The Dolmen of Bois Couturier

Description

Access:

- Via the A15 to Cergy-Pontoise, then along the N14, and finally the D14, exit 17.
- Via the A13, exit Les Mureaux-Meulan, then the D913, and finally the D43 to Avernes.

Departure point:

In Wy-dit-Joli-Village, at the crossroads between Rue Saint-Romain and Rue de la Confrérie, leading to the cemetery. You can park in a small car park next to the bus shelter or in the car park in Rue de la Jaugère.

Yellow Waymarks

(D/A) With your back to Rue de la Confrérie, walk east-southeast down Rue Saint-Romain. Then, with the church on your left, turn right up Rue de la Mairie. Walk past the town hall and then ignore Rue du Puits de la Ville on your left (incorrectly named "Rue au Coq" on the IGN map). At the next junction, follow the road round to the left. At the junction with Rue du Coq, which joins you again from the left (named "Rue du Puits de la Ville" on the IGN map), turn right down a path with a low wall covered in vegetation on the right-hand side.

(1) At the crossing, turn left (southeast) along a wide path between the fields. Ignore a path on the left and keep going past a hedge on your left-hand side. About 800m after the crossing, you will enter some woods. Continue along the forest border, still heading southeast. When you come out of the woods again, continue down the path with a low wall on your right-hand side.

(2) At the T-junction, turn left toward a cross. Keep the cross on your right-hand side (memorial plaque) and continue down a small road towards Gadancourt, whose bell tower is clearly visible. At the crossroads, you can see an old watering hole on your left. Continue straight on down Rue des Bruyères until you reach the Place de l’Eglise (church square).

(3) Keeping the church on your right, and then the castle, continue down the road towards Guiry-en-Vexin (signposted). Ignore a path downhill to the right and then a road to the right. Keep going along Route de Guiry, with some woods on your left and some fields bordered by hedges on your right. After a short descent you will come out onto the D159, which you then follow round to the right into Guiry.

No Waymarks

(4) When you come level with Impasse du Moulin, ignore the yellow waymarks to the left and keep going straight on. You will go past a castle (on the right) and the Archaeological Museum of Val d'Oise (on the left), and then you will reach the Church of Saint-Nicolas.

(5) Retrace your steps.

Yellow Waymarks

(4) When you come back level with Impasse du Moulin, turn right. Then at the fork just afterwards, bear left. Ignore two perpendicular streets off to the left and then the right. Go through a forest gate and walk past a barn on your left. Continue due west between two horse pastures (you will be able to see an old watering hole on your left). Then follow the path round to the right and continue up towards some woods. Go through a forest gate. Just after the gate, turn right and walk through a meadow with some very young trees on your left and a hedge on your right. At the end, enter the woods and head downhill.

(6) At the bottom of the slope, turn left, and cross a meadow with fruit trees. At the end of the meadow, ignore an information sign ahead of you (Yellow Crosses) and head right towards another information sign. Enter the woods again in the direction of the dolmen (signposted – Allée Couverte). Ignore the path that joins you immediately from the left and head north along a wide path. At the crossroads, bear right along a shady uphill path (unlike what is indicated by the purple line on the IGN map, the PR footpath (Petite Randonnée – Short Hike) does not bear left but actually follows this route as well). After a few wooden steps you will come out onto a perpendicular path.

No waymarks

(7) Ignore the yellow arrow indicating to turn left and instead turn right towards the dolmen (signposted - Allée Couverte). After a short descent and then a short climb back up again, you will come out at the top of a grassy area. The dolmen is on the left (information board).

(8) Retrace your steps.

Yellow Waymarks

(7) At the junction, with the wooden steps on your left, continue straight on (west) with a grassy area on your right-hand side. Ignore a path from the left and then make a left and immediate right to enter the woods and stay along the edge of the woodland border. Ignore a path down to the left and keep going until you reach a forest gate. Just before the gate, take a path to the left (not indicated on the map), which turns almost immediately to the right and then at the crossing, continue straight on (west).
N.B. The purple line on the IGN map continues along the edge of the field after the forest gate and turns left a little further on to reach the crossing mentioned above. Both routes are possible here.

The path winds through the woods and then at a fork, it bears left. Follow it downhill, and at the first crossing, continue straight on. At the second crossing, cross a wide track, and continue opposite you up a steep slope.

No Waymarks

(9) At the top of the slope, leave the PR footpath, which heads off to the right, and instead turn left. Keep following the path along the edge of the woodland, with a field slightly above you to your right-hand side. At the fork, turn right and keep going, still with the field on your right-hand side. You will come out into a meadow. Keep going straight on along the edge of the meadow, with a hedge on your right-hand side (along a clearly visible grass path that is not indicated on the map). At the end of the path, go through a metal gate (passage under high cables on the left-hand side). Then continue down a small road with a grey house on your left-hand side, and then a track off to your left, which you ignore. Continue slightly downhill along the road, to the southwest.

Yellow Waymarks

(10) At the crossroads, take the first road to the left, with the weather station on your right-hand side. Walk past the cemetery on your left and keep going until you get back to the starting point (D/A).