Tour of the Orly cycle paths from Massy

Start from Avenue du Maréchal Leclerc (the decommissioned N20), at number 237, just outside Parc Descartes, near the service shaft for Metro Line 18 of the Greater Paris network. There are a few parking spaces along the street.

(S/E) Head towards Chilly-Mazarin along a lovely cycle path on the left-hand side of the avenue, heading south. Pass through an initial area of restaurants, the fish market and a fast-food outlet.

(1) Turn left and follow the D120 towards Chilly-Mazarin, passing a second cluster of restaurants, including Léon de Bruxelles, Chinese, Japanese and others.

(2) When you reach the roundabout, start the circular path. The cycle path follows the airport grounds in an anti-clockwise direction. Take the shaded cycle path on the left which heads towards Chilly-Mazarin.
Reach the left-hand kerb of a road and continue to the roundabout.

(3) Cross the roundabout via the cycle path on the road and carry on along the road opposite. Turn left immediately at the traffic lights.

(4) Cross the road, which curves to the right, and continue straight ahead on the cycle path through the open countryside
At the roundabout, first turn left then right and continue along the road on your right, still heading east.

(5) At the roundabout, the protected cycle path ends. Turn left and enter Paray-Vielle-Poste.
Follow the D 118 (sections of cycle lanes are marked on the road where it is wide enough). Continue eastwards until you reach the N7. Cross it and continue along the D 118 until^{the third} roundabout.

(6) Carry on to the left (back onto separate cycle paths), along Avenue Bernard Lathière, towards Orly – Paris.
When the cycle path bends, continue for a few metres until you reach a fork.

(7) Cross the road and carry on along Rue Jean Pierre Bénard, towards the shopping centre. At the end of the cycle path, you’ll reach the Delta Aeronautical Museum, which features a Concorde and two fighter jets. Cross the tram tracks and follow the cycle path that runs alongside them.

(8) At the corner of the museum building, carry on straight ahead and cross the D^118A. Continue along the N7, cross the tram line and turn left towards Orly Airport. Follow the tram line on your left, pass through the two tunnels under the runways, then the cycle path turns right and climbs slightly up to car park P4.

(9) Carry on, turning left towards the north, following the tram line on your left and the covered walkways for pedestrians on your right. You’ll reach a roundabout on the other side of the tram line.

(10) Cross the roundabout and immediately turn right onto Avenue de l’Europe, heading towards Évry, until you reach a large four-way junction.

(11) Turn left onto the D^167A, towards Wissous. There is no longer a cycle path and traffic moves quite quickly. Go under the road bridge and, at the next roundabout, continue straight ahead. Go under two more road bridges and then reach another roundabout.

(12) Carry on towards Wissous, then make a 360° turn to go over the railway line. At the next junction, turn left at the traffic lights, still heading towards Wissous. Cycle past the Rungis hangars/depots until you reach a set of traffic lights. Turn left.

(13) Ride past the tram station, then cross the tram tracks and ride alongside the airport runways again. You’ll come to a fork in the road at the start of the left-hand bend.

(14) Leave the road running alongside the runways and turn right onto Voie des Avernaises, heading towards the RER-SNCF station, La Fraternelle. Continue for about fifty metres and take the sharp left-hand bend onto the cycle path. Follow the road on your left and, at the roundabout, go straight ahead. At the next roundabout, continue straight ahead, crossing to the other side of the road.

(15) At the roundabout, carry on straight ahead. The cycle path runs alongside a thick hedge and rejoins the route you have already taken.

(2) Turn right towards Massy and cross the road bridge.

(1) Turn right and follow the N 20 towards Antony. Take the same route back to Avenue du Maréchal Leclerc, at number 237, on the way out of Parc Descarte (S/E).

Please note that the cycle path does not have right of way when crossing a road or a junction.

The suggested starting point is near my home, but you can start further down on the N20 – there are cycle paths on the pavement from Antony station – or further up in Chilly Mazarin.

On the way back, at the (1), you can continue straight ahead along the cycle path. You can then cross through Georges Brassens Park to return.