Thoiry (Yvelines) walks

This hike is recommended when the paths are too muddy. This route goes around Thoiry Wildlife Park. It mainly follows quiet, small tarmac roads, for seasons when the paths are almost impassable.

A short, pleasant, rural half-day hike with some historical features.

A hike through a vast cultivated plain, with extensive views of the surrounding woods. In the distance, you can see the octagonal bell towers of the churches of Osmoy and Saint-Martin-des-Champs.

A hike to discover two beautiful wash houses and stroll through fields and forests in the rolling countryside of the Yvelines.

A hike on the slopes of both banks of the Mauldre, a tributary of the Seine between the Plaine de Versailles and the Mantois. The route, consisting of two loops, alternates between residential areas, forests and fields. A rich heritage, partly linked to water, can be discovered along the way: an old fortified castle, old mills, a siphon bridge, farm buildings, a church, etc.

This circular hike in the Beynes forest takes you past several underground gas storage sites. You will then cross the village of Saulx-Marchais, passing by its old church and town hall before crossing the fields to reach Neauphle-le-Vieux and the Mauldre river. Return to the starting point via the Beynes forest.

This easy hike will take you through fields and woods to discover the heritage of two small villages, including two barn-style churches. All this in peace and quiet!

A fairly easy walk from station to station, the first part of which is through woodland where you can admire superb specimens of various species of deciduous trees, particularly beeches and oaks, which are certainly over a hundred years old. You also pass close to the Alluets-le-Roi telecommunications centre and its many antennas of all types.The second part, which is more varied, includes a visit to the ruins of Abbecourt Abbey and the centres of the villages of Orgeval and Villennes-sur-Seine with their churches. The walk ends with a pleasant stroll along the banks of the Seine.

After exploring Maule and its heritage, you will climb through the woods and walk through the countryside to reach Aulnay-sur-Mauldre. From there, you will follow the Mauldre and its recent meanders back to the starting point.

This route follows part ofthe GR®26 trailon the plateau above the Mauldre.

This easy hike will take you to the beautiful Forêt des Quatre Piliers, where you will discover the Étang de la Pimardière. A short tour of the village of Orgerus is also on the agenda.

A circular route starting from Villiers-Saint-Frédéric station and crossing the village of Neauphle-le-Château. This route alternates between fields and charming little paths to reach the village square. Along the way, you will discover wide open spaces, a small lake, an orientation table, a farmyard housing an old church, old stones, and the charm of the square in Neauphle-le-Château with its narrow cobbled streets.

Fourth stage of the Grand Tour de l'Île-de-France on the GR® 11 and start of the clockwise circular section.This stage takes place entirely in the Yvelines department, connecting Villiers-Neauphle-Pontchartrain station to Orgerus-Béhoust station, crossing the Beynes forest and the agricultural landscapes of the Yvelines. The route runs alongside the Avre aqueduct, which supplies drinking water to western Paris.

A walk accessible to all, starting from Villiers-Saint-Frédéric station, to explore the park and the Château de Plaisir. This walk takes you through fields, the market square in Plaisir and the castle grounds. The return journey takes you through the Sainte-Apolline forest and the pretty village of Neauphle-le-Château.There are several water points if you have a dog. The route is accessible all year round. It may be a little muddy, but it remains accessible in the forest during the rainy season.

This is the last stage of the GR®1. The starting point is at Villiers-Saint-Frédéric, at the RER station. The entire route is rural. It passes through several villages, including Saint-Germain-la-Grange, Thiverval-Grignon and Davron. There are two notable churches: those in Davron and Thiverval-Grignon, not to mention Feucherolles. This is an undemanding section that allows you to finish the GR®1 at a leisurely pace.

Fifth stage of the Grand Tour of Île-de-France on the GR®11, connecting Orgerus-Béhoust station to Mantes-Station, still through the Yvelines. This is a northbound route that joins the Seine valley at Mantes-la-Jolie, descending the valleys of the Flexanville and then the Vaucouleurs rivers. The route follows both paths at the bottom of the valley and paths on the adjacent plateaus.

Starting from the village of Bazemont, rich in heritage, this is a forest loop for a good half of the route, with passages between fields and along the streams that drain them.

A varied hike with some elevation gain. You will pass through a few villages or residential areas and alternate between woods and cultivated fields.

This varied and very hilly route is dotted with wash houses. There are numerous springs around Guerville. Here and there, the route offers beautiful views.

An easy and very pleasant circuit in the Rambouillet forest, passing by the Étangs de Hollande.

During this walk, you will discover the heritage of Épône, the birthplace of the Fifth Republic, and also set off in search of the wash houses of Mézières through fields, woods and hamlets.

It's a very varied walk, combining nature, culture, history, tourism and curiosities. All of which means you won't miss a mile. And if you're lucky enough to do it in good weather, you'll come home feeling like you've just been on holiday.

A walk that is half rural, half woodland, allowing you to visit 11 wash houses scattered throughout the region's pretty villages, of various styles and constructions, most of them decorated with flowers, some of which are quite complex in design and/or large in size, offering clear, refreshing running water (although not drinkable), which is much appreciated when temperatures soar above 30°C. Two viewpoints over Mantes-la-Jolie and its collegiate church, and the chimneys of the Porcheville power station, which are often in view.

On the agenda for this hike: two pretty little villages, local heritage, a walk through the woods and along the Vaucouleurs and Morand rivers.

On the edge of the Rambouillet National Forest, the Old Road from Nogent-le-Roy to Montfort-l'Amaury is marked by boundary stones dating from the Ancien Régime and decorated with fleurs-de-lis. This short hike, which requires a good sense of direction, starts in the heart of the forest in search of these boundary stones and ends in a rural setting.

Varied landscapes and paths: pine, oak and birch forests, fields and greenhouses, thatched cottages and streams, boundary stones bearing coats of arms and a billionaire's castle.

A route in the heart of the Rambouillet National Forest, in the Chevreuse Valley Regional Nature Park, where you can discover a varied and peaceful natural environment. This hike is ideal for nature lovers and those seeking tranquillity.