Park in the Orge Valley car park, along the D46 near the ponds.
(S/E) With your back to the car park, head right along the D46 to the small bridge over the Orge. Cross at the pedestrian crossing to join theGR® 655 (white and red markings), which you will follow for a long time. When you reach the old Moulin du Basset mill, theGR® climbs up a tarmac lane. At the end, turn left onto Rue de Brétigny and walk down to the bridge over the Orge. Cross the bridge and continue on the GR®.
(1) Go under the N104 using the tunnel that runs alongside the Orge. At the exit, cross the small bridge on the right, then follow the river southwards. After about 400 metres, turn right.
(2) Cross a footbridge, then turn left (small bridge) and then take theGR® on the right (the reservoir pond is on your left). Follow the path to the end of the pond, turn right, cross the footbridge and turn left onto a street (on the left, a sign tells the story of the Petit Paris mill). Cross at the pedestrian crossing.
(3) Leave theGR® and follow the yellow markings: turn right and take the path parallel to the street, which slopes slightly upwards. At the end of the path, cross to the right (be careful, there is no pedestrian crossing!) and take Chemin des Voiries. Follow this sloping street to the next crossroads.
(4) Leave the yellow markings and take the second street on the left. Pass Impasse des Lilas on your right, then turn left and immediately right onto a small path protected by green posts.
(5) Take a small path that winds between the gardens. After about 100 metres, turn right. Cross Rue Alphonse Réault and continue up the hill to the church in Leuville-sur-Orge.
(6) Go around the church on the right and cross Rue du Maréchal Joffre. Take Rue du 8 mai 1945 almost opposite, then turn right with the street. Follow this street on the left-hand pavement, crossing the bridge over the Francilienne (N104). Leave Impasse du Plateau on your left and use the pedestrian crossing a little further down to cross the road.
(7) Turn right at a sharp angle onto Rue de Carcassonne. Take the second left onto Rue du Chemin Vert. Continue along this street, ignoring the other streets on the right and left. At the bottom, after a left turn, follow Rue de l'Étang. At the end, turn right. Cross a small bridge over the Salmouille and head towards Linas Church.
(8) Go around the church on the right. At the next crossroads, turn right in front of the block of flats.
Find theGR® (white and red markings), which you will follow for quite some time. Turn left twice to go around the buildings. Turn right onto Chemin des Processions, which climbs towards the medieval hill. Pass a street on your left, then take the path on the left that leads to the castle. Climb the hill between the trees. The slope is more or less steep depending on the path you take, but all the paths on the left lead to the car park, which is our destination. At the car park, continue turning clockwise to reach the path that leads to the old drawbridge.
(9) Walk to the gate to admire the tower. Turn around, walk back down the driveway and turn right. Pass the first street on the left and take the second street (Rue des Processions). Be careful, this street is narrow with no pavement, and there is some traffic. Walk down to the bottom, cross Rue Baudoin, then Rue du Docteur Ogé, cross the car park and Boulevard du Téméraire. Take the path between the sports field and the swimming pool, going through a small gate. Public toilets are available on the right in the swimming pool car park. Exit this lane through another gate and take the path (Allée du Tour de France) between the sports facilities and a busy road. After the archery range, take the pedestrian crossing on the right to cross Route des Templiers. Take the small road opposite (open to traffic). You are now on the Montlhéry battlefield.
(10) Take the small road ahead, which is a no-entry road. Continue to a small car park, which you will cross to reach a path on the left that leads to the Longpont media library. At the end of the path, turn right and walk down to the basilica.
(11) Go around the basilica on the right, leaving theGR® on your right to take the sunken path that leads straight to the Orge. Cross the river on the bridge directly opposite, then take the first lane on the right. The path quickly splits in two: take the one that runs alongside the sports fields. Continue to the starting car park (S/E).
Despite the rainy weather in recent months, the route is very accessible, with a few wet patches near the Basset mill, but nothing too serious. On this Sunday, there are lots of walkers around Lake Carouge and the Petit Paris basin. This is an urban hike, and we get to know the town centres of Leuville sur Orge and Linas, which are very pleasant to walk through. An easy climb takes us to the Montlhéry tower, which offers a beautiful view. We descend towards Longpont, cross the Montlhéry battlefield (not many signs to be seen), arrive at the beautiful Longpont basilica and return via Lormoy Park.