuve-sur-Auvers and lead you to a beautiful plateau in the commune of Boissy-le-Cuté.

A short hike with a slight elevation gain and two distinct sections. The first part takes place in the Bevéldère Forest, which is dotted with rocks. The belvedere offers a sweeping view of the valley. The second part takes place in the Domaine de Chamarande, with its Louis XIII-style château and numerous canals and ponds.

The main aim of this walk is to reach La Roche Turpin from a station (RER C). La Roche Turpin is a magnificent natural area consisting of a sandstone plateau and its slopes, covered by a beautiful forest mainly populated by oaks (including some superb specimens), chestnut trees and Scots pines.At the start, you can enjoy the path around the Bassin de Trévoix (Retenue de l'Orge). You then make a pleasant walk through the village of Bruyères-le-Châtel via a dense network of well-maintained footpaths. Next comes the beautiful forest of Bruyères-le-Châtel (although there are long straight stretches due to fences enclosing large areas).

A varied walk, combining the rich heritage of Bruyères-le-Châtel with an original route along the paths of this commune, and a path through the forest, between the fields or along a vast stretch of water.

Follow paths and small roads from D'Huison-Longeville to La Ferté-Alais, meandering along the water’s edge, through villages and across the hillsides of La Ferté-Alais, passing the educational farm. You pass through D'Huison, Cerny, La Ferté-Alais and Guigneville.

This is a short 6.5km route combining two of the four routes suggested on the Huison-Longueville municipal website.

This route, in the heart of Gatinais Park, will allow you to discover the village with its restored wash house, 12th-century church and forest paths.

A few kilometres from Paris, this refreshing hike takes you through the village of Leuville-sur-Orge, along a path that runs alongside the Orge river, and to the Carouge basin in Brétigny-sur-Orge.

This route, which is half urban and half forest, focuses on footpaths. Along the way, you can visit the Russian cemetery (no dogs allowed), see an elephant, cross the Bois des Trous, admire the majestic keep and its flower beds, and be sure to visit the miraculous cave of Sainte Geneviève... An easy walk and a good time guaranteed.

A circular loop through the fields and woodlands between Champcueil, Soisy-sur-École and Nainville-les-Roches, following part of the GR®11 trail. It nevertheless includes some beautiful terrain, such as the Grand Tertre and the Crête des Rochers du Duc in the Grands Avaux forest, offering stunning views of the surrounding area and even as far as Paris on a clear day.

A hike that alternates between pleasant paths along the water's edge and urban passages. The Tower of Montlhéry, which offers a beautiful panorama, and the Basilica of Longpont, the destinations of this hike, are beautiful reminders of the Middle Ages in Île-de-France.

A short, varied and easy hike. Streams, meadows, forests, housing estates and fields, and of course the basilica of Longpont, are the ingredients of this walk just a few kilometres from Paris.

In 1465, Louis XI and Charles the Bold clashed at Montlhéry. This hike takes you to some of the historic sites in Essonne that witnessed this confrontation (Leuville, Montlhéry Castle, the battlefield, etc.). The return route takes you via Longpont Basilica.

A very short walk consisting of a circular in the forest and a circular in open terrain. Worth seeing: several remarkable trees (oak, plane trees), wetland vegetation and a small built heritage site on the theme of water.

Some of these trees have probably seen the royal hunting parties pass by! This hike is partly like a treasure hunt. The remarkable trees are usually located a few dozen metres from the forest paths and require a little effort to discover. But the beauty of these specimens quickly makes you forget the difficulties. The route is further enhanced by passing close to two 18th-century castles.